local produce and flowers

Karen Durfey farms the Ripple Trail Farm in Markland. The farm has been in the family since 1965, and her dad Bernard Tucker, who was the original farmer, at one point had 78 acres. Karen took a different tack, and now farms a dozen (or so) acres of crops and greenhouses, and focuses on the local markets rather than wholesalers.

“It’s another way of doing business,” says Karen, "and it’s working well for us now."

fresh potatoes, carrot, turnip, cabbage, parsnip and more

Part of the local connection means staying connected with what customers are looking for. if the time is right, she loves showing visitors around Ripple Trail. In addition to the yummy Newfoundland staples of carrots, turnip, potatoes, cabbage, and parsnip, Karen and the three Ripple Trail Farm hands work the soil in and out of the greenhouses, also coax up gorgeous kale. Swiss chard, Chinese cabbage, beans, peas, squash, pumpkins, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, broccoli, and also flowers and bedding plants: all can be found on the Ripple Trail Farm.

Ripple Trail family and community

After the passing of Karen’s father in 2005, Ripple Trail Farm stayed a family affair. Karen’s mother Winnie makes luscious jams and pickles (even sweet mustard pickles!), and Nina is often on the stand at Whitbourne.

Karen and Ripple Trail Farm are big believers in local and regularly support community events. She says, “we are in a small close-knit community, so it is very important to support each other. We’re all in this together."