George's Garden

George's Story

George Vezich has been selling at the Grey Lynn Farmers Market since it started in 2009.

What brought you to New Zealand?

I was 18 years old, military service was compulsory in Yugoslavia, but it didn’t pay.  I came here to earn money to send back to my family.

What did you do when you got here?

I worked at Crown Lynn making cups and then Cambridge clothing before starting a fast food business. It was a good business to be in before McDonalds came to New Zealand.

Fast food to farming, how did that happen?

I always loved the land and animals, and fast food wasn’t good for family life, so I bought a patch of land and started farming in Whenuapai selling strawberries and vegetables from a road-side shop.  It was very popular and we always had lots of customers so I bought another plot in Huapai to increase the amount I grow. In summer, lots of people still come for strawberry icecream and pick-your own strawberries at the end of the season.

Apart from the motorway what other changes have you noticed since you started farming in the 70s?

The houses and shops are getting close so the wild birds and animals have no where else to go. They  turn up here on my farm.  Everyone says I should sell but I like it here and I don’t want to go anywhere else.

What kind of birds?

The pheasants are very cunning. They watch me planting beans - they wait a week until the beans are soft, then dig them up and eat them. I put up netting to protect the beans but sometimes the clever birds find gaps in the netting.

How much of what you sell is spray-free?

Most of it is spray-free – I don’t like spray and neither do my customers. I prefer spray-free methods like growing celery off the ground to remove the risk of pests and spots. But sometimes I need to spray, especially if it goes to the auctions. This is particularly the case with strawberries as they are the most vulnerable. I spray as little as possible and leave it as long as possible before I pick.

Why do you sell at the Grey Lynn Farmers Market?

When the motorway bypassed my shop, I had to find another way to sell our produce. I sell at three farmers markets - Mt Albert and Oratia on Saturdays, and Grey Lynn on Sundays.

Grey Lynn is my favourite because the customers are so loyal and friendly.  They love “my bugs” and understand that’s part of spray-free.  I also want to thank my customers for recycling our plastic containers – it helps us and it helps the environment.

And what about that queue?

It’s funny – I never ask people to queue. They are just being polite. Actually it moves pretty quickly.  I always ask people if I can get things for them but sometimes they just want to see everything. If people have only a few things to buy, or are in a hurry, they should just ask me or one of my helpers – we’ll get it for them.

As published in Ponsonby News : December 2017

Ivan's Story

George’s Garden is one of our market’s founding sellers and their queue for vegetables is an enduring feature of the market. These days you will find George’s son, Ivan Vezich, selling his Dad’s fruit and vegetables in the Garden Room.

Did you grow up in West Auckland?

No – I grew up in Dargaville on a small farm. My mum grew a range of produce, but her specialty was strawberries.

So, you have market gardening on both sides of your family?

Yes – Dad’s specialty has been strawberries for many years and my brother grows strawberries on his farm too.

Is George still working in the garden?

Of course - it’s his passion. He loves working in the garden. It’s still a West Auckland rural oasis even though developments creep closer and start to surround our farm.  These days Dad needs more rest breaks, and the garden work allows him to pace himself.

How long have you been coming to the market?

The market has been a big part of my life since I moved to Auckland as a teenager.  I’ve always been more interested in the business side of our operation, so this is a natural fit for me.

Is it a profitable business?

We are covering our costs. Some people seem to think that Dad is making millions but it’s not a high margin business and Dad isn’t interested in that. He is adamant that he needs to charge fair prices so that customers can afford good food. Our prices mostly stay the same.

Tell me about that queue

It is always flattering to be so popular. Coming from Croatia where market customers just go to the things they want, Dad finds the queue amusing. It’s not something we have asked people to do – queue etiquette is just something that people have done naturally.  

Tell me about your customers

They are a highlight of my Sunday mornings. Some of them have been buying fruit and vegetables from us for over a decade so I love hearing what is happening to them and swapping stories.

What are the most popular things that people buy?

Berries and summer fruit, when they are in season. Year round, broccoli and cucumber are popular, but people buy a wide range of produce.

Sometimes I see people with lots of celery

Yes – it’s one of those things that has a following. Some people buy many bunches of celery so that they can juice it.

How do new customers fit it?

It’s lovely to see new faces. Sometimes they need some help to realise that there are three stalls in the Garden Room – our George’s Garden, Edward’s Bio VG, and Julian’s Raw Culture microgreens. New customers quickly learn from watching regulars who know that our plastic punnets are portion sizes and they tip products into their own bag, leaving the punnet for us to refill. Some of those punnets have been coming to the market almost as long as I have!

I thought mental arithmetic was a lost art, but you don’t use calculators

I’ve always been decent with numbers and, for us, it's simple addition. Customers rattle off the things in their bags and we add it up as they do that – it’s not too tricky.

Do you manage to get around the rest of the market?

Yes - when there’s a mid-morning lull, I usually get a chance to leave Yu and Paula looking after our stall while I catch up with other stallholders and get something to eat. There are so many delicious options at the market to choose from.

As published in Ponsonby News : September 2024