During a period of uncertainty for some horticultural sectors, Ashdon Reid’s passion and commitment to developing high-producing kiwifruit orchards is refreshing and encouraging.
Having grown up on the orchards purchased, developed and sold by his parents David and Nicci Reid, Ashdon spent plenty of weekends and school holidays helping out with whatever needed doing.
He departed Bay of Plenty for Lincoln University where he completed a Bachelor of Commerce before working on dairy and sheep and beef farms, with a bit of ag contracting as well, to gain experience in other sectors.
Ashdon says, “I decided kiwifruit was pretty good after all, so was able to secure a graduate position with a kiwifruit business where I spent three years with them developing and managing orchards.” With his parents stepping out of day-to-day orchard management, Ashdon set up a business called Good Crops primarily to develop and manage the family orchards in Pukehina. “Currently, we have 20 ha of Gold3 in production and are underway with a five-year project developing 60 ha of orchard, all Gold3.
“Alongside that, we are developing orchards for other clients with a focus on the area from Te Puke through to Edgecumbe. We have a couple of clients in Edgecumbe – one where we manage their mature orchards, the other we’re in the process of developing 20 ha for. It’s similar in Pukehina where the Good Crops team manages a client’s mature orchards and we’re also putting in new blocks for them, starting this winter.” Ashdon says he’s not necessarily looking for other management contracts. “I’m keen to develop orchards for new clients, usually in the range of 10 to 40 ha, and then look to manage those orchards for them.”
With a proven format for the successful establishment of Gold3 blocks, Ashdon sees location and lie of the land being the most important considerations when looking at pastoral farming land to be converted to kiwifruit. Topography and access to water are also important for site selection. “There’s plenty of confidence for kiwifruit sector. All developments we’ve done so far have been Gold3. Now we have a pretty good reputation for how to develop these blocks and crop them as a new, highly-productive orchard. “I’m excited about the newer varieties appearing. There’s a new red – R80 – being released this year with a maximum of 5 ha worth available for new licence holders. I’ve already had a couple of queries about developing 5 ha blocks of R80 so may have these underway this winter. There are new green varieties coming too, which I’ll be watching with interest.”
Once a new site is mapped, any necessary earthworks are done next. Then it’s onto the installation of the overhead canopy structures, posts and wires, as well as irrigation. According to site requirements, Ashdon’s team will also co-ordinate the construction of a bore or dam with the relevant specialists and add overhead or wind machine frost fighting systems where needed. “From planting to first crop, it’s a 21 to 36 month journey depending when you get the plants in the ground,” Ashdon explains. “We’re working 12 months ahead to order plants from nurseries.” Ashdon utilises the skills of both full-time staff and contractors for the development work and orchard management tasks. Good Crops also offers contract harvesting and pollen application in spring, both important aspects of the growing business.
This year, Early Start Gold3 harvest got underway on 7 March, meaning Ashdon redirected his focus to liaising with growers, organising the workforce, and coordinating transport. “Being a relatively new business, we are reliant on our contractors while we build the numbers and expertise of our full-timers. We have a valued construction partner for the orchard structure aspect of new orchards. We also use seasonal labour such as backpackers, as well as sub-contractors, for harvest and busy spring canopy work season.” Likewise, input from Steve Wood, Ashdon’s Te Puke-based Fruitfed Supplies Technical Horticultural Representative is important.
“Steve been our family Rep for more than ten years, and we have very strong relationship with him in terms of technical advice and on-orchard supplies. The depth of technical support from the wider team at the Te Puke Fruitfed Supplies branch is great. We do our leaf and soil tests with them, get fertiliser recommendations, etc. Great capacity and willingness to come out to site and walk the orchard with you. Having another pair of eyes, with expert knowledge, is invaluable.”
