December 2020 PIT Group Meeting – Mallee Orchard Farms, Peebinga (SA)

This PIT Group session was just one meeting, held at Mallee Orchard Pistachios at Peebinga, courtesy of Ian Mau in South Australia’s Mallee. Starting at noon on Tuesday 1st of December with a barbeque, the meeting then had a general session of introductions and question and answers followed by a tour of the MOP property. The assembly then made their way, 75km back to Loxton for a session with Anthony Wachtel, Josh Fielke and Mark Skewes at the Almond Board of Australia’s Centre of Excellence trial site just out of Loxton.

PROGRAM:

The program commenced at 12:30 pm on Tuesday 1st of December.

The program for the Tuesday afternoon included:
a) Introductions
b) Interactive open question and answer on the season, oil sprays, bare limb growth etc.
c) A brief update on the 2019/20 season, harvest quality and potential price by Chris Joyce.
d) A tour of the extensive MOP plantings, irrigation system, harvest equipment, pre-plant trees/nursery and central leader pruning sites.
e) Drive back to Loxton for a 5.15pm meeting with….
f) ABA Centre of Excellence orchard trial site.

The December 2020 PIT Group grower’s session at Mallee Orchard Pistachios (MOP) at Peebinga on the 1st of December 2020 was a great success with 35 attending despite the long drive out to the orchard and the gale force winds. Covid-19 protocols were followed with an attendance form filled in and hand sanitiser made available as well as social distancing adhered to.

Being possibly the final PIT Group Meeting for the current project, and at reasonably short notice due to the changing Covid-19 restrictions, it was very pleasing to see 35 pistachio industry people attend the most isolated session we have had at Mallee Orchard Pistachios.