Why anyone more than 100 years ago would plant 20 varieties of apple trees on the one section is a mystery to him, Crosbie Grieve says.
Even more so because for some of the varieties more than one was planted.
However, when he and his late wife, Candace, bought the 0.8ha property about 20 minutes from Waikaia that was all that was planted on the section — apart from four pear trees, a couple of plums, cherries and a few willows.
The couple lived in Gore and one day visited Waikaia while on a fishing trip.
"That’s where it all started and we bought this place as a holiday cottage."
It is thought Albert Lette, who worked on Glenaray Station, built the cottage in about 1914 and planted 40 apple trees on the property.
The couple named the property Apple Spread because of the number of apple trees.
Twelve years ago, when the couple retired, they moved into the cottage and started to finish the projects they had started.
His wife was an avid gardener and laid out the garden.
Throughout the years she planted about 35 rhododendrons and 70 old-fashioned roses.
A pin oak which had been grown from seed by Mr Grieve’s father provided shade close to the house in the summer.
The garden was designed so there was always something flowering from spring to early winter.
The cottage was well-placed and protected by hills from weather coming from the south and west.
"My favourite little birds are bush robins, the South Island robin."
The Waikaia Forest, managed by the Department of Conservation, (Doc) bordered the property on the east and south.
Many people did not approve of Doc laying 1080 poison in forests and he did not like using poisons either.
"What I have noticed over the years is when Doc have 1080ed this bush the very next year the bird population explodes and there’s hardly any possums come in and destroy my garden.
"Until they get something better possums are destroying this bush."
Grower swears by superior taste of heirloom apples
There are some interesting apples produced from the trees planted in his orchard, Crosbie Grieve says.
About 20 varieties were planted on the property more than 100 years ago.
Most appeared to be cooking apples but there were several eating apples, one of which was probably a variety called Alexander.
Some were large and cooked down to a "mush" and "others are tiny.
"One variety of apple has red streaks all through the flesh inside it."
The names of the other varieties of apples are not known.
Once Mr Grieve spoke to a heritage fruit tree specialist from England and showed him a selection of the apples.
The specialist said while it would take time to identify the varieties he believed many would no longer be found in Europe but would still be growing in the colonies like Australia and New Zealand where the settlers planted them.
Throughout the years Mr Grieve and his late wife Candace perfected making apple cider from the apples.
"We make apple cider, no added sugar.
"We found pure apple juice depending on the year will ferment out to about 5% [alcohol content]."
Sometimes they added in berry fruit to the mix.
He also made apple cider vinegar and the remaining crop was eaten fresh, dried or frozen.
"You go and buy an apple from the supermarket and it’s got no flavour."
All the trees had been numbered and their fruit photographed and matched to the tree.
Grafts of the trees had been taken and had been planted which was fortunate as some of the trees had died since.
He did not spray the trees and did not prune the older trees now.
The only fertiliser that was added to the ground in the orchard was provided by seven sheep.
"They’ve been contracted to keep the grass down.
"In return I promise not to eat them."
His definition of a happy sheep was one that was eating an apple.
"The sheep hang around under the trees waiting for an apple.
"They get an apple in their mouth, the juice is running down, they’ve got their head back and their eyes closed munching away — they are just in heaven."
He also used the wool to mulch the trees.
He preferred to take an organic approach to growing produce on the property and the only part of the property he sprayed with a commercial spray was the drive.
If he sprayed in the garden he used cider vinegar which did not kill the roots but burned off the weed foliage.
