|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
...June newsletter 2006... |
|
Like all tasks involved with Mother Nature the harvesting and processing of macadamia nuts has its own rhythm. The nuts hang up in the trees green with husk on among the green leaves, typically a couple to a raceme but sometimes in bunches like grapes. When ripe the husk starts to split showing a chestnut shell and they fall on the ground. If ripe the inside of the husk is a golden brown next to the shell not white.
If we have a period of warm rains or strong winds more come down to lie pregnant under the trees. Here rats are the predominant threat although possums also love them. War is declared! Bill has started baiting early autumn and moves lengths of pipe around with rat baits tied inside so as not to poison other creatures such as inquisitive blackbirds or amorous hedgehogs. He also staples other baits to the trunks especially at the ends of rows near native bush. These are supplied by the Regional council and are part of the ever present battle against possums.
Living as we do at the foot of the Kaitake range one of two sets of ranges, that are the remnants of older volcanoes, that lie north west of Mt Taranaki and very close to the national park, we have a constant migration of possums.
Every week we go around and pick the nuts up with our mechanical harvester. This entails flicking nuts that have bounced out into the corridor between the rows back under the trees and racking between the trunks in each row so the macadamias are under the drip line ready for the finger wheels of the machine to gather in. Leaves, sticks and moss also come aboard.
This then is tipped into a field bin and brought into the factory. Here the first task is to transfer this to the hopper of our in line conveyor and feed the de-husking machine. Getting the husk off promptly and separating the nut in shell from all the leaf, moss and stick litter is important. Wet nuts go mouldy very fast. We then put the bin under a giant ‘hair drier’ to remove the surface field moisture before loading our specialised drier. Here the bins of nuts stay for a minimum of 5 days and nights drying.
Meanwhile more nuts are dropping and being picked up…
Once the correct moisture content has been reached we send the macadamia nuts through to be cracked, water bathed, visually inspected, styled, the final drying, gas flushed and bulk packed and stored in a chiller. All these stages have their own rhythm too.
Macadamia nuts are often referred to as the ‘King’ of nuts as they are high in monounsaturated fat, they lower your cholesterol and are anti inflammatory. Check out ‘Reversing Heart Disease’, an article in our e health section.
Youngest daughter Claire is home from Melbourne and we are flat tack not only processing but preparing for the New Zealand Chef’s association 49th Conference being held in New Plymouth on the 7th to 9th of July for which we are a sponsor. Our family support is wonderful. We feel very blessed. A big ‘Thank You’ to you four.
Archive If you would like to read previous newsletters, please click on one of the following links:
[ introduction ][ history ][ macadamias ][ factory ][ products ][ favours ][ orders ][ tours ][ contact ]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
- Carrot cake - Gluten Free |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
- Feedback - FAQ
|
|
|
Links Site Map Privacy Policy Terms & Conditions Shipping Rates |
|
| Copyright © 2004 - 2006 Ennovation Ltd New Zealand. All rights reserved | |
June
enews 2006