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News, activities and events

Find out what's happening at blockhill

04January2025

Home built broad fork

Home built broad fork

Details   I first came across the idea of a broad fork years ago and thought, “That doesn’t look too hard to make.” Fast forward to this past summer—a particularly wet one—and I finally got around to it. Perfect weather for an indoor project, right?

This DIY broad fork was crafted entirely from scrap metal. The tines? Repurposed from common fencing standards. The rest of the design came together surprisingly smoothly, making it a satisfying little project to tick off my list.

For those unfamiliar, a broad fork is a hefty gardening tool designed to loosen soil without disrupting its natural structure. It has a horizontal bar with two handles and a row of long, sturdy tines that sink deep into the ground. Unlike a spade or rototiller, the broad fork gently aerates and decompacts soil without flipping it over. This keeps the soil layers intact and preserves the microorganisms that keep your garden thriving.
Date   January 04, 2025

05July2022

2022 Scion Wood Orders Completed!

It's the big event for midwinter, the fulfilment of scion wood orders. This year we sent off 41 packages containing a total of almost 400 fruit tree cuttings consisting of 28 varieties.

We wish the recipients all the best with their grafting this spring and welcome any feedback our updates. It's exciting to think that these little twigs will go on to provide fruitful bounty to their carers in distant locations up and down the country.

So that's all for this year folks, check our scion wood page for a list of what we can supply and signup to watch the page and be notified when ordering commences again in 2023. Catch you then!
July 05, 2022
Scion / bud wood for grafting View 4 photos

09May2021

21March2021

Multi function pruning

Multi function pruning

Details   It's summer and dry. The pigs are unhappy due to lack of fresh green grass. We are supplementing their diet with purchased grains but found they enjoy fresh prunings from various trees.

We combine the chore of summer pruning fruit trees with a treat for the pigs and have found they love to eat most stone and pip fruit leaves as well as grape and willow.
Date   March 21, 2021
Tags     2021  pig  summer 

28February2021

Summer 2021

Details   Our eleventh summer and things have been growing well. Here is an overview of how it looks now with some recent drone footage
Date   February 28, 2021
Tags     summer  2021  video 
Related info

18May2020

Arbour Construction

Arbour Construction

After hand milling macrocarpa tree with electric chainsaw I was looking for a project to utilise the rugged timber and decided to create a rugged arbour behind the house to improve the look and feel while usefully supporting some deciduous fruiting vines, the hardy kiwi berry.

This area had never really been well used, despite being so close to the house and easily accessible via the concrete pathway. Part of this project involves improving the productivity of garden.

After coming up with a suitable plan there was a decent amount of work clearing the existing plants and attempting to eradicate the twitch grass. I imagine this is going to take several passes. At this stage it has been sown in a cover crop for winter.

Concrete footings were cast with galvanized metal brackets to create a sturdy base, elevate the posts to keep them dry and make any future repairs reasonably easy.

Melisa helped assemble the heavy timber framework and metal piping.

Final phase is the planting of the vines (waiting patiently in pots) and training them up and over the arbour frame.
May 18, 2020
  construction  zone1 
Olmec Sinclair
View 4 photos

17October2019

CCSP Kaikoura 6 monthly tour of blockhill

CCSP Kaikoura 6 monthly tour of blockhill

Details   Once again the students from Kaikoura CCSP visited for a tour and explanation for the method.
Date   October 17, 2019
Tags     2019  October  Spring  Tour  CCSP 

01September2019

20 times Super Host!

20 times Super Host!

Thanks AirBnB but we're not impressed with the crappy key and excessive packaging. I can just imagine all the creative meetings and brainstorm session that produced this monstrosity... (shudder)
September 01, 2019

25August2019

A bespoke rain gauge

A bespoke rain gauge

Our high tech, digital rain gauge device finally failed and rather than replace it with another complex 'solution' I decided to construct a more basic, traditional instrument, only on a larger scale. Essentially this is just a funnel that intercepts and collects a given area of rainfall and concentrates it in a narrow tube, magnifying the results for easy measuring.

I purchased a cheap stainless steel funnel with a diameter of 52mm connected to 2 meters of clear plastic tubing with a diameter of 12.5mm.
The ratio of cross-sectional area between the two diameters is 17 so each 1mm of rainfall gathered by the funnel displays as 17mm in the tubing.

The tap at the bottom is required to drain the gauge after each measuring period.
August 25, 2019
  rain  technology  zone1 
Olmec Sinclair

15August2019

A plague of rats

A plague of rats

What with an abundance of edibles and great places to hide at blockhill there has been something of an epidemic of rats. While we are generally happy to share with all the creatures it gets a little concerning when they can be heard chewing on things in the ceiling. Fearing our water pipes and electric cabling might be damaged we decided to push back. With a little help from Victor we were soon dispatching rats (also named Victor) daily.
August 15, 2019
  rat  pest  zone1 

08May2019

A small firewood hut

A small firewood hut

Something I'd been planning to do for a while. Not a big project, just needed to sit down and work out the basic dimensions and materials then throw it together. The main features are a reciprocal roof consisting of 6 beams supported on 6 poles for the walls. Some metal sheeting on the rainy, windward side and chip limestone on the floor. Rubber roof membrane with ferocement to top it all off.
May 08, 2019
View 4 photos

02April2019

Predatory insects

Predatory insects

Since arriving at this location in 2009 and allowing it to revert to a more natural way while introducing lots of new biodiversity, we have noticed a continual increase in the numbers and types of insects and other small creatures. There is a whole world of barely noticed activity where spiders and flies, ladybugs and butterflies live out their tiny dramas...
Here a preying mantis devours a fly on a pear tree.
April 02, 2019
  insect 
Olmec Sinclair

23March2019

Planting shelves

Planting shelves

I grow a lot of plants and trees from seeds. One space saving way that I have come up with is to use the vertical wall space at the back of the house where my nursery is located. Adding these metal 'gutters' as plant growing shelves has given plenty more growing area situated at perfect working height.
March 23, 2019
  tree  seedling  planting  zone1 
Olmec Sinclair

03February2019

Hugelkultur 101

Hugelkultur 101

Date   February 03, 2019
Details   A hot dry summer like this reminds us of the value of hugelkultur and retaining soil moisture. So, with the help of our young and energetic French helpers we threw together another log mound garden using rotted willow sourced from the nearby stream.
  1. Dig a hole
  2. Pack in the logs and any other surplus organic matter trying not to have too many air pockets
  3. Cover it over with the dirt from the hole
  4. Stop and have a beer
  5. When favourable weather returns add seeds and plants or just let nature do its thing...
Tags     hugelkultur  zone2 
View 3 photos

11September2018

Monarch butterflies enjoying blossoms in the forest garden

Monarch butterflies enjoying blossoms in the forest garden

Details   We've had plenty of nice, sunny warm weather and the monarch and red admiral butterflies are getting into the stone fruit blossom, brassica flowers and tagasaste nectar.
Date   September 11, 2018
Tags     2018  insects  blossom 
Natural woven flax weed mat

Natural woven flax weed mat

Details   Here's a simple technique for reducing weeds in a small garden. Biodegradable woven flax mats with seeds or small plants added in the gaps.
Date   September 11, 2018
Tags     2018  September 

05August2018

Pig on a leash

Pig on a leash

Ever since we got our first kune kune pigs we had imagined tethering them, or using them on a leash to 'mow' grass in various areas where free ranging pigs would be a disaster. Our most recent addition, Potamus, is proving to be very willing and trainable and quickly got the hang of the harness and the resulting reward of visiting fresh pasture.
August 05, 2018
  pigs  grass  zone2 
Olmec Sinclair
Read more

30March2018

13March2018

Round wood timber construction

Round wood timber construction

Details   A newly created 'roof' for grapes to climb and better weather protection for the firewood shed.
Date   March 13, 2018
Tags     2018 

19December2017

First internship

First internship

Another first for blockhill, hosting an overseas intern / student for 3 months. Zach joined us in September for a deep immersion permaculture internship and learning experience as part of his agronomy studies. As anticipated he participated in a wide range of activities and events.
December 19, 2017

04December2017

Star tetrahedron rising in Kaikoura

Star tetrahedron rising in Kaikoura

Details   Constructed from recycled 10mm steel rod as a gift for my mother-in-law.
Date   December 04, 2017
Tags     art  sculpture  kaikoura  tetrahedron  2017 
Visit from Tree Crops North Canterbury

Visit from Tree Crops North Canterbury

Details   We enjoyed a hot and sunny afternoon touring 11 people from the North Canterbury Tree Crops group. I think our alternative and rather unorthodox approach and philosophies were quite an eye opener for most of them...
Date   November 04, 2017
Tags     education  trees 

01November2017

9 years anniversary

Details   Our yearly ritual of dressing in aged wedding attire and making a photo shoot to mark the passing of time. This year we had the assistance of intern, Zach, behind the camera to make things more creative.
Date   November 01, 2017
Tags     anniversary  wedding  spring  2017 
View 3 photos

25October2017

06October2017

Early October

Early October

Details   We've been working flat out with our Intern, Zac, and so it's been a while since our last horn tooting photo update. So here it is, bellbirds, blossoms, native nitrogen fixers and food forest progress. Enjoy and then get out there and invite nature into your bit of the world.
Date   October 06, 2017
Tags     2017  October 
View 5 photos

09May2017

Knowledge tours

Knowledge tours

Details   Students from the Kaikoura Creation Care Study Program spent an afternoon at Blockhill touring and learning about forest gardening, water catchment and other aspects of sustainable land use.
Date   May 09, 2017
Tags     education 

18March2017

Earthquake repairs

Details   Another project that can finally be crossed off the to-do list. The earthquake in November 2016 caused cracking in the brick wall behind our fireplace. While it was still standing and looked ok we were not happy about having this unstable stack of bricks there waiting to come down. I decided to remove most of them before another quake brought them down and caused damage to the hot water pipes that passed through to the log burner. It also allowed for the insulation of these pipes which had foolishly never been done in the first place.
The project required carefully chiselling the bricks apart and reducing he height of the wall to a satisfactory level. Than a concrete bond beam was poured, encasing the top layer of bricks, locking it all together. Finally, after adding some additional timber framing the opening was covered by mini corrugated sheet metal.
Date   March 18, 2017
Tags     construction 
View 3 photos

09March2017

Banjo is her name

Banjo is her name

Details   It seemed like a good idea (at the time) to get a puppy. Banjo is fox terrier / jack russell cross and bursting with energy and an insatiable need to chew on things.
Date   March 09, 2017

31January2017

January 2017

January 2017

Details   It's been a hot, dry summer (again). Despite the ongoing drought things are looking fairly good. Most of the trees have a decent amount of fruit set with apricots already harvested and drying. There are lots of flowers buzzing madly with insects. Guest numbers have picked up again post earthquake and now all we could wish for is a drop of rain.
Date   January 31, 2017
Tags     Summer  January 
View 4 photos

14November2016

Blockhill survives 7.8 earthquake with off-grid resilience

Blockhill survives 7.8 earthquake with off-grid resilience

We were shaken violently awake around midnight on the 14th of November as a series of massive earthquakes rocked the region causing widespread damage. Fortunately we (and the guests who were staying) were not hurt and all buildings and infrastructure at blockhill came through virtually unscathed. Lots of broken plates, jars and bottles but with a freezer full of food and a functioning solar backup system and hot water heating array we are living comfortably. The garden is supplying more salad and beans than we can eat and the chooks are laying a steady stream of eggs.
Electricity was restored on the evening of the 15th but there is no indication of when water pumping will resume. Fortunately we have a big water tank and a couple of rainwater tanks just in case.
Aftershocks continue to roll in but things have quieted down considerably.
Despite the poor access over cracked and slipping road, we have had a number of locales pop in to make sure things are ok here. Since there is so much damage to the coastal Kaikoura road there is a focus on opening up the inland route, which connects to our road, so we are seeing a lot of heavy machinery heading through that way.
November 14, 2016
olmec

01November2016

8 Years Wedding Anniversary

8 Years Wedding Anniversary

Details   So we made it eight years so far and the traditional gifts are either bronze or salt.
Date   November 01, 2016

17September2016

Food Forests, Permaculture & Water Harvesting

Food Forests, Permaculture & Water Harvesting

Olmec will show you how he and his wife Melisa designed permaculture-style food systems by nurturing and enhancing the natural features of their land. Together they have created a diverse, beautiful and bountiful environment.
During a tour of the property, you'll learn about planning an integrated system that includes plants and animals, natural methods of fertilising and soil conservation. Olmec will also demonstrate how to drought-proof your property using swales; that is, earth-shaping to harvest water.

Contribution: 2 time-bank credits or $10 suggested fee
To register contact: Belinda Meares, 03 314 3406, tbhlearningexchange@gmail.com
(Car-pooling can be arranged).
September 17, 2016

14August2016

Garden working-bee

Garden working-bee

A group of us gathered to help install a new vegetable garden for Heidi and Nuk out at Gore Bay. Many hands made things progress quite quickly and we were able to create and plant an area directly beside the house for easy access as well as a new contour garden mound in what was lawn.
August 14, 2016
  garden  community 

07March2016

22January2016

09October2015

19September2015

Digging with a digger

Digging with a digger

There's always digging to be done and much as I love moving earth about it is hard, tiring work. Sometimes it pays to get a machine to help. A little bit of diesel goes a long way and having an efficient operator helps also.
This year we did some more terracing, created a large catchment pond, some additional swales and a flat area for a future natural building. All in a days work at blockhill.
September 19, 2015

13September2015

12September2015

Drought proof edible landscaping - presentation

Drought proof edible landscaping - presentation

As part of the Cheviot Spring Festival, Olmec will be explaining how to create a water wise forest garden. Learn how to outsmart drought and develop lush landscapes full of edible plants.

The talk will be held at 10am and 3pm at the school community room
September 12, 2015

24August2015

Garage improvement - 3 years later

Details   Secret swale at west end of workshop. Planted with bulbs, tagasaste for nitrogen and quick frost canopy over lemon and climbing kiwifruit. Ground cover of oregano and alpine strawberries.
Date   August 24, 2015
Tags     upgrade  zone1 
View 4 photos

31July2015

Shed upgrade

Shed upgrade

Details   Progress has been made on the upgrade of our chook and pig shed. The overall objective is to reconfigure the north facing side of the building as under cover growing space that we can rotate the chooks through.
Date   July 31, 2015
Tags     Construction 

08March2015

Food forest gardening site visit, tour and workshop

Food forest gardening site visit, tour and workshop

We enjoyed showing our garden and emerging food forest to a group of curious individual from the greater Hurunui district. About 20 people made the journey out to Blockhill to learn more about our version of food forest gardening. The event was organised as part of the Hurunui Time Bank Learning Exchange Program
March 08, 2015

02March2015

15January2015

23December2014

Greenhouse

Greenhouse

Details   A well designed, large greenhouse is great way to grow plants that otherwise would have a limited season or not be possible to grow at all. Here we are growing (from left to right) tomatoes, purple passion fruit, thai ginger (galangal) and babaco (mountain pawpaw)
Date   December 23, 2014
Tags     glasshouse  tomato  passion fruit  galangal  babaco 
Related info

03December2014

Freshly created swale

Freshly created swale

Details   It's never too late to add another swale, it's just a matter of squeezing it in amongst the existing plantings, fences and other obstacles.
The swales not only do a fantastic job of capturing and infiltrating surface runoff during rainy times but also break up the land in interesting and attractive ways.
Date   December 03, 2014
Tags     Swale  Food forest  Water 

27November2014

3 years old food forest

3 years old food forest

Details   This photos shows a young area of planting where pigs and chickens roam free. Largest trees are tagasaste, alder and almond at around 3m. An assortment of fruit trees about 2-3 meters including peach, apricot, apple, cherry. Some black currants and an assortment of flowers and herbs. Additional wind protection and nitrogen fixation from acacia (tasmanian black wood) and cape broom.
Date   November 27, 2014
Tags     food forest 
View panorama