The Nelson Farmers Market marks two decades this month, having grown from its humble beginnings at Founders Park to a busy weekly gathering on Halifax St every Wednesday. With stallholders travelling from Marlborough, Tapawera and Golden Bay, the market has become a showcase of the region’s best produce and smallgoods. Throughout November, we’ll be sharing the stories of the people who make it all happen – the stallholders who call the market home. This week, Anne Hardie talks to Karen Barks and Max Riley from Tasman Organics who, eight years ago, were both maths teachers.
Eight years ago, Karen Barks and Max Riley were maths teachers living in Washington Valley where they transformed their suburban garden into a “food forest”.
When the opportunity arose to buy a fertile block of land at Appleby, they changed their lifestyle and became organic vegetable growers.
Both grew up with gardening mothers who fed the family with their harvested produce and Karen says it was a natural progression to grow their own vegetables and then turn it into a business.
“It was time for a change while we were young enough to do something different and this opportunity came out of the blue,” Karen says.
“So, we decided to give it a go!”
Tasman Organics was born and today they grow up to 15 varieties of vegetables at the height of the season and have a loyal following at the Nelson Farmers Market.
“Every year is different,” Karen says. “You can’t always get the same seeds, so you have to be flexible. Flexibility is the name of the game.”
The couple have always sold their vegetables at a gate stall on their Cotterell Rd property and three years ago Karen took a small selection to the Nelson Farmers Market.
The vegetables sold out quickly and the following week she took more which again sold out quickly.
Since then, she has been a regular with her ever-changing mix of organic vegetables, while the rest of the week they are harvesting for the gate stall.
“Part of what I enjoy about the market is educating people about the seasonality of food and about storing food for the winter; preparing for those months when some things aren’t available.
“I had capsicums coming out my ears last autumn and I was saying to people to chop them up and put them in their freezers. Then they can use them all winter long.”
Customers buy their produce because they want organic food, free of herbicides and pesticides, and Karen says they like to know where their food is grown.
“I love it – seeing the same people smiling and happy to see me has always been the reward for being there. You talk to each other and share stories and get to know each other.”
It’s also the perfect place for Karen to catch up with many former students and colleagues from her teaching days as many are regulars at the market.
The Nelson Farmers Market runs every Wednesday from 8am at 23 Halifax St.
