Ripple Trail Farm

farm

Markets, farmgate and a seasonal roadside stand at Whitbourne.

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."  

g2g check out our Live Inside Scoop at the St. John's Farmers Market from September 2023, or HERE to see it on our YouTube Channel.

g2g check out our Facebook Live at Ripple Trail Farm from July 2017, or HERE to see it on our YouTube Channel.

Ripple Trail Farm location

Ripple Trail is on Route 81. Turn off to Route 81 at the Whitbourne Crossroads, and the farm is 10.4 kilometres after the turnoff to Markland.

The seasonal farm stand is at Whitbourne Crossroads.  Check Facebook for opening hours!

Ripple Trail Farm sign
a large bundle of carrots
bundles of beets
a woman standing by her tractor
green door with Ripple Trail Farm
a woman smiling in a barn
red kale growing in soil
table of vegetables at the Farmers Market
red, white, pink and yellow potted plants with green foliage
pink flowerheads with green foliage
yellow, purple and white flowers with green foliage in a purple planter on a white bench
Karen Durfey, farmer in red and white, with a young woman standing in front the back of a pick up on a sunny day
green and yellow harvested squash in tubs
small red roadside farmstand with white lattice covered in beautiful flowers
Ripple Trail Farm sign
a large bundle of carrots
bundles of beets
a woman standing by her tractor
green door with Ripple Trail Farm
a woman smiling in a barn
red kale growing in soil
table of vegetables at the Farmers Market
red, white, pink and yellow potted plants with green foliage
pink flowerheads with green foliage
yellow, purple and white flowers with green foliage in a purple planter on a white bench
Karen Durfey, farmer in red and white, with a young woman standing in front the back of a pick up on a sunny day
green and yellow harvested squash in tubs
small red roadside farmstand with white lattice covered in beautiful flowers