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Sheryn DeanI grew up on an isolated 250 hectares on the East Coast. My parents were sustainable out of necessity and organic before it was trendy.
In my 30s I obtained a small block (3.5h) in the lush and temperate Waikato and learnt how to adjust farming practices to a small block. When one cow is a 25% of your herd, stock numbers make a huge difference and the economics of grazing a bull year round is not justifiable. Not only that, my tastes had expanded from that of my childhood. I now want feta cheese, ricotta and dukha and eat previously unknown vegetables like rocket, yacon and pak choy. A lifelong love of growing trees was expanded when I edited the NZ Tree Crops Assn journal, TreeCropper, for eleven years. This put me in touch with some of the best and experienced and experimental horticulturists in New Zealand. I enjoyed gleaning information from them and applying it to my own piece of paradise. I collected and experimented with over 500 different fruits, nuts and berries. I continue to write articles for various publications including NZ Lifestyle Block and NZ Gardener magazines which connects me with a wide range of experienced growers. Over fifteen years I trialled growing a wide range of crops and stock, as well as multitude of preserving/cooking techniques. Much was learnt by experiment as the information available is often biased, aimed at larger farmers, urban gardens or other climates. My focus is always on maximising the nutrient content of food, which involves working with nature in organic and sustainable ways. |
My block
I found the perfect 3.5h of bare land in the Waikato in 2006.
The land was part of a road reconstruction in the '70s and was an old dairy farm that had been heavily cropped. The soil was poor with sour boggy patches, (which is why the farmer agreed to sell it), but location, location, location. It was north-facing and the size I wanted.
Within three years, organic methods had turned the soil around and the orchard was providing fruit. It produced more food than I knew what to do with and the focus was always on making that produce as nutritionally beneficial as possible.
The benign climate of the Waikato meant I could grow a huge range of food. Not all of it was successful but with sugar maples (they need cold) and bananas (which need heat) growing I reckoned I was future-proofing for climate change - whichever way she goes. One thing I have learnt is that the variety of food we can grow far exceeds the range available in the supermarket. Ever tried an asimoya? A medlar? Rangpur lime? Yacon? Arguta berries?
I also learnt that it is best to work towards an overall plan, but realise that nature is always changing and evolving and the best plans accommodate this.
I established diverse vegetable gardens, food forests, ran dairy and beef cattle, sheep, pigs, various poultry, beehives, and had hundreds of fruit and nut trees, berry plants and supporting understorey plants in an integrated holistic system that I managed organically with some homeopathic and bio-dynamic methodology. Over years I watched my land and environment improve considerably.
In 2019, I left my paradise and have since been farm sitting and wwoofing around the North Island to experience first hand the challenges other growers face: kikuyu, clay, coastal climates, small sections etc.
The best thing about growing your own food is you are always learning, always challenged and there is always something new to try.
The land was part of a road reconstruction in the '70s and was an old dairy farm that had been heavily cropped. The soil was poor with sour boggy patches, (which is why the farmer agreed to sell it), but location, location, location. It was north-facing and the size I wanted.
Within three years, organic methods had turned the soil around and the orchard was providing fruit. It produced more food than I knew what to do with and the focus was always on making that produce as nutritionally beneficial as possible.
The benign climate of the Waikato meant I could grow a huge range of food. Not all of it was successful but with sugar maples (they need cold) and bananas (which need heat) growing I reckoned I was future-proofing for climate change - whichever way she goes. One thing I have learnt is that the variety of food we can grow far exceeds the range available in the supermarket. Ever tried an asimoya? A medlar? Rangpur lime? Yacon? Arguta berries?
I also learnt that it is best to work towards an overall plan, but realise that nature is always changing and evolving and the best plans accommodate this.
I established diverse vegetable gardens, food forests, ran dairy and beef cattle, sheep, pigs, various poultry, beehives, and had hundreds of fruit and nut trees, berry plants and supporting understorey plants in an integrated holistic system that I managed organically with some homeopathic and bio-dynamic methodology. Over years I watched my land and environment improve considerably.
In 2019, I left my paradise and have since been farm sitting and wwoofing around the North Island to experience first hand the challenges other growers face: kikuyu, clay, coastal climates, small sections etc.
The best thing about growing your own food is you are always learning, always challenged and there is always something new to try.
Google my name to link to numerous articles I have written for various publications on gardening. lifestyle block living and stock management.
