If you’re heading toward the Catlins, chasing waterfalls and windswept coastlines, there’s a stop you need to make before the picnic blankets come out. Down in Gorge Road, Annette Trent and her husband Mike are doing something special at GreenYard Veges. Think hydroponic watercress, strawberries sweeter than summer itself, and seasonal produce grown without a drop of synthetic spray.
GreenYard Veges is the kind of place where you can grab strawberries still warm from the Southland sun or a bunch of peppery watercress to take your picnic sandwiches to the next level. Planning a stop in the Catlins? Load up with fresh veges for the barbecue, or snag some fruit for the road - this is kai that fits as naturally into a packed lunch as it does on a Southland dining table.
“Our strawberries are short-season, so you’ve got to make the most of them,” Annette says. “Add them to a pav, toss them in a salad, or just eat them straight from the punnet while you’re sitting in the sunshine. There’s no wrong way.”
Annette isn’t just growing food - she’s growing community. As chair of the Southern Farmers Market, she’s helped turn the market into more than just a shopping spot. It’s a gathering place, where locals and visitors alike can connect over the best of what Murihiku has to offer.
She’s also one of the brains behind the market’s community stall, which gives smaller growers a chance to share their produce even if they can’t attend in person. “It’s about making sure everyone gets to be part of the food story,” Annette says.
GreenYard Veges and the Southern Farmers Market are part of something bigger - a movement to reconnect Southlanders with locally grown, sustainable kai. Annette’s vision includes a shared food hub, where local growers can collaborate and share resources to keep Southland’s food system strong and resilient.
“It’s not just about what’s on the plate. It’s about the people behind it, the land that grows it, and the community that shares it,” she says.
