Keep Whakatāne Beautiful Committee is joining forces with Bay of Plenty Tree Crops Association to keep fruit on the menu in the Eastern Bay, now and in the future.

A free fruit tree pruning workshop and an annual heritage apple tree sale will both take place this weekend and the committee also has a limited number of free fruit trees to give away.

The pruning workshop with Tree Crops Association’s Eastern Bay ambassador Greg Reid was originally planned for last weekend but was postponed due to heavy rain.

It will now be held this Saturday at 10am at the Tāneatua Community Orchard and Gardens at Amokura Road Reserve in Tāneatua.

Greg will demonstrate how to prune a number of different types of fruit tree at the orchard, planted by the council-funded Keep Whakatāne Beautiful Committee in previous years on the council owned reserve.

The demonstration will teach how to prune to improve fruit yield, reduce disease and keep fruit within picking height.

Committee chairman Andrew Iles says a similar event held in June 2022 proved popular, with more than 40 people attending.

“The reserve has 25 apple trees and a mixture of feijoas, peaches and other stone fruit,” says Iles.

“Anyone with an interest in learning is most welcome to come along, bring their secateurs or their loppers and they can take part, following Greg’s instructions about the right and wrong way of pruning.”

Greg says the association plans to sponsor the community orchard and garden in the future with a sign and more trees.

Sandy Pryde from 4 Acres Worm Farm in Poroporo will also be demonstrating how to create a worm farm at the event.

She will have a working worm farm on display along with advice.

Tāneatua Lions will be providing a free sausage sizzle.

With timing just right for planting now, Greg will also be at the Whakatāne Sunday Market at Mitchell Park this weekend selling heritage apple trees for the Tree Crops Association annual fundraiser.

He has around 200 trees of several varieties.

“At $25 each they’re really good value,” he says.

Iles says the Keep Whakatāne Beautiful Committee has a limited supply of golden queen peach, pear, almond and prune trees to give away to retirement homes or older residents in the community.

In previous years, the committee had funded similar gifts of fruit trees to schools, maraes and to Edgecumbe flood victims.

Older Eastern Bay residents or rest homes wishing to take advantage of this offer can contact les on 0272941849 or waimanailes@xtra.co.nz.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.