It's no secret Horowhenua's residential real estate market is exceptionally buoyant, perhaps overshadowing the healthy rural market sector for this area.
A 14.1616ha property, pictured, was sold last month on behalf of Tony Tse and his family. This property at State Highway 1 and at Bruce Rd created market garden history in Horowhenua when council granted consent to open the first roadside produce stall in 1968.
Tony's grandfather Tse Yuk Shung arrived from China in 1905, followed in 1920 by Tony's father Tse Wing Cho. At that time Lower Hutt gardens produced over half of Wellington's vegetable supply and the Tses leased a three acre plot in Waiwhetu, Lower Hutt, developing a profitable market garden.
In 1953 Tony Tse came from Hong Kong, aged 16, and the third generation of the family to come and market garden in New Zealand.
He attended Hutt Intermediate to improve his English and it was a very persuasive principal who encouraged him to go onto Hutt Valley High School where Tony topped his class within two years. While university was considered, the family market garden was very labour intensive and he focused his efforts in that direction instead.
By the 1960s, demand for housing in the Hutt Valley began squeezing out the market gardens and the Tse family recognised the need to move on, finding a 4.069ha block at 240 State Highway 1, Levin.
A small bungalow on the main highway was home to a full extended family. As the market garden grew and further varieties of vegetable were introduced, more land was required.
Over the next four decades the Tse family went on to purchase a total of 18ha (45 acres) in Levin.
"We often had people calling in off the highway, asking if they could buy vegetables from us," Tony recalls.
In 1968 Tony's father applied to the Levin Borough Council for consent to open the first roadside vegetable stall in Levin.
"The council were very pleased to allow this," Tony said.
A few years ago, Tony and his wife retired to Wellington and the family decided it was time to sell the 14.1616ha (34.994 acres) 'family garden'.
The sale generated much interest from local market gardeners and out of town investors at the auction, drawing strong bidding and realising a price in excess of $1.3 million.
It is understood the new purchasers intend to continue gardening the property.