Hats Off to the IFTA Kiwi Hosts

Hats Off to the IFTA Kiwi Hosts

The group that was a part of IFTA New Zealand Study Tour Week 1 pose for a photo at Te Mata Peak. (Photo: Christina Herrick)

Editor’s note: For nearly two weeks, Senior Editor Christina Herrick traveled between the North and South Islands of New Zealand as part of the International Fruit Tree Association’s (IFTA) New Zealand Study Tour, sharing sights and sounds through online postings and social media (Twitter and Instagram at @HerrickAFG) with the hashtag of #IFTANZ. If you missed any of her coverage, be sure to visit http://www.growingproduce.com/tag/ifta-conference-2018/.

During my busiest times here in magazine production, it’s hard for me to juggle much other than the task at hand, and I’m sure you feel the same on your operation. Thinking about how your harvests go, I can’t imagine welcoming 100-plus folks to come visit during the busiest time of the year.

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But, that’s exactly what the 17-or-so New Zealand orchards, nurseries, research stations, and packinghouses did as hosts for the International Fruit Tree Association’s New Zealand Study Tour, just as harvest was starting to ramp up. At some stops, they were picking while we were there or had just picked the day before.

Orchard managers and owners welcomed us warmly and often had apples, water, insight, and plenty of Kiwi humor to share with us.

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As Karen Lewis, IFTA board member and one of the organizers of the New Zealand study tour said “every one of them agreed to have us there. TWICE.”

It’s an impressive feat, one not lost on me or my fellow tour-goers. Not only did these orchards roll out the red carpet for our entourage of Canadians, Americans, Irish, Brazilians, and friends, they welcomed a second set of tour-goers a week or so later. Oh, and this as the remnants of a tropical cyclone blew through.

 

Hats Off to the IFTA Kiwi Hosts

I managed to fit in a horseback trek around Hawke’s Bay the morning before I left New Zealand. A ride on the beach was a treat. My four-legged guide, Nugget, was keenly interested in the apple snacks I brought along, while the sites for her were old hat. (Photo: Christina Herrick)

As you’ll read in my cover story, there’s a lot of takeaways from my trip to New Zealand. In my rough estimate, we logged at least 1,772 miles between the North and South island via bus, airplane, bus, water taxi, foot, and for me, by horse.

While I’m in a saluting mood, I should also tip my wide-brimmed sun hat to the ladies of Onward Travel — sisters Molly Crist and Kat Dhand. Everyone who coordinated the study tour did such a fantastic job of organizing a herd of us in orange vests around the islands and used some of the infamous Kiwi No. 8 wire mentality (see my cover story for an explanation) as Tropical Cyclone Gita threatened and eventually canceled some of our plans. Kat and Molly organized an impromptu Tropical Cyclone Gita party and rearranged our schedule so we could still see Able Tasman National Park. We ended up missing only one orchard stop.

In the end, I left with a boatload of memories, one bright orange safety vest, and some sunburns to remind me of sunnier skies. I can’t wait to go back!

And to the wonderful people of New Zealand, I say … in Maori: Kia ora rawa atu (Many thanks). Ka kite anō. (Until I see you again).

 

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