On a sheltered terrace beside the Rangitikei River, just north of Marton, stands a magnificent avocado tree that for the past 30 years has thrived.

None of us know for sure how or why ‘The Grandfather Tree’ was randomly planted here, only that we’ve always been enormously grateful to have a never-ending supply of deliciously creamy, nutty Hass avocados right here on our farm.

The Rangitikei isn’t known for its avocado-friendly growing conditions. Which made us wonder if there’s something special about this pocket of land that makes our family tree do so well. If one avocado tree can grow here successfully, perhaps we could grow more? 

We’re a family of investigators, so what came next was a series of tests in which we measured everything from soil profiles to specific climatic conditions including sunshine hours, temperature ranges, the inversion layer, and the potential for heavy frosts. At the end of all that we were amazed to discover that this sheltered, free-draining river terrace sits in its own little microclimate where temperatures consistently reach 27° during the growing season. 

Charged up and ready to go, we pressed on with our plans for establishing a Hass avocado orchard. Before planting, we installed an automated irrigation system along with two frost fan towers to prepare us for when Jack comes to visit. 

Around this time, we made a wise call to hedge our bets by planting one hectare of Tahitian Limes on our six-hectare orchard. You might well ask why on earth we chose limes. The simple answer is that limes and avocados thrive in the same growing conditions, their flavours go extra well together, and limes are often expensive and in short supply. 

Totara Road is a family project. We’re a close little team with our own areas of responsibility covering day-to-day orchard management, marketing, sales, and customer service. We hope you’ll think of us next time you’re looking for the perfect avocado or the perfect lime - grown with love and delivered to you all the way from Rangitikei.

Sarah, David, Lucy, Rosa and Meg Marshall