Naturally Marlborough

Stanley playing with an organically grown quince.

Sustainable and reclaimed materials were key ingredients in the construction of our Bed and Breakfast.

The Kereru, or native wood pigeon, is often seen roosting around our Marlborough property.

Delicious organic apples grown on our Marlborough property.

We actively plant to attract beneficial insects.

Sustainability and Eco-Accommodation

We purchased the land at Jefferswood in 1998 with the dream to create a healthy, environmentally sustainable homestead and to enhance the landscape for wildlife.

The homestead was designed to be part of the landscape and sympathetic to the environment. A study of the sun angles in the area over a year was undertaken by us and we decided 8 degrees west of north would maximise the sun’s warmth and light.

We designed the homestead layout as a passive solar thermal sink with all rooms utilising the properties of the adobe bricks and the sun in both summer and winter. Under all north/northwest facing windows Italian porcelain tiles, to a depth of one and a half metres, to catch the winter sunlight and release the warmth over the evening.

Central Otago schist was used in the gallery room as another attractive medium to utilise the sun. Solar panels were planned for the roof space to supply solar hot water to all bathrooms and the kitchen. Roof pitch is a low 25 degrees with a two and a half metre wide verandah surrounding the homestead for extra living space and to protect the adobe bricks from the weather.

Mature trees, with the use of a portable mill, were felled and milled where they were grown in Marlborough. Many cubic metres of Macrocarpa, Totara, Matai and Oak were cut from this renewable resource into a variety of sizes and stored in our various sheds to dry over five years.

We had 6,700 adobe bricks made using Moutere clay from Nelson, wheat straw and water. The clay is a beautiful rich, golden colour. Each adobe brick weighs 12kg and measures 300mm x 150mm. These adobe bricks were stored for three years so that they were completely dry when we erected the homestead.

Since 1998 hundreds of trees have been planted on the property. Trees were chosen for their food value, habitat for insects and birds, and their amenity value. Three large Totara trees were on the property when purchased, they are thought to be up to 350 years old. These trees are the home to Bellbirds, Tuis, Wood pigeon and many small birds. In March of each year, when the tree fruit drupes mature, the raucous calls of the Tuis and Bellbirds as they battle over the drupes is a joy. We actively undertake pest control of possums, rats and wild cats to protect birdlife from predation.

A water well was dug which supplies abundant water and is channelled through a full filtration system. The latest environmentally friendly septic chamber tank was installed with no residue being released in the soil.

All storm water goes by a system of drains from the homestead, garage and land to our very large pond. The pond is planted with native grasses and flaxes, which is a habitat to numerous birds and insects. The pond is alive with insects, frogs and is a welcome resting place to Swallows, Herons, Ducks, Plovers and numerous small birds. A freshwater spring is also piped into the pond to keep freshwater feeding into it for the inevitable Marlborough dry times.

The homestead was created in stages over three years. We have endeavoured to use all natural products to keep the homestead healthy. No paints, chemicals, fibreglass, wallpaper etc. All timber whether lintels, tongue and groove ceilings and door or kitchen joinery is finished with natural oil.

The adobe bricks breathe naturally - some 400 hours of manual wall finishing to get to the standard we wanted. Walls also received 95 litres of cellulose to hold any dust. A huge task! Jeff lost 3kgs and Sandra has arm tone to die for.

Our builders were sympathetic to our natural environmentally sustainable property philosophy and worked with us to achieve this. The homestead is double glazed throughout and has skylights in each south side room to maximise light on dull days. Under floor heating by way of hot water pipes through out the floor slab was installed. A gas fire gives the aesthetics of a fire for those chilly winter nights.

Woollen carpet, New Zealand’s best, is used throughout the homestead except for porcelain tiled bathrooms and the thermal sinks under windows and in the gallery room. Woollen insulation was used in the ceiling space as a healthy, renewable resource alternative to the dreaded fibre glass.

Many "treasures" collected on farms and in second hand stores were integrated into our homestead design. An old Kauri fireplace, covered in lashings of cream paint, was stripped back to its natural timber and utilised as a wine rack in the kitchen cabinetry. A bath, being used as an animal drinking trough, was refurbished and feet found in an Invercargill second hand store added to be used in the main bathroom. A cast iron grate and cast iron gate have been included in the homestead as were a variety of door hardware and old farm implements. The telephone and power poles that support the verandah were sourced through out Marlborough.

All household organic waste goes to the three bay compost bins or to our livestock - pigs and hens. The hens supply eggs year round and the pigs are grown only over the winter. Recycled inorganic waste is taken to the local transfer station.

The homestead surrounding field grass is kept to a length that protects the soil from summer drought and provides a habitat for insects and birds. Our orchard of pip and stone fruits is totally organic. Borage and phacellia is grown under the trees to attract beneficial insects. Grass is kept long and the trees are fed liquid seaweed made on the property.

The huge vegetable garden is set out in the four bed rotational organic method. No sprays are used, companion planting is undertaken. Only animal manure, our own compost, green crops and pea straw are used for a healthy soil.

The developing arboretum is another aspect of our environmentally sustainable property that we are passionate about. Over 700 trees ranging from New Zealand native species like Hoheria, Kowhai through to the deciduous exotics such as Acer, Oak and Tilea. We have over 90 different species and growing! Growth on our property is phenomenal owing to good rainfall at the right time, warmth and our management,

We love living in our own created homestead, listening to the constant bird song, watching the numerous insect life flourish and living with the land with as little detrimental effect as possible.

We trust you enjoy our vision.