Patricia McLaren is calling time on her charity sales of biscuits, jams, chutneys and preserves from the Ashburton Farmers’ Market.
Her last market day will be April 12, but she will still have produce available.
The 87-year-old has raised more than $70k for different charities over the past nine years including $55k for Ronald McDonald House Christchurch.
‘‘It’s just been getting a bit much, each year’s a bit harder,’’ she said, of setting up at the market.
‘‘People help, but when everybody else is getting their own places up you can’t expect them to be coming.’’
She had her set up finetuned and could fit six to eight shoe boxes of jars on her walker, nicknamed Gert, but getting tables out had become harder.
Patricia has been a regular at the market since she started selling goodies for charity causes in 2016.
Included in her range were chocolate chip, gingernut and shortbread, as well as more than 36 different types of pickles, jams and sauces.
Among them good old fashioned raspberry, peach, and golden kiwifruit jams, plum and apricot sauces, and a strawberry conserve.
They had no fillers, just fruit and sugar.
Patricia said she enjoyed the camaraderie and the chance to share her homemade products with the community.
Last year she raised $12k in total for Cancer Society Mid Canterbury and Ashburton’s St John Health Shuttle, and this season had $6000 to be split between each organisation.
Notably down on past years, she said due to increasing expenses such as electricity and butter costing more than $7 for 500g.
‘‘My expenses are higher … butter, I use six or seven pound a week, it’s just about doubled in price,’’ she said.
‘‘Everything is just that much dearer.’’
Patricia said she was so grateful to those who had supported her – and each of the causes.
Even during the covid social distancing months she received phone calls from people wanting products.
‘‘I had very desperate people,’’ she said.
‘‘They put money in the mailbox. It was for marmalade mostly and raspberry jam.’’
Patricia had intended taking things a bit easier years ago, but continued because of an abundance of fresh produce either grown at home from husband Ken’s large vegetable garden or received from others – and regular buyers.
‘‘A very big, big thank you to everybody who has contributed, and bought, because I can make the stuff but if they don’t buy it, it’s only wasted.’’
‘‘And people who’ve brought me jars, cos if I haven’t got jars to put it in I’m stuck.’’
Even now she admitted she was not ready to give up completely.
She planned to be at the annual swap meet at Ashburton Vintage Car Club in Tinwald on May 3 and people could phone her on 308 8105 for product.
‘‘I’ll probably sell a bit from home,’’ she said.
‘‘I love it, it’s my happy place.’’
– The Ashburton Farmers’ Market at the West St car park, Ashburton from 9am – 12.30pm every Saturday until April 12. The winter market will continue from then.
