Last day in New Zealand

The day started with a few calls. Had to answer some emails. And finally, at noon, I was able to go into town. Roaming around, enjoying the vibe. Later this afternoon, I took the old steamboat across the lake to an eco-farm. About contradictions…

At the farm, I learned about seedling of native bush- and forestplants. How they work on collecting the seeds localy, nurture them until they can be planted at naked hills. The trees, which are used for timberproduction, are quite invasive, even outside the planted wood plantations. By conciously replanting natives bushes and forests they try to do their part to protect indangered species. At the tree nursery, we were allowed to choose a tree to plant it ourselves later in the day. 

From there, we went to the veggie gardens. The farm guide told us about how they try to find the best methods to produce enough fruits and veggies for their guests, on a soil that naturally is not very rich, on a hillside, up here in the mountains. She told us about successes and learning points. Next was de orchard and the bee-keeping. Most native bees are not that much honey producers, though they choose European honey bees. Would native bees do the pollination job well enough, anyway? 

Before we went off to plant our choosen tree, we had a high tea with produces (mostly) from the gardens. Delicious!

It felt good, to get my hands dirty, plant a tree (not only paying off carbon debts). Wish, the tree will grow well!

Back in town, I had to get ready for my flight to Sydney, tomorrow. What will Australia bring to the trip? 

The last night in New Zealand was a special one: around midnight, there was a lunar eclipse. Watched it almost until the main point before I went to bed. Forecast was, it would last until almost 4AM. A little late… even for me.