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Monday 12
Irrigation with Alex Huffadine we talked of our return to Term 4 and caught up on a news letter, Alex posted the results of the theory exams held during Term 3 and then we got in to irrigation Unit 12395 and proceeded to work our way through the overheads. After morning smoko and a call to the optometrist I had an appointment an appointment at eleven a.m, I met with a Lady optometrist and she had some resolve for my eyes which have been watering and stinging. After lunch I was to return to class and we carried on with the overheads, which during the course of had a walk about the campus looking at the various types of sprinkler varieties and the spray patterns they are capable of producing. We are to cover the various types and features during the coming weeks as well as calculations for implementing our design.
Tuesday 13
Day 2 of irrigation Unit 12395 we talked of a Low pressure system in that they require a small pump in the 10-15 pounds per square inch at approx $4000/hectare a value range. We discussed overhead impact sprinkler systems, popup varieties and travelling irrigators. After morning smoko we traced the water flow from the Kawarau river and into the Ripponvale irrigators, visiting various orchard operations down stream. After lunch which was accompanied with students from the Dunedin campus of the polytech we talked of irrigation systems until someone was alledged to be sleeping in class and so we visited glasshouse 2 and 4 to see the effects of a cooling down process using a using a water spray mist to achieve this. Then we moved on to “irrigation maths” to waken everyone back to reality and for the purists I guess that was to achieve that, a little daunting getting to grips with the jargon that was to evolve.
Wednesday 14
A tutorial day started with Alex Huffadine going over the Irrigation tutorial Unit 23995 and the assessment that he considered we should be able to achieve during the day. After morning smoko we had Roger Gibson going over unit 21555 and 21559 the weed’s unit asking for areas we required assistance for, questions 07, 09 and aspects of the weed control plans for a vineyard were discussed. After lunch all were to dissipate about the Molyneux campus, I ended up in the computer suite with a group of Chefs Peter’s Asian students working on my irrigation and weeds assignments. My attempt to discuss my outstanding assignments with Alex Huffadine and my short comings with my efforts to achieve ascertaining Word 2009 software struggled to come to fruition.
Thursday 15
Propagation day with Jo Wakelin, started off in room 4 then we migrated down to the student potting shed stopping off at glasshouse 4 en route to under take some weeding arising from a cock-up on Ravensdown fertilisers behalf. We then moved on to various work that will be required for Labour weekend and the Polytech plant as sale, trimming hedges, weeding of for sale items and rejuvenation of the shade house covering. A glorious day after a coolish start to the day, a drastic change from the rain of yesterday and the snow level dropping by the hour. I met with Alex Huffadine after smoko and explained where I was at with software for my Laptop, and by chance he produced Office 2009 which has been eluding me for some time. A few beers will be going his way at the first opportunity I have., I should be overwhelmed certainly takes a load of mind. Eveyone gathered at the potting shed where Callum was to deliver his Plant profile on Buxus ???, Jo kept things moving along by asking a few questions.
Friday 16
Grafting of stone fruit trees, a subject that we covered while Alex was on holiday and we had collected the bud wood to allow for this day when we would implement the actual grafting. Alex had the class write down what we recalled of grafting and the groups of people had two representatives present there recollections to the class,generally a good recollection of the terminology gathered and were awaiting the theory into practice. The class were aware of Genetic modification and mind full that the class were sitting at the outer limit of this practice. The group recognised the importance of tagging the bundles of bud wood with good well labeled information of the type, date collected and presented in well wrapped with plastic and string and storage in the freezer. We got to witness one bundle that was due to be discarded because these factors were not adhered too. A good rule of thumb was identified that a tree of ten to fifteen years old should be considered to be passed its use by date. We were to put our knowledge to date to practice on apple and cherry root-stock within the block and were to use the grafting tapes and make in incisions into the to be fruiting stock, unfortunately some body has souvenired Alex’s personal grafting tool that allows for the cutting of the tree modification. We had a quick weed of the raspberry plants that had been recently transplanted, got to witness some very poor examples of using a knapsack sprayer, almost to the point of being extreme.
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Tec 20 Feb 