Nadia Pavlovich, from Nadia’s Whole Garden, is excited to be part of this year’s Savour Northland event.
Northland market gardener Nadia Pavlovich has gone from strength to strength following an unexplained illness which turned her life upside down less than a decade ago.
The Whangārei resident was a teenager studying chemical engineering and training as a professional athlete in pursuit of a water polo career in the United States when she was struck down by an unknown chronic illness.
Aged 19 and on a visit home to New Zealand, she ended up in hospital for three weeks with stomach problems doctors couldn’t diagnose.
While resting at home, she planted the seeds which became her new path in life – the successful market garden called Nadia’s Whole Garden in Glenbervie.
The farm was born out of a simple question.
“I went from being a really busy person to being bedridden as I couldn’t process any food.
“I lost 17kg and couldn’t walk anymore or shower myself ... it was a really hard time in my life.
“I turned to a bit of growing, starting with a few seeds at my home.
“I couldn’t get out of my head the question, ‘why is the taste [of produce] so different when you grow something at home’?
“It tastes so different to the shops.”
Pavlovich began researching market gardening in her quest to heal and find a healthier way of living.
Though the cause of her illness has never been found, she is now in good health, and has a thriving organic market garden selling directly from the farm to customers.
“Gardening helps keep me busy, I knew being not busy would be the thing would really hurt me.
“As I was starting to get better, I started the garden.
“I love it.”
Now 26, Pavlovich “grows a little bit of everything” on her 3000sq m garden which operates year-round.
The main part of her business is the organic, no-dig market garden, and she has some citrus, banana, and avocado trees.
All produce is direct to the customer; she delivers vegetable boxes to customers homes Tuesday and Thursdays, and the farm shop is open Tuesday to Friday.
She also has about 40 chickens – an important part of the garden ecosystem – and eight ducks which help with slug and snail control.
“It helps me keep a variety for everyone.
“I love inspiring other people to grow and sharing my story.
“It’s something we can all do to make ourselves happier and connect with the earth – it’s a really important way of how we live.”
Pavlovich is throwing her garden gates open during this year’s month-long Savour Northland event.
Nadia and Deano, on October 30, starts with a farm tour at her place, “to see what’s growing” before heading to Schnappa Rock on the Marina in Tutukaka, where head chef Dean Thompson will prepare a five-course tasting menu.
The full farm tour will also include great tips for summer gardening, Pavlovich said.
“To have that farm-to-table experience that a lot of restaurants boast about, to go straight from the garden to the restaurant is such a unique experience.”
Savour Northland is a wine and food festival that made its successful debut last year.
It will run from October 1-31 and features a diverse line-up of events that celebrate the region’s food, award-winning wines and craft beers, local producers, chefs, venues and artisans.
From long, lazy lunches and unique wine tastings to chorizo-making workshops – and even a kumara exhibition – the foodie celebration spans every inch of Northland.
Also returning is the Savour Northland Challenge, where Northland’s finest chefs will be showcasing the best of the region’s produce and beverages.
The challenge invites restaurants, cafes, hotels and bars from across Tai Tokerau to craft stand-out dishes using only local ingredients.
They will be paired with a Northland-made beverage, from boutique wines, craft beers, and small-batch spirits to locally roasted coffees and Northland-inspired soft drinks.
Savour Northland co-director Jackie Sanders said the challenge was more than “great food and drink”.
“It’s a celebration of Northland’s incredible bounty and the passionate people who bring it to life.
“Every dish tells a story about our land, our sea, and the creativity of our culinary community.”
Jenny Ling is a senior journalist at the Northern Advocate. She has a special interest in covering human interest stories, along with finance, roading, and social issues.