The sweet fragrance of roses and strawberries drifting across the fields is the unmistakable smell of summer at Somerfield Berryfruit farm in Oropi.

Large trees hum with bird song, and rows of plants burst with ripe, red berries.

At the main packhouse, Richard and Valerie Somerfield and their daughter Trish – who now owns the farm – sort and pack the morning’s pickings. Cherie Derbyshire helps while another staff member, Nova Holloway, tops cones with fresh fruit ice cream for eager visitors.

Richard, Valerie and Trish Somerfield at the packhouse at Somerfield Berryfruit farm in Oropi. Photo / David Hall

Richard and Valerie began the berry farm 55 years ago, planting their first boysenberries in 1970. Strawberries followed two years later, then blackberries, raspberries and blueberries. Today, the family business remains a summer hub, with many of the grandchildren joining the workforce during the holidays.

“The strawberries are Trish’s now,” Richard said. “When we started, I had met a strawberry grower who said he was going to plant some boysenberries. I went home to Valerie and said I think it’s time we planted. We’ve been growing strawberries ever since.

75,000

“We started with 12,000 plants, and for many years we’ve grown 75,000. That’s enough for a family group to handle. We like staying family-run and employing local people.”

Freshly picked strawberries at Somerfield Berryfruit farm in Oropi. Photo /David Hall.

There was a moment when Richard and Valerie considered retiring, but Trish stepped in.

“She sort of said ‘no’ at first, but a few months later she changed her mind,” Richard said.

Richard, Valerie and Trish all live within about a 300m radius of the farm. Son Rob – one of New Zealand’s leading rose breeders – lives in Te Puna. About 27,000 of Rob’s roses also flourish on the property, including more than 20 of his own varieties lining the driveway to the packhouse.

Rob Somerfield’s roses line the driveway to the packhouse. Photo / David Hall

The berry season runs from Labour Weekend to mid-January, depending on the weather, and the farm is open daily 8am-5pm. “People come all day long,” Richard said. “They can buy or pick.”

The Camarosa

The Somerfields favour the Camarosa variety of strawberry: large, firm, and richly flavoured. “It’s red right through and keeps well,” Richard said. “You can pick it when it’s ripe and it will keep for days. And they’re huge.”

Freshly picked strawberries packed at Somerfield Berryfruit farm. Photo / David Hall

Richard and Valerie’s partnership began long before the berry rows were planted. They met as teenagers after Richard’s father, a bank manager, arranged a job for him with Valerie’s parents in Nelson. She was 17 and he was 18. Married three years later, they went on to have four children.

“I had three sons within two-and-a-half years, then I had a gorgeous daughter – Trish – and the boys thought she was just Christmas,” Valerie said.

Nova Holloway packing strawberries at Somerfield Berryfruit farm. Photo / David Hall

Gary

Their second son, Gary, was born with Down Syndrome and died at age 9 due to a hole in his heart and leukaemia. The memory remains tender.

“He woke one morning with bruises on his arms,” Richard said. “Valerie took him to the doctor, he went into hospital, and he died that night.”

“He wasn’t in pain,” Valerie said softly. “I boiled him an egg for breakfast and that particular morning he wanted another one, so I made him one. I often think of that – the last thing I did for him.”

Dottie Crawford-Saunders, 6, picking strawberries at Somerfield Berryfruit farm in Oropi. Photo / Rosalie Liddle Crawford

Richard spent 15 years as IHC president and 49 years as a member, stepping down only when the Oropi community asked him to lead the hall’s refurbishment project. He also served four years as president of Berryfruit NZ.

Their house

The farm’s history stretches further back. Before World War II, it was owned by Arnold Shanks, later captured and held in a prison camp for five years. His original home, since lost to fire, was once Oropi’s social centre. Richard and Valerie bought the land before their current house was finished.

Nova Holloway making fresh fruit icecream at Somerfield Berryfruit farm. Photo / David Hall

“We got to choose the wallpaper and carpet,” Richard smiled, recalling that the carpet came from a young Barry Muir at Greerton Furnishing.

Through the festive season, Somerfield Berryfruit remains open until the evening of Christmas Eve. Valerie sells her homemade jams and hands out a brochure of favourite recipes – ambrosia, cheesecake, mixed berry cheesecake and more.

Blackberry, raspberry and strawberry jam at Somerfield Berryfruit farm. Photo / David Hall

Thriving legacy

In winter, Trish works as a contract grafter for avocado, feijoa and persimmon growers, but returning to the farm is always the highlight. “I have two experts to teach me. I get to work with Mum and Dad, and my brother is a local, so it’s really good.”

A grandmother herself, Trish continues a long family tradition. Until Richard’s mother died, there were five generations of this remarkable and well-loved Somerfield family helping bring strawberry delight to the community – a legacy still thriving.