Turley Farms co-owners Murray and Margaret Turley have turned dryland crop and stock properties into high-value vegetable and arable operations. Now, after running a trial with various varieties, they’re investing in apple-growing and have settled on the fruit managed and marketed by Rockit.
The Turley Rockit partnership has planted a 20-hectare orchard with plans to bring in other investors to grow the Rangitata site to 100 ha.
The Turleys sent their agronomist Dominic Cosgrove to Hawke’s Bay to see if apples were right for them. A trial orchard planted in eight varieties in 2021 was followed by another six varieties last year. Mr Turley said they liked to do their homework before investing in large ventures, investigating soil types for potato growing before moving to Mid Canterbury’s Chertsey area in 1993.
The 2D growing system used by Rockit appealed as it produced more fruit from a smaller area, and projected returns for Rockit apple growing were attractive.
Source: odt.co.nz