Selbourne may be the home of the Tomato and Garlic Festival in March, but for Annette Reed and her neighbors, it is simply home.
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Mrs Reed has run the popular event at her property for the past four years, where it has developed a loyal following amongst the wider community.
She said one of her initial goals in starting the event was to “put the community on the map”, which she believed had been achieved.
“I don’t know any other place in Australia where you could see that range of tomatoes in one spot,” she said.
“No one really knew where it was before we started this festival, but that is beginning to change.
“People know this is where our farm is, and we definitely don’t get complaints from people getting lost anymore.
“For us, it has always been a lovely area that is well worth celebrating.”
While it was once home to a school and multiple churches, there is now only a fire station and a town hall to go with the dozen or so farms in the area.
It remains aesthetically pleasing, with Four Springs Lake and a picturesque view of the mountains among its natural assets.
Mrs Reed said while it does not tick every box as a place to grow produce, she couldn’t imagine the Garlic and Tomato Festival being held anywhere else.
“Ironically, we are in a frost-prone area, which is not ideal when you are growing vegatables,” she said.
“It’s a place where you wouldn’t think we would be able to have the range of produce that we do.
“However, it is that coldness that also contributes to the quality of the fruit, or the garlic.
“Above all, Selbourne is where we live, which is the main reason why the festival is held here.”
March is not the only time of the year when Selbourne’s produce is showcased to the wider community, with Saturday’s Harvest Market also featuring Mrs Reed’s tomatoes.
She said there was no difference between her and the other contributors to Sunday’s festival.
“It was started as a bit of an experiment,” she said.
“After I won Rural Industries Research and Development Rural Women's Award, I wanted to do something that would bring attention to small farms.
“We built it up with volunteers, and it has just grown from there.
“There is such a great community here, and we will be selling our vegetables just like everybody who comes along.”
Gates will open at 10am for the 2018 Tomato and Garlic Festival, ahead of a grand opening at 12pm.
It is held at 338 Four Springs Road, Selbourne.
For more information, head to the festival’s Facebook page.