May has been mild and very dry, extending our late summer.  After weeks without any appreciable rainfall, at last we have had two days of consistent rain soaking deep into the ground, and how the plants are loving it!

Growing conditions this summer have been tricky with many plants going rapidly to seed. Our table grapes ripened late and unevenly this year, and with everything so dry were targeted by wasps and the occasional possum before we could get to harvest them. Our veggie garden continues to develop by leaps and bounds and, along with a plentiful supply of fresh eggs from our chickens, has provided a tasty supply of home produce for ourselves and our guests during the summer.

Currently the garden is full of autumn colour as the leaves turn all shades of red, yellow and brown and fall from the trees. Our feijoas are almost ripe and eagerly awaited – a tasty autumn fruit high in vitamin C content. Time to dig over and tidy the flower beds, and reseed bare patches in the lawns – not forgetting to take time out to enjoy a glass of Marlborough wine on the deck in the warmth of the autumn sun!

At the weekend we had our first paying guests for what we regard as the start of the summer season. Marlborough laid on beautiful weather for them – blue skies and gentle breezes, they took the oppurtunity to sit outside on the deck and enjoy the sunshine.

Today a cold blast has swept up from the South and we awoke to see a light covering of snow down to 400 metres on Mount Robertson, to the east of Koromiko Homestead.

Welcome to the Koromiko Homestead Blog. This is where you can keep up with our latest news and information on Picton, Marlborough and New Zealand.