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teepeecider.bsky.social
TeePee Cider
@teepeecider.bsky.social
Cider-Maker
In lieu of a post tomorrow as we will be busy rounding up the sheep in the orchard for shearing, here is a post of the sunset tonight. #orchard #cider #sunset
November 23, 2025 at 9:06 AM
We are at the end of the pollination season. Just a few varieties left Ashton Bitter and Brown Snout with blossoms. Bees will have to move on to other flowers which is why we plant many plants that flower though the year to keep a stable population of Bumbles and indigenous bees. #bees #pollination
November 22, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Plants of Beau Vista orchard. White clover was introduced into NZ from Europe in 1864. It is New Zealand's most important pasture plant for its ability to fix nitrogen and provide high-quality feed. It is very susceptible to clover root weevil that was accidentally introduced in 1994 #clover #plants
November 21, 2025 at 9:18 PM
Of the plants of Beau Vista this is the most unusual The dragon arum native to Greece It was introduced into NZ as an ornamental in 1965 It has large leaves with fingers hence around a variegated pseudostem supporting a purple spathe This has a foul odour of rotten meat to attract insects #plant
November 20, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Yarlington Mill apples just post set (late blossomer). It is a "spitter" because it is awful to eat raw due to its high levels of drying tannins and low acidity. For the same reason it is highly valued for cider making from its bittersweet juice which when fermented has complex aromas and flavours.
November 19, 2025 at 8:47 PM
Trees "heal" wounds by isolating the damage through forming a deep barrier zone creating a chemical and physical boundary deep to the damaged area separating the healthy tissues from disease.
The overgrowth of cambium callus is the most visible part. It grows over years. #trees #healing #wounds
November 18, 2025 at 6:47 PM
The small Kingston Black apples are growing nicely at Beau Vista orchard now the blossom season is over. Even some early colour. We are having great weather for growth with warmth and enough rain. #apples #KingstonBlack #ciderNZ #cider
November 17, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Red clover from England was introduced to New Zealand in the 1867. It fixes nitrogen to boost soil fertility naturally. It thrives in less-intensive, summer-dry swards like at Beau Vista orchard where there are only a few sheep. It needs bumblebees for pollination #clover #orchard #soils #nitrogen
November 16, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Flowers of Beau Vista orchard. Solomon's seal or Polygonatum. It thrives in shady areas with moist, well-drained soil. It was introduced into NZ settler gardens early in colonial times from England as an ornamental and medicinal plant. #woodland #plants #SolomonSeal
November 15, 2025 at 5:49 PM
The perry pears at Beau Vista orchard were jealous the attention the apples were getting so here’s an update. The pears are well set and growing. With their increasing weight the stalks are bending and the pears are hanging down now. This unknown pear I call Carterton. Great tannins #perry #pear
November 14, 2025 at 8:52 PM
Plants of Beau Vista orchard, the ribwort plantain Plantago lanceolata. Originally from England it is a good pasture plant included in many seed mixes. The plant is also known for its folk medicinal properties and traditionally used to treat respiratory issues and wounds. #plantain #orchard #sward
November 13, 2025 at 8:15 PM
Rev Hugh Walpole  born 1884 was an English novelist. In his The Apple Trees: Four Reminiscences, the apple trees are real and significant symbolic touchstones for memory, nostalgia, and the passage of time, representing the enduring connection between characters and their past. #books #apples
November 12, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Not many foxgloves this year Sad as often a great display on the Remutuka pass. Foxglove has a folk medical history, codified by William Withering in the 1780s isolated digitalis, established dosages, paving the way for the development of modern digitalis drugs used to treat heart failure #foxglove
November 11, 2025 at 7:22 PM
There is gold in the Tararua ranges today. A wet day so far but hopefully will be able to work outside in Beau Vista orchard. Planting bare rooted Yarlington Mill trees I was lucky enough to get. Thanks @elementalcider. #cider #YarlingtonMill #apples #orchard
November 10, 2025 at 7:18 PM
Little applets forming. Photos of Tom Putt a week apart. Once fertilised the perianth and ovule begin to grow. #apple #cider #perianth #accessoryfruit
November 8, 2025 at 6:04 PM
Sir Dave Dobbyn’s song Shaky Ground, was realised a couple of nights ago, - lyrics
"I'm standing on shaky isles.
Seen so much of the ground,"
The cidery took quite a jolt! Thankfully no damage but it was one of the bigger ones - Richter 4.9 #earthquake #cidery #NewZealand
November 7, 2025 at 8:27 PM
Bit ironic that NZ Post have a new first day cover set on bio security when Auckland has a breach. Asian yellow legged hornets have just been spotted breeding in a suburb. If not eradicated then apiarists and horticultural have a big problem. #hornets #bees #biosecurity #stamps #philately
November 6, 2025 at 6:34 PM
Harry Masters Jersey blossom. Often an overlooked cider apple in the company of Kingston Black and Yarlington Mill but a great apple. Interestingly named after Harry a cider apple grower and nurseryman of Woolston, Somerset who popularised Yarlington Mill! #HarryMasters #cider #apple #blossom
November 5, 2025 at 7:59 PM
We have security cameras for humans at the cidery but so far it’s only animals spotted. Possums were introduced in 1850s from Australia but they voraciously eat the bush and carry bovine Tb. We trap them to keep numbers down and protect the apple trees. We bait the traps with apple. #possoms #pest
November 4, 2025 at 7:31 PM
When we bought the lifestyle block there were several established trees. Flowering ash, Fraxinus ornus, is one. It has fragrant, creamy-white flowers in dense panicles now in late spring. Originally from southern Europe it was introduced early in colonial times times to NZ #trees #ash
November 2, 2025 at 9:10 PM
The aftermath of the recent storms. Not too bad at Beau Vista orchard although a lot of blossom lost. A few large branches off ornamental trees, but not our apple and pear trees.Sadly the neighbour's wilding pear was not so lucky. Its blossom gave us great pleasure year in/out. #storm #pear #tree
November 1, 2025 at 7:03 PM
Great ferry crossing yesterday to Nelson and the 10th NZ Cider festival, see you all there on Saturday. It’s the competition results and AGM today. The Cook strait crossing is one of the most beautiful short cruises in the world ( on a good day). Just entered Tory Chanel. #cider #festival #ferry
October 30, 2025 at 7:09 PM
And we are off to the NZ Cider Festival in Nelson. On the Bluebrige across the Cook Strait or Te Moana-o-Raukawa. #cider #festival #CookStrait #Aotearoa
October 29, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Beer yeasts have been domesticated for centuries & are now genetically different from their wild ancestors A major change was the formation of lager yeast, a hybrid of 2 yeasts for cold fermentation
At Teepee Cider we use wild yeasts from pressing cloths as this gives a wider flavour profile #yeast
October 28, 2025 at 6:37 PM
I saw this jigsaw for sale in a shop recently. Apples galore but at 1000 pieces I think I will pass. Far too difficult and time consuming. 😵‍💫
October 27, 2025 at 6:35 PM