Organic NZ

Passion for plums

Lunch is a daily ritual at the Crums’ house: an opportunity to review the morning’s work, share personal stories and talk politics (Green). On this November day, Jennie and Bob have four wwoofers of mixed age, daughter Naomi, and me at their table. The fare is a stunning walnut tart with salad and bread, followed by feijoa cake – virtually all ingredients are homegrown, of course. The work today has been thinning plums on laden branches and weeding round blueberry bushes.

People staying and working here for periods of time is one of the things we love about having the orchard,” says Jennie. “And it’s also an opportunity to teach them about organics.”

STILL LEARNING AFTER 35 YEARS

Indeed there’s always more to learn about tending the soil, plants and fruit at Windsong – the name becomes clear later – even for Jennie and Bob after 35 years. Pushing through the plum orchard this day, they run a meticulous eye over every tree and especially the Red Beaut variety due for harvest

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