Whats happening
NEW COOL STORE OPENING
In August 2011 work was completed on our new cool store and storage facility alongside our other buildings in Southbridge. We held a COOL PARTY with snow making competitions and watched the All Blacks play as we launched our new cool store in style with drinking and fames and dancing. Photos will follow soon.
SELWYN AWARDS
Left, Oakleys had a table at the Selwyn Awards night at Rolleston In July, we sponosred vegetables for the menu for this event, providing pumpkin, potaotes, purple heart, parsnip and beetroot .
Oakleys were past recipients for the first Selwyn Business Award in 2001.
Caterers from White Tie Catering provided fabulous recipies to feature our produce.
Pictured above from top left are, guest Phill WIlliams, Owner /Manager Robin Oakley, Office Mgr Mrs Dawn and Mr Shane Allan, Maintanence Mgr Mr Donald and Mrs Mc Millan, and Southbridge landowners Mr and Mrs Bill and Jane Abbott
NATIONAL HORTICULTURE TRAINING
Pictured Right, Ho , Shaun and Mathew received their certificates in Horticulture Training , the National Certificate in Practical Horticulture. (From NZQA).
Staff are encouraged to enter training programmes from HITO (Horticultural Industry training) from within the Industry.
TOUR GROUPS
We are always asked to host important tour groups from other horticultural businesses from all over the world, coming either from contacts we have met, via Lincoln University or Hort NZ , and Rural tourism NZ . In the past we have hosted an Indian potato group who were looking at setting up packhouses in India in the future and were seeking design ideas.
We hosted the various NZ Pack n Save Produce Managers as part of International Year of the Potato. And also the International year of the Potato delegates , as well as the Foodstuffs Produce Managers.We hosted the Australian delegates from Elders from the World Potato Congress, and the Chinese Minister of Agriculture and his Cabinet Ministers came to visit us, as they were interested in increasing the growth of their potato business in China. We also had a group from the Hort NZ Board visit recently as well as USA's largest potato farmer !
The NZ Aid South American Tour visited our business to view the potato plant and to tour the farm to see how we do things in NZ. We hosted the Australian AUGVEG delegates from the Hort NZ Conference and a Rabobank Business group toured the farm and packhouse.
We had a visit from the Chinese tour group, pictured below, studying Agricultural Modernisation and Intergation Development of urban Rural areas, this was part of the UNPD XIAO Kang Advanced Leadership Program.
We hosted a visit from the 25 students with the Farming to Succeed course visiting Canterbury. They are from a wide range of farming areas all over the South Island. And we had a tour bus visit with interested Japanese growers in January 2011.
Right..........At this time of year we still growing potatoes ready for harvesting.
PARSNIPS and BEETROOT
As we have ventured into the PARSNIP field by purchasing a new business a few years ago, this is selling soon under the OAKLEY'S brand , which we operate out of our packhouse.
The season is beginning but we have big plans for the parsnip and beetroot business with new packaging ............so watch this space.
PUMPKINS, The teams picked pumpkins during a few weeks in April , as this is a huge task some staff are especially bought in for this job . We especially use casual groups for their fundraising, and local part time workers. Now comes the task of cleaning and getting them ready for dispatch.
PUMPKINS AND BRASSICAS, We are getting ready for harvesting pumpkins, and wrapping for the pre packed market, and harvesting brassicas.
This is a year round activity to ensure continued supply to our important customers, YOU!!!!!
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