Near Blenheim, in the shadow of Spring Creek’s Wairau River, is Cherrybank Orchard. The nine-hectare orchard, with over 9,000 trees boasting 11 different cherry varieties including Lapin, Roseann, Stella, and Sonnett, is full of life with millions of cherries ripening under the sun – just days away from picking. For five or so weeks, in the run up to Christmas, hundreds of tonnes of cherries are harvested and sold across New Zealand.
It is a family-owned operation run by Blair McLean and his wife Mel, with the assistance of their manager, Sam Lee. As if Cherrybank is not busy enough, Blair also works full-time as a Technical Horticultural Representative for Fruitfed Supplies, a job he has held for 28 years.
“I was brought up on a poultry farm in Central Otago, which has nothing to do with fruit or horticulture. But we were surrounded by trees in Roxburgh—apricots, peaches, nectarines—so, you could say it is in my blood and inspired me to get a horticultural degree at Otago. I have been doing it ever since,” says Blair.
Marlborough is New Zealand’s largest wine producing region has the perfect conditions for producing its world-famous Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir: warm sunny days, cool nights, low rainfall, and free-draining soil. These are the same conditions under which cherries thrive.
Cherrybank’s first trees, apples, were planted in 1985 by then-owners Bernie and Trish Rowe. Slowly, they transitioned to cherries becoming an island in a sea of vineyards. After 30 years, they were looking to retire.
“Bernie and Trish were clients of mine, and neighbours. A little over 10 years ago, they were looking to exit out, but didn’t want to see their orchard become another vineyard. So, we came up with a proposal to work with them, as a profit split, to eventually buy them out,” explains Blair.
Now, in their 11th harvest, the seventh as a full-time owner, Blair is thrilled to build upon the Rowe’s foundations.
“It has been great. There are less than 50 hectares of cherries in Marlborough, and 31,000 hectares of grapes. So, when the cherries are ready, we have a great, loyal client base,” he says.
During peak season, Cherrybank has some 75 people, picking and packaging cherries to send them to Auckland, Hamilton, Christchurch, and sometimes Cromwell through their distributor Market Gardeners Group; or lined up at the orchard gate to get their hands on these little bursts of cherry goodness. While Blair makes growing cherries look easy, it is hard work, but worth it.
“Nectarines, peaches, plums, apricots, and cherries—are the five fruit that fall under the summer fruit category, and of the five cherries are probably the hardest to grow. They are more susceptible to rain, to birds, and disease. So, it is a tough one to grow, but we love the challenge. Once you produce a delicious cherry, you know you’ve cracked it,” says Blair.
Living to the whims of mother nature, has its challenges, as well.
“We have had some tough seasons. When you look at your trees and they have beautiful fruit hanging off them and then get 100 ml of rain only for them to split can be quite demoralising. There have been times where I thought why not change it to all grapes, or sell the land, but if you get it right, then you just want to do more,” Blair explains.
It is this same passion and enthusiasm Blair brings to his work at Fruitfed Supplies.
“No two days are the same. Though I start each day on the phone, phone calls and texts, talking about chemicals—rates, applications, timing. I have a client base who look after about 7,000 to 8,000 hectares. We want to make sure we are giving the right technical advice or the right product they need. We have a great crop monitoring crew who share their results with us and if there’s anything to worry about, we will talk to our clients. I am often walking the vineyards and looking at weeds and crops. But it is really all about giving the right advice, at the right time,” Blair says.
In the nearly three decades since joining Fruitfed, Blair’s relationship with his clients is generational.
“I am seeing the next generation of growers. Say the son has taken over from Dad, and it is good for me to tell him about the history of the block, ‘this is what it was like 28 years ago,” he laughs.
Blenheim’s Fruitfed team is also multigenerational.
“We have a mix of the young and old. New reps and team members are coming up, making their own friendships and building relationships now.”
For Blair, in the end, it is about relationships.
“The customers are the best bit. I know it sounds cliché, but it is true. It is the relationships you build. I have been with the company some time now, and a lot of my clients are my friends. At the end of the season, when they have their fruit in or wine made, I often get a call saying, ‘thanks for getting us through.’ That is a really good feeling, the client’s made some money, and we helped make it happen,” explains Blair.
