All automobiles are imported as New Zealand does not make cars.
Unwisely many kiwi plants were exported and now the country faces much competition for this crop. The largest competition comes from Brazil. Kiwi needs a wind break to grow successfully. The fruit grows on a vine similar to grapes. The vines are trellised so the fruit can be picked from beneath. The fruit is picked by hand in May. Originally known as the Chinese gooseberry, New Zealand knew that the name would be a hindrance to sale, so it became kiwi.
Kiwi means three things—the people of New Zealand, the fruit and the nocturnal bird.
Cumera, a sweet potato, but much lighter in color and less flavorful than our yam, is a staple of the New Zealand diet.
There are no barns as we know them in New Zealand. At first it was strange to see grazing horses wearing blankets, but it became a familiar sight. The blankets help keep the horses warm on cool nights, keeps the dust off their coats and protects their skin from the sun.
Another odd thing we saw was the tails of all the cows had been cut off. There is no fly problem and it is said that the urine of a cow in a farmer’s eye can cause a serious hepatitis-like illness which is the primary reason for bobbing the cow’s tail.
Authentic Maori wood carvings have only three fingers on the hands, as the Maori believe only in birth, fertility, and death.
Pavlova, named for the singer, is a baked meringue pie shell filled with whipped cream (the real stuff) and topped with thin slices of kiwi. Australia and New Zealand argue who created the dessert and who can make the best one.
Hangi is the Maori method of cooking either in a steam pot or in an underground pit. A hangi feast is similar to a luau with native entertainment.
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