The first Gisborne Young Fruit Grower of the Year competition kicks off on 12 July in Waerengaahika
Some of the best young horticulturalists in Gisborne will compete in the inaugural Gisborne Young Fruit Grower of the Year competition to be held in Waerengaahika on Thursday, 12 July 2018.
The winner will progress to the Young Grower of the Year national final, which will be held in Napier in August, where they will join the winners of the Bay of Plenty, Central Otago, Hawke’s Bay, and Nelson regional fruit-grower competitions, as well as two Young Vegetable Growers.
The finalists of the Young Grower of the Year 2018 will face a series of challenges designed to test their knowledge and skills around topics vital to the management of a successful orchard, including health and safety, fencing, biosecurity, and forklift operation. The winner will be chosen at an awards dinner night.
The Gisborne competition is organised with the help of Scott Wilson of Kaiaponi Farms, Gisborne, and facilitated by Horticulture New Zealand.
“This is the first time Gisborne has hosted a Young Grower event, and it shows that horticulture is growing in popularity as a career option,” HortNZ chief executive Mike Chapman says.
Prizes for the Gisborne winner include sponsorship to attend the annual Horticulture Conference in Christchurch from 23 to 25 July, a media and presentation development course, and an all-expenses-paid trip to compete for the national 2018 Young Grower of the Year title on 21 and 22 August. There are also prizes for the winners of each individual event.