Ruling National Party claims victory in NZ poll

 PM John Key is celebrating victory, and a second term in office

 From BBC News...

<< New Zealand's ruling National Party has claimed victory in the country's general election.

"For another three years there will be a National-led government in New Zealand," PM John Key told a gathering of supporters in Auckland.

The opposition Labour party saw its vote slump and admitted defeat.

With all the results now in, the ruling National Party was on course to win 60 of 121 seats in Parliament, official figures showed.

"The people have made their decision and we treat their decision with humility and respect," said Labour leader Phil Goff.

The National Party looks set to continue governing with the help of the ACT and United Future parties, both of which have won one seat each.

"We will be working on formal agreements with these parties over the coming days, but I can confirm this - their willingness to be part of a strong, stable National-led government," Mr Key said, according to the Reuters news agency.

Mr Key is also said to be planning talks with the Maori Party, which won three seats.
The Maori Party has however expressed its opposition to Mr Key's plans to sell off state assets.

Meanwhile, the Green Party enjoyed its best showing to date in a parliamentary election, with support at around 11%.

The populist New Zealand First party also surprised many observers, returning to parliament with 7% of the vote.

The economy dominated the election campaign, with Mr Key promising to tackle national debt by selling stakes in state companies.

But more public attention focused on a row over the recording of a private conversation between Mr Key and a colleague after a media event. The contents of the recording have not been disclosed.

Observers say voters have warmed to Mr Key over his handling of both the Christchurch earthquakes and the deadly blast at the Pike River mine in November 2010.

The All Blacks' win in the Rugby World Cup also played in his favour, analysts believe.

New Zealanders were also voting on whether to keep proportional representation for the country's elections.

Early results indicate most voters have opted not to change the system. >>

painting wall

Bus station

KAKAPO

I met one Kakapo at Zealandia. As I was walking, I was watching the trees. On a tree I saw a shape... a big shape... I came closer and distinguish what it is. A big perrot! The biggest one that I have ever seen before! It was a Kakapo.

Kakapo is the biggest perrots of the world. The male which is bigger than the female can reach 60 cm high and 4 kg. This bird doesn't fly because of is heigh -and also because he don't get the special bone that allows other birds to fly-. His big claws allows him to climb on the trees and to be hidden there thanks his green feathers. He is nocturnal.
Endemic of New-Zealand, they are now endangered. 131 Kakapo have been recensed.

Post from Forest and Bird Website:

DECLINE:
The first Polynesian settlers, the Maori, found the kakapo easy to catch, and hunted it for its plumage and meat. The Polynesian dog and rat, which came to New Zealand with the Maori, also preyed on the birds and their eggs.

When the first Polynesian settlers arrived in New Zealand, they found a very small landmass populated with bizarre wildlife.
Unlike all other major landmasses in the world, New Zealand had no land mammals, except for three species of bats. Instead, birds, reptiles and insects had evolved to inherit the full range of ecological opportunities available. Some birds occupied niches normally occupied by mammals.
It was a “Noah's Ark” of fascinating evolutionary experiments. Instead of mice, New Zealand had bush wrens. Instead of giraffes or kangaroos, New Zealand had the giant moa. And instead of rabbits or possums, New Zealand had the kakapo.

here is a funny video showing a kakapo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9T1vfsHYiKY&feature=player_embedded

Castlepoint

Bomb'jour France

TUI BEER company has taken its edgy and often controversial ‘‘Yeah Right’’ ads to the final with the phrase ‘‘Bomb’jour France’’.

It’s a reference to the deadly 1985 bombing of Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior in Auckland Harbour by French secret service agents.
Tui spokeswoman Jo Jalfon said the billboard was a bit of topical fun, and the brewery (=brasserie) no ill will to French people.
‘‘I don’t think any Kiwi really does,’’ she said. ‘‘I think Kiwis realise it’s not the French people involved in the bombing.’’
Jalfon said the billboard (=panneau d'affichage) would be swapped for another phrase after tonight’s Rugby World Cup final.

PROTEST SHIP: The Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior sank in July 1985

Biodynamic practice

The biodynamic practice respect the cycle of the sun, seasons and astres as moon.

Application of Biodynamic preparation leads:
 - improvement in the crumb (=miettes) structure that allows deep-rooting (= enracinement profond) plant and to have soils aerate after wet day.
 - improvement number and vitality of the earthworms
 - improvement clover nodulation

On the October 12th was the appropriate day to do the preparation 500 because it was the day when the moon was at the top of ascending. We made the preparation 500 and spread out on the farm.

Recipe :
Burying a cow-horn filled (=rempli) with fresh cow manure (=fumier) in the earth over the autumn and winter period. After removal from the horn, the manure is then stirred (=agitée) for an hour in water (the purest water you can, the rainwater is the best one) in such a way that the water and manure is energised.
25g of cow-horn manure in 15L of water are sprayed for one acre.

Into the earth, the preparation is waiting. 

This is the preparation finished. Manure extracted from horn after 6 months into the earth.

The big container where the preparation is stirred for one hour.

The radiator for keeping the water at 30°. 

It's with woodfire. Not electricity that it consider as a bad energy. 

I stirred the manure in water in a small bucket (=seau) before put it the biggest container with 15L. It remembered me when I was a tiny girl and cooked wonderfull earthpies for mum! The farmers saids that my energy go into the mixture and since this day, there are my energy in their lands...

My question was why they put manure in horns? Why burying into the soil during 6 months and winter and autumn? Why stired manure in water during one hour?
The answers was that they don't know if anything have a scientific answer. The principe is a cycle. The Maori think the horn-cow are the link between earth and sky. The circle is... The cow eats grass from the land. It eats energy. We keep the manure, put it in a horn and return into the earth. It's the best thing to have a good energy that be in correlation with all the cosmos.

The manure have to come from cows that eat grass from a biodynamic field without chemical treatments into the soil. For farms that are just begin the Biodynamic practice, Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association can provide Preparation 500.

(+ Ian and Cassie)

Thank you to all the team!

Succession observed in a restoration of native bush

In the farm Wharerata, the plantation of  native tree began 10 years ago. A track allowed  me and Cassie to observed the evolution on the regeneration of a native bush.

Legend : age of the bush

                         Red: older. Protected by QEII.

                         Yellow: 10 years old

                         Green: 4 years old

• Bush since younger (4 years old) to older (QEII).

Traps against possum and mouse. This area of restoration is surrrounded by fences and they put some traps to avoid any pest.

Possum and mouse are pest because not from NZ. These animals eat bird eggs.

The vegetation is composed of shrubs and medium tree.

The gorses are everywhere!

It's a weed and pest come from Europe.

Latin name : Ulex Europaeus

It was acclimated with the weather of NZ and grow faster than the other plants. It offers a hard competition for the other plants.

That is the reason it consider as a pest and have to be eliminated.

Some trees grows and becomes taller and taller. Taller than the gorses. It's the beginning of end for gorses...

Left : Tree taller and taller/ Right : Two level are observed, shrubs under trees.

Small fern become bigger!

Original bush protected by QEII.

What about QEII?

QEII National Trust helps private landowners in New Zealand protect significant natural and cultural features on their land through open space covenants.