Enhancing Lives - Tauranga Boys College Orchard

Southern Cross Horticulture (SCH) is proud to have enhanced the lives of our community through sponsoring the Tauranga Boys College (TBC) model educational orchard. The orchard is in the middle of Tauranga city and will be used by TBC agricultural and horticultural science students with the hopes to inspire future leaders of the kiwifruit industry. The orchard will allow students to gain hands on kiwifruit production practical skills and experience the growing season of kiwifruit from winter pruning to harvest. Some members of the SCH construction team built the orchard structure and the plants are from the SCH nursery.

Ivan Davie, TBC Head of Agricultural & Horticultural Science says that the school orchard is a “game changer”, “the whole thing is about making it authentic, showing the students something, they’re going to see when they leave school”.

Sponsoring the TBC orchard aligns with the SCH values of enhancing our community and developing future capability in the industry through raising awareness of career opportunities in the kiwifruit sector. Andrew Dunstan, SCH Chief Executive, explains “we’re dealing with a big skills shortage and its up to all of us to showcase horticulture as a viable pathway to a fulltime career”. SCH is delighted to support the model orchard and allow generations of students to learn.

Source: Jaime Troughton, NZ Kiwifruit Journal (December2021/ January 2022). Photo Source: Jaime Troughton, Dscribe Media Services.