Alastair and Louise Campbell of Spring Creek, have grown potatoes for 35 years. They have been on their present property for 27 years growing mainly process crops for Talleys such as carrots, beans, peas and corn. 30 acres are currently devoted to growing the Rua, Red Rascal and Nadine varieties of potatoes for the local market, and which sell in Nelson and Marlborough supermarkets as Tartan Taties.
In the past there have been up to twenty growers around Blenheim, but now there are only four, a situation Alastair puts down to the cost of machinery, economies of scale, "and probably a lack of land with vineyards all over the place," he said. Alastair admits to growing some grapes for Delegats winery himself, in partnership with his son Stuart Campbell, as well as some grass and clover seed, wheat and even running a few sheep with a well established Romney stud.
"I enjoy the sheep, and also you can't just crop and not have livestock, the soil wont take it. You have to grass it down for a period. I think we are pushing the boundaries now with the amount of cropping, especially with all the heavy machinery involved, it's pretty hard on the soil structure. You have to look after the ground and it will look after you - that's always been my policy."
He plans to continue growing the potatoes he says are nutritious, delicious and grown without fungicides and insecticides on the naturally fertile soils of Spring Creek. But he acknowledges that there is not a big margin in it, with a lot of big growers in Canterbury and supermarkets requiring keen prices. "And that is why we put the potato washer in, to go a bit more up market. It's good soil here and we grow good flavoured spuds, and with over 50 varieties grown in New Zealand it's all about growing what suits your soils."
Designed and built mainly by themselves, the potato washer was assembled over three months from obsolete motors, brushes and conveyors from apple washers in Nelson. It has been used the last three years to process between 3-4 tonnes per year. "There are disadvantages to washing, you do get more rejects and it is still difficult to get a premium over and above the dirty ones, but it's a matter of education - getting the market to accept that they should pay more for them. The supermarkets are pretty much price buyers, they buy on price not quality, but they don't buy rubbish."
And his favorite potato recipe? "Oh just boiled or baked, I like them anyhow. I love them."
