JD's FARM - Possum Observatory

A brief description of my new farm near Patutahi, Gisborne, New Zealand

Hi there. Well, after four years of saving and looking for a dark sky site I was finally rewarded with a small (2 acre) 'farm' 11kms to the west of Gisborne near the little township of Patutahi. The property has fallen into slight disarray and needs some TLC but this suits me because it kept the price down to an attainable figure and allows me to 'stamp' my touch to the place. The land is flat and divided into four paddocks (I'm currently leasing it out), it has two wells, a very solid and tidy three bedroom house, a double garage, and a large 8 x 6 metre wooden shed. The site offers a dark site (apart from the slight glow of 30,000 population Gisborne to the east). The lights of Patutahi are negligable. I'm in the process of moving my telescopes and observatory out to the farm, dropping trees, planting trees and a vege garden, converting the 8x6m shed into a 'warm room' for astronomy, lanscaping, blah, blah, blah, - so am pretty busy. But the main thing is I'm STOKED to be out here. It's so peaceful and quiet, and the stars BLAZE overhead!!!