A very fruitful retirement

Tucked away in the rolling coastal hills of the Kaipara Harbour, a fledgling commercial olive grove is starting to establish itself a global market.
Ten years ago, at an age when most couples are considering easing up on work, Barry and Verity Baines purchased an 8ha block at Paparoa and began planting it in olive trees.
At the time, the Baines lived in Remuera, Auckland - their intention on retirement was to develop a sustainable income, while enjoying plenty of fresh air and home-grown vegetables.
The Merril Rd property bordering the Kaipara Harbour offered both estuary and rural views - and a pleasant place to relax and ream.
The reality, however, was a lot of hard work. For three years, nearly every weekend, the couple travelled north to hand-plant trees on what was to become the Chapel Grove Estate.
When the problems of travelling and holding down day jobs started to take a toll, the couple decided to advance their plans of living on the property.
In 2007, when Good Shepherd's Chapel in Arney Rd, Remuera came up for sale, the couple bought the building, intending to take it north with them.
Built in 1965 under the direction of Sister Miriam, the chapel had originally been used for training missionaries, and later as a haven for troubled young people.
The relocation of the chapel to the Kaipara was no small undertaking - contemporary in style, with a lovely high wooden ceiling, the building was cut horizontally in two before being transported by road to the olive grove.
The restored chapel is captivating. With its soaring timber ceilings, oiled floors and stained windows, it has a pervasive sense of peacefulness.
The Baines have added a kitchen, bedrooms and other living quarters to create a sprawling farmhouse with huge timber decks.
Located in the centre of the farm, the chapel looks across the koroneiki, frantoio and leccino olive trees to a large freshwater pond where wild geese migrate.
An abundance of pukeko habitat the mangroves, and birdlife thrives in the carefully tended native bush.
Barry claims Chapel Grove's oil benefits from the unique "terroir" - a combination of sea air, land and water - providing a lush flavour and excellent-quality oil. "We deliberately left the tree exposed to the salt wind - it helps control peacock spot, a prevalent olive tree disease," he says.
Since olives don't like wet feet, much effort has gone into mounding and composting the 600 trees for better drainage in the clay soil. Six hundred more trees are planned.
Although the couple "love it", they admit establishing the business involved more work than anticipated.
It's now a family affair, with Barry's daughter Lynn and partner Peter having also caught the bug.
Lyn and Peter have put in another 200 olive trees on an adjacent block of land. They also help out with the website and the marketing in what can be a "tricky and sometimes difficult market".
However, interest in Chapel Grove oil is growing at farmers' markets, specialty shops and restaurants, as well as internationally, with established orders from Canada, England and Australia.
Olive trees generally take five years to mature, but the first crop - albeit small - can be picked after two years.
Picking that first crop is a special moment - after years of toil, planning, preparing the soil, planting, staking and pruning the young olive trees, the fruits of one's labour can be tasted and enjoyed.
Surprisingly, production increases rapidly - in one season, production at Chapel Grove increased more than four-fold to the previous season.
This season, which ran from April to May, 240 trees were picked by a vibrating harvester, while the rest were harvested by mechanical hand-held pickers on to nets.
Verity says she is grateful to family and friends - and the local Lions Club - who have all helped with harvesting.
After harvesting, the olives are de-leafed and sent to Wellsford for pressing. The resultant oil is stored in large, stainless-steel tanks.
Verity and Barry hire a commercial kitchen and bottle their own oil into boutique-style bottles which have little pourers and a stopper.