Totara new potatoes - the sign that Christmas is getting near. And when the first hit the market, the word gets around and people come from everywhere to buy them.
The first of the new potatoes usually come from Brydone Growers at Totara, organic Jersey bennes from a hillside just above State Highway 1 which has its own micro-climate.
But when Cushla Brophy and Marty Quinnell, with their two children, arrived from Rangitikei six potato-growing seasons ago in 2008 to take over the market garden and keep the ''first'' reputation alive, it was a totally new world.
Mr Quinnell was a contractor and Ms Brophy was raising the family. A close friend had shifted to Middlemarch and, urging them to come south, sent them details of Brydone Growers which was for sale.
There was an adjustment but, Mr Quinnell said, growing vegetables was ''not rocket science''.
''It's hard work, but I don't regret it,'' he said.
That is offset by the lifestyle for the family, the surrounding rural area and access to schools for the children.
Settling in was helped by ongoing support and advice from previous owners Sue and Lindsay Smith, who readily lent their expertise.
Mrs Smith runs Brydone Wholefoods from the former Totara Hall next to Brydone Growers, where most of the first early new potatoes are sold, along with the Otago Farmers' Market, until production increases.
Then they are distributed through Fresh Direct and outlets in Central Otago.
Inquiries for boxes are received as far away as the North Island.
The biggest challenge is the weather, like any farm. Frosts at the wrong time can ruin crops and this year unusually strong winds spoiled leaves which reduced the early size of the new potatoes.
On the heavy Totara soils, getting watering rights is also critical - too much followed by rain can halt digging, too little can lead to soil cracking and potatoes drying out.
At the same time, a lack of frosts during winter and the ideal micro-climate on their property saw the Jersey bennes planted earlier than usual in mid-May, before heavy rains brought extensive flooding to North Otago.
A mild winter also saw one of the earliest seasons, new potatoes being dug from mid-October.
Most of the early crop of about 2.5ha are Jersey bennes, but they also planted kings, nadines and desiree.
