Despite a shortage of locally grown produce and bulging supermarket shelves spoiling for choice, hundreds of Griffith families will make their own tomato sauce again this year.

On Tuesday, Ralph and Vera Franco and members of their family were elbow deep in sauce. The couple have been making it for over 50 years, using a recipe that has been handed down for generations.

“I remember my mother used to make it this way when I was a kid 70 years ago,” Mr Franco said.

“We use exactly the same method now. We wash them, cut them in half and then boil the tomatoes. Then we bring them inside and drain all of the water out then put them through the machine to separate the skins and sauce. Then we add a little basil and fill the bottles. We then put them in drums and boil them. And let them rest.

“It’s fantastic to think that my kids will be able to keep the tradition alive too.”

According to Mr Franco, who will share the 300 bottles he made earlier this week with family, nothing compares to authentic Italian sauce.

“It’s time consuming and messy but it’s worth it. You can’t buy sauce like this,” he said.

“Some people don’t boil them beforehand, but that’s the way we were taught and we find it takes out the acid.

“My wife was up at 4.30am chopping the tomatoes. She was 18 when she came here and did tomatoes in Italy before that and she is still sticking to the same method.”

While there are still a handful of locals selling tomatoes in Griffith this year, many have had to resort to out of town suppliers.

The 25 boxes Mr Franco used came from Shepparton.

Well-known Darlington Point grower Richard Stott said a couple of bad seasons, coupled with a downturn in the economy, had driven his decision not to plant.

“We’ve stopped growing them because in the last three or four years it became pretty ordinary and it was too difficult for us. There just wasn’t enough money in them,” he said.