The old Pohangina County Council building is 14km from Ashhurst. Photo / Judith Lacy
The old Pohangina County Council building is 14km from Ashhurst. Photo / Judith Lacy
OPINION:
The toilets were being renovated, the volunteers were busy in the kitchen and I was by no means the only customer.
Yet, as soon as I sat down the quiet and calm enveloped me like a weighted blanket. It took a few moments to take it all in, thenI realised there was no radio, no music of any kind. At the outside tables the only music was birdsong. Inside the carpeted floors meant there was no scraping of chairs as customers got up to leave.
There was no huddle thinking it was a queue, no one waiting for takeaway coffee with their butt so close to my table I could have mistaken it for a hamburger.
County Fayre is a community tearooms in Pohangina Village run by volunteers. Surely a description to savour - community tearooms, run by volunteers.
My ears pricked up when a member of the book group I go to mentioned she volunteered at County Fayre. Hearty fare for Judith's Jottings, I thought.
My first surprise upon arrival at the old Pohangina County Council building was I hadn't been there before like I thought. So much the better.
I ordered the Devonshire tea and made short work of the scone and generous serving of raspberry jam and cream. I washed it down with three cups of raspberry tea, sipping at a leisurely pace. I appreciated one of the volunteers coming to check if everything was okay with my afternoon tea.
County Fayre is balm for a weary soul. Photo / Judith Lacy
There's many a nook and cranny to explore. I started with the photographic display about Pohangina pioneers the Wildbores. Charles and Jane Wildbore were farmers and Charles was also a keen photographer. You'll have to visit to find out Charles' connection with Charles Dickens.
Catherine Knight's 2018 book Wildbore: a photographic legacy can be borrowed from Central Library.
The Wildbores had 13 children. Along with names to be expected such as Reginald, Percy and Sylvia, there's a boy called Mana Huia.
Interestingly, Pohangina's streets are named after native birds - weka, kūkū, kākā and kiwi.
The Pohangina Wetlands has 22 ponds and five islands. Photo / Judith Lacy
Greeting me on arrival into the village were three pūkeko, venturing from the wetlands to explore the wide berms. They didn't seem too shy of cars but enjoyed playing peekaboo when I got the camera out.
But back to County Fayre. There's an art gallery, craft shop and community library, which has material from both Feilding Library and Pohangina swap a book. Along the walls are historic photos of Pohangina pioneers.
As Mother Nature is making great strides to throw off her winter coat with magnolias flowering, blossoms appearing and longer days, it's time to start day trips again and support nearby attractions.
This year's Pohangina Downhill Walk, organised by County Fayre, is on Saturday, November 13. You get to walk down the Branch Road Walkway through 6km of farmland and native bush. Details are on the tearooms' Facebook page.
