Matakana: Fresh start

Two Zimbabwean families are selling the market garden business they took on when they fled to New Zealand, writes Estelle Sarney.

Home Fresh, Cnr Matakana Rd and Sharps Rd, Matakana.

The concept of receiving money in return for the sale of their property has become a novelty for the two couples selling the Home Fresh farm near Matakana.

Peter and Carolyn Beamish were moved off three farms for no return in their native Zimbabwe, before deciding to give up their homeland to Robert Mugabe's dictatorial government and start anew in New Zealand three years ago. Carolyn's sister, Anne Tremlett-Johnstone and her husband Charlie, who had also been moved off their property for no return, came with them.

"There was no hope in Zimbabwe of tertiary education for our children," says Carolyn, "and then a friend of ours was killed. We decided that for our children's education and our security we had to leave. It was a big upheaval because we'd all grown up in the area in which we farmed, and had to come out into the big world. It was a bit of shock."

This was partly why they were attracted to New Zealand, which was smaller than Australia, and then to the small town area of Matakana and Warkworth.

"The children have settled in really well," says Carolyn, who has two at Matakana School and one at Mahurangi College. "We've all made friends around here. We want to stay in this area."

She and Peter farmed cattle in Africa, while Anne and Charlie grew tobacco, maize and paprika. They put their agricultural knowledge to use by pouring what money they had into the Home Fresh business, which produces about 63,000 lettuces a year, plus mesclun, basil, rocket and tomatoes. Carolyn and Peter live in the comfortable weatherboard house on the property, while Anne and Charlie have a house in Warkworth.

"We'd never grown lettuce before," says Peter, "but we got advisers in to teach us the ropes. We're still learning things, but the basics are easy. Hydroponics is one of the easiest ways of growing things, and it's very clean."

A dam and a bore on the property mean there is never a problem with water supply for a business that relies on keeping its plants' feet wet.

About a third of the families' income is made through the shop at the front of the property, although this fluctuates throughout the year. They also supply the Progressive supermarkets and other vegetable shops in Auckland, and cafes and restaurants in their area.

The business is well set up to hand over - there's a seedling house, a hothouse for the tomatoes, basil and rocket, a packhouse, several chillers to keep different vegetables at their required temperatures, and a seeding machine that does the week's planting in two hours.

The lettuce farm has allowed the families to find their feet in New Zealand, but they now want to move on to other things. Anne and Charlie would like to get into renovating houses. Carolyn and Peter aren't sure where the wind will blow them, but it will be somewhere around their newfound home in Matakana.

"We've just got our New Zealand residency," says Carolyn. "So we feel like we belong here now."

Vital Statistics

SIZE: Land 4.7 ha, house 185sq m.

PRICE INDICATION: Interest expected above $1 million. Tender closes November 4.

INSPECT: Sunday noon-1pm.

CONTACT: Ben and Nola Kloppers, Harveys, ph 021 425 599 or 021 425 597.

FEATURES: Hydroponic farm growing lettuce, basil, rocket, mesclun and tomatoes for local and Auckland market. Several outbuildings including 912sq m seedling polyhouse, 2600sq m tomato polyhouse, and packing shed. Seeding machine. 232sq m shop on the corner of two busy roads. Comfortable weatherboard house.