Members of NZ Tree Crops Association are invited to attend Waikato Branch end-of-year gathering. Let's get together!
Date: Sunday 23 November 2025
Time: 11.30am garden walk, 12.30pm lunch pizza oven and BBQ available.
Venue: 216 Heard Rd, Waihi
A little about our hosts:
Jeanie and Michael moved to the Bay of Plenty from Marlborough 12 years ago when Michael became the Winemaker at the Morton Estate Winery in Katikati. They purchased this property (which is in the Waikato) shortly afterwards and began to develop it with an eclectic collection of fruit and nut trees and vegetable gardens. Over the years their philosophy for how they manage the garden has slowly evolved and now, getting into their mid 70s, they are evolving it again towards the [possible] day when they will be less able than they are now to maintain it.
There are about 170 fruit and nut trees/vines/bushes in total, a berry house, grape house, 2 vegetable gardens (one enclosed). There is also a wine cellar stocked from years in the wine industry including a stash of "reject" champagne which has been known to feature in past field days and may well on this occasion!
What to bring:
Something to sit on
Your picnic set - a cup, plate, and cutlery
Food to share
Trees and plants to share
Stories to share and your petanque skills (Waikato members are pretty good at this game)
There is a pizza oven and BBQ available. Waikato Branch will bring some non-alcoholic beverage, pizza and snags to share. If you are GF or VG, Waikato Branch may be able to arrange separate BBQ if you or branch are unable to organise one.
Important! - How to get there:
We have a road closure on Trig Rd North until the end of the year. Whatever your GPS says, you must go through Waihi, take SH25 towards Whangamata, turn right onto Barry Rd, Barry Rd becomes Golden Valley Rd, at the tee intersection turn right onto Trig Rd North - yes there is a "No Right Turn" sign, ignore it. When you turn right there is a sign "Road Closed", its OK, the closure is beyond our road. Go 1 km and turn left onto Heard Rd. Two km up the hill the road does a 90 degree to the right and we are on the onside of the bend. Around the corner you will see straight ahead of you a sign saying "Le Puy" which is our place. (And its pronounced PIE, not PWEE for a reason that will be explained!)
Kind regards,
Michael and Jeanie (Hosts)