About ten years ago, Karin Duncker noticed that something important was missing from the local food scene: a reliable source of exceptional, farm-fresh nuts, seeds, dried fruit, olive oil and muesli. So, with characteristic energy and enthusiasm, she decided to fill the gap herself.

Born in England and raised in South Africa by German parents, Karin found her true home when she moved to the beautiful village of Greyton 11 years ago—and she has never regretted it. Today, she is a familiar face at the Saturday Village Market, where locals and visitors know her affectionately as “The Lady with the Nuts.”

Karin is passionate about sourcing as much of her produce as possible directly from farms. This ensures that every nut, seed, dried fruit and bottle of olive oil reaches her customers at its freshest and finest. But her fascination with food goes far beyond flavour and quality. She is captivated by the strange, dramatic and often surprising stories behind the things we eat.

Take the Brazil nut. It grows inside a large, heavy pod on trees that can reach 50 metres in height. Weighing as much as two kilograms, a falling pod can reach a speed of around 80 kilometres per hour before striking the forest floor—making the gathering of Brazil nuts a rather hazardous business!

Then there is the extraordinary almond harvest. Every year, billions of bees are transported to California to pollinate its vast almond orchards, creating the world’s largest managed pollination event.

And the cashew? It is not really a nut at all, but a seed that grows beneath a cashew apple. In its raw state, it contains toxic substances and must be carefully processed before it is safe to eat.

When you buy from Karin, you are taking home more than a delicious snack. Every seed, handful of nuts, drizzle of olive oil and scoop of muesli has travelled its own remarkable journey—from the farm to your pantry.

Discover Karin’s carefully sourced selection at The Greyton Collective.