Steve and Kaye McArthur have ended 50 years of family ownership of their small Taieri berry farm, and their stall.
However, the change is not the complete end of the McArthur family’s involvement in farming and berry sales. Mr McArthur said he would keep 2ha of land near Outram and continue selling in summer from his shop by the Taieri River.
The McArthurs put their farm on the market in 2015, and sold it earlier this year.
It was the first time the farm had been on the market since it was bought by Mr McArthur’s parents, Ken and Gaye, in 1968. While he had hoped to sell it as a going concern, Mr McArthur said he understood the new owner would not continue berry and vegetable farming there.
That meant the business that had employed up to 80 young people each season would now only need about a dozen on the smaller block.
Mr McArthur spent plenty of time shaking hands with customers and being wished good luck on Saturday.
"They’re pleased for me and the family, but sorry to see it go."
He had been running the stall for about 13 years, almost as long as the market had been going.
The last day brought mixed emotions.
"It’s a tricky one. There’s a lot of wellwishers, good customers coming to say hello. It’s one of those things. It can’t last for ever."
Mr McArthur said he hoped the change in his family’s life would be a good thing.
He expected it would be good for him physically, as the style of farming had been "hard on the body".
The feelings of his customers could probably be summed up in the words of one man as he bought produce from the stall for the last time.
"Thank you," he said to Mr McArthur.
"All the best."
