Some Nelson Tasman home schoolers are not only selling their wares at the Redwood Valley Market but learning the importance of being part of a rural community at the same time.
Eight of a group of 20 home schooling students were stallholders at the Redwood Valley Market recently, with a focus not only on making money for an educational trip to Christchurch but getting to know their customers and other stallholders too.
Alfie, Ruby and Mabel Broad, from Belgrove, were selling cheese rolls, inspired by their father Jeremy who is originally from Balclutha in South Otago.
“We lived down south for a good six years, my husband’s from there, we know the beauty of a good cheese roll, from local school fundraising efforts down there,” says their mother, Kayleigh Broad.
While cheese roll recipes date back to the 1930s, the Broads are enjoying bringing some classic “southern sushi” to Tasman markets.
Despite the rise in dairy prices, the young entrepreneurs, trading under the name Broad Meadows, still finish their hot cheese rolls off traditionally, with butter, for their customers.
They also sell uncooked ones by the dozen, so customers can grill them at home.
The home school science group is raising funds to go to Christchurch and visit the International Antarctic Centre in November, along with other educational activities.
“The course that we have been doing for the last two terms is an entrepreneurship course, where we are teaching the children life skills based around business,” Kayleigh explains.
“There’s running a business, how to set up a business, how to fundraise, how to budget, logos, branding, advertising and marketing, and this market was the start of putting into practice what we have been doing the last two terms.”
“We have been starting a business from scratch, all the way through to market.”
Apart from cheese rolls, the home-schooling students were selling jewellery, fudge, seedlings and buffs (active headwear).
“Judging by how well everyone did with this market, it would be well worth people coming along to our next market,” Kayleigh says.
Some students from the home-schooling science group are also attending the Richmond Baptist Church boot market and will be at the Tapawera Spring Show in October, among other events.
Redwood Valley Market organiser Dave Woolf set the market up at the historic hall in August.
“I used to do the market at Dovedale, and a lady there mentioned she wanted to start one up here, but a year and a half went by so I thought I would just do it,” Dave says.
The stallholders sell a range of items, including local farm produce, honey, baking, arts and crafts, while Dave’s mother sells second-hand books for charity.
Dave has booked in musicians for the Redwood Valley Market, to provide entertainment and an opportunity for the rural community to meet up on Saturdays from 10am until 1pm.
“In the first week there were cars parked down the road,” Dave says.
“I just think it’s good to get together, some days we may not make much money, but it’s still getting together and having a good catch up with each other.”
