Jars of homemade rustic pasta sauce and Indian curry sauce developed and marketed by students had all but sold out by 11am.

The sauces were made during the recent Making a Buck From Beetroot course at TAFE Illawarra Bega campus.

They sourced the tomatoes locally, cooked and bottled the sauces themselves, came up with a name – Bega Valley Saucery – and worked out a financial target for the project.

Proceeds from the sales will be donated to Bega community centre Ricky’s Place.

Student Mary Jane Glasson said the course was full of creative minds and great ideas.

“There was a real encompassing scope to the course,” she said.

“It was not just about hands-on growing and cooking.

“Some of us are growers anyway – but this went back to the fundamentals, setting a foundation and running with it.

“We also had people from industry speak to us about setting up a business, dealing with invoices and spreadsheets and food safety.

“It was very professional and really creative stuff as well.

“It was interesting moulding those together.”

Heidi Brennan said it was “a bit nerve-wracking” setting up their stall at Friday’s producers market in Littleton Gardens, while fellow student Chris Aitken was really pleased with the turn-out.

He said their focus on a variety of marketing avenues - including the newspaper, local radio, Facebook and SCPA newsletter - had paid off for everyone involved.

“We sold out, but that means those people were walking around the other stalls as well,” he said.

THE next Making a Buck from Beetroot course begins in late July at TAFE Illawarra Bega campus.

The 16-week course teaches students all they need to know about establishing a sustainable local produce business – from growing to marketing tasty food.

The course provides students with a Certificate I – Access to Work and Training. 

Making a Buck from Beetroot 2014 has been funded by Illawarra TAFE through the Bega campus general education faculty and Cooma campus outreach faculty. 

Bega market organiser SCPA South East Producers is a partner in the program.

For more information call TAFE Illawarra Bega campus general education head teacher David Grainger on 6492 9741.