The first cherries in the province this season are being grown in Otatara after local man Alan Hill wanted to see if he could produce a crop in Southland.

"I like gardening and I like cherries."

Now he's got a tunnel house bursting with the festive fruit, with his gardening hobby growing from strength to strength.

"Everyone tells me they're the best cherries they've ever tasted."

The roseanne cherries were good fruiters and had a sweet, delicious taste.

"People believe you can't grow cherries down here.

"But I wanted to prove them wrong, " the Otatara man said.

He sold some cherries, to cover costs, and had also given some away, he said.

"We've had people calling in and taking them to Auckland and all over the place - we've even had people taking them to Central Otago."

- © Fairfax NZ News

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