The Loef’s were busy picking standard carnations in one of their plastic covered houses when NZ Flowers Week arrived, assisted by two of their daughters and one of their 25 grandchildren.
As a family team, they pick by hand three times a week and then strictly ‘grade’ their carnations in a packing shed at the bottom of their property. Loef Carnations follow strict ‘grading guidelines’ to ensure that only the best quality is sold to the New Zealand market.
Carnations need to be picked at the right time, when the bloom isn’t too open and isn’t too closed. This is a ‘picking point’ that the Loef’s have spent years perfecting along with their specific variety range of carnations.
NZ Flowers Week met their youngest son busy removing all of the glass panes from some of their older houses as they will be replacing with plastic sheeting. These houses have been on this property since the early 1980s.
Read more at NZ Flowers Week

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