Grownote, a brand-new software package tailor-made for New Zealand orchardists, was launched recently at the Zespri Momentum Conference.

Grownote, developed over that last two years by well-known and respected horticultural software specialists Radfords Software, has been out on `beta test' with orchardists and orchard managers in the kiwifruit, avocado and apple sectors.

All have found it to be an ideal management tool, combining event management with compliance administration and flexible reporting. Designed for orchard businesses both large and small, Grownote is easy to set up and, being web-based, can be accessed in the office, out in the orchard or from anywhere in the world where an internet connection is available. All data is securely encrypted and hosted by a leading New Zealand web hosting company.

'Grownote comes at just the right time for us,” says Allan Hedge, a leading avocado grower and contractor in the Bay of Plenty. 'Having all your orchard data in one place and accessible by all your authorised staff is a big boon.”

The heart of Grownote is a comprehensive diary, which takes orchard management beyond paper-based and spread sheet systems. Events managed by this diary benefit from printable (or email-able) worksheets, easily-generated map overlays and links to compliance standards. The number and type of events it can manage is unlimited and there is a simple process for generating unique events.

Several specialist consultants from the kiwifruit, apple and avocado industries have been involved in the development of Grownote, and this has also included compliance standard experts. Grownote has already been approved by GLOBALG.A.P's head office in Europe and formal approvals for several other quality standards are pending.

No special computer hardware is required to run Grownote, and updates to the application are done seamlessly. All that is required is access to a suitable web browser, such as Internet Explorer, Firefox or Safari. Grownote also runs well on tablet devices such as iPads and Galaxies. Mobile phone apps for iOS and Android smartphones are currently under development.

Grownote can be purchased on a monthly subscription with no long term contracts or up-front fees. A 30-day free trial is currently on offer, giving access to the full functionality of the product for try-before-you-buy. Details of Grownote and registering for the free trial can all be done at www.grownote.co.nz