Turns out they were.
Fast forward to 2026 and that one table would not even accommodate a printout of the list of products now being marketed through Quincey Jones Jelly Preserves Co. Pty. Ltd.
Just a quick glance at the QJJ website is spellbinding – it is a kaleidoscopic cascade of jams, jellies, pickles, preserves, pastes, sauces and condiments.
Every one of them with a beautifully designed label and everyone a celebration of that nascent business all those years ago.
And Tim Harley, the guy with the quince ambitions, is still the man at the helm and still coming up with new creations for his growing inventory and even faster growing list of customers.
Today, he is not just a bigger stallholder at Echuca, he is also president of the farmers’ market, just as he also runs the Moama Market – both sites can be seen from each other across the Murray.
Casting his eye around the market while dealing with the steady roll up of buyers at his stall, Tim says the thing of which he is particularly proud, is his unbending commitment to quality.
“Our jams are 75 per cent fruit and have the lowest sugar level of any jam,” Tim said.
“They are all natural and that’s what people want, that’s what I heard over and over in my early days,” he adds.
“And while the markets were the foundation of our business, we have increasingly expanded our online marketing, and it is now the most significant slice of what we do – we have more than 30,000 online customers from Perth to Darwin.”
It seems a funny career choice for a guy who did maths at university, but reckons it helps him working our ratios and recipes.
We’ll go with that for the moment.
“We make preserves with soul, here in Echuca-Moama with what’s good, what’s fresh, and what’s worth keeping,” Tim said.
“We’re not a faceless factory churning out sugar bombs.
“We’re a family outfit stirring jam the proper way – slowly, by hand, while the fruit’s still warm from the orchard.”
“At Quincey Jones, we believe the best food feels familiar, but not predictable.
“You’ll taste it in our batches: cherry jam with a nip of black cherry rum, cauliflower pickles with a twist of za’atar, or marmalades which balance sharpness with a silky wink of vanilla.
“It’s food that respects the old ways, but isn’t afraid to flirt with the new.
“We use seasonal Australian produce, not because it’s trendy, but because it’s better.
“We keep our sugar low, thanks to modern refrigeration, and our jars are made to live in your fridge once opened. No preservatives, no fillers, no nonsense.
“Just honest food with backbone and flavour.”
