

Courtney: Dad has three daughters, which he says makes him lucky. He’s been very supportive of us right from a young age – we’ve never been held back. We’ve been taught how to drive the tractors, operate machinery and encouraged to get out and about on the farm. Mum and Dad instilled in us that we can do whatever we want to do, which has been really big for us – especially when you can naturally lack confidence.
Jessica: Dad’s really good at that encouragement, especially at the moment. He’s giving us the responsibilities of making decisions and being really supportive in how he does it. He’ll say, “It’s up to you. You decide what we’re going to do here, you decide what we’re going to sell this for.” It’s helped us grow and become more confident in what we’re doing here.
Courtney: For us, school was really good for that too. From a really young age at St Margaret’s College, we were encouraged to participate in speech and drama. One year I was the narrator in a production of Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes. I was encouraged to take the role by Mrs Spiers, a teacher who was really passionate about seeing her students do well. I got to have one of those clip-on microphones and everything! She would give us encouragement and feedback through our production rehearsals. I remember how excited I was to show my family the work we had all put into the production.
Jessica: Rowing at St Margaret’s had a profound impact on shaping me into a better person, both physically and mentally. We were both in the rowing team, and the sport demanded dedication, discipline and teamwork – qualities that quickly translated into other areas of my life. Early mornings on the water, battling fatigue and pushing through mental barriers, taught me resilience and, through those hardships, we formed a strong camaraderie with our team in the boat. Our team success depended on everyone pulling together, quite literally, in sync. There were also a lot of traditions like Founders’ Day that we could talk with our grandmother and our aunts about. I don’t know how long some of those traditions had been going, but it was heartwarming to see and be a part of them.
Courtney: We very much felt a warmth at St Margaret’s from the beginning. It was like a home away from home. I’ve been a bridesmaid at three of my school friends’ weddings. These are lifelong friendships which I’m really grateful for. We genuinely couldn’t imagine life without them – and for Jessica, now her kids are friends with her friends’ kids. Now we both live and work here with our families and partners.
Jessica: Everyone does everything, even when our sister, Hannah – who is currently based in Cromwell – comes back, she’s gumboots on and all. She’ll always share the love and passion for this place andshe still loves to be in the loop with what’s happening – she’s still in the group chat.
Courtney: Mum will send out a message to say, “The scones are ready,” and she’ll reply, “I’ll be right there!” Hannah’s in viticulture, which is a similar line of work, and also loves to be out in nature. I’d say a lot of what she’s learned on the farm she’d be able to apply in her current role. So even though it’s different work, she’s still growing something! The love of nature and the outdoors has also been passed to her – and now with Jessica’s kids, they’re having the same kind of upbringing and experience we had growing up.
Jessica: I am incredibly lucky I get to have my children with me. They’re living a life that some people would give their left foot for their kids to have – you know, tractors, mud, fresh air and family. We give them small jobs to do around the place, just like our parents used to give us.
Courtney: We’re really quality driven. Jessica’s laughing at me – she calls me the quality control officer – but I’m very proud of what we do. We have a lot of returning customers who appreciate our high standards. We wouldn’t be in business as long as we have without these customers, and Ilike personally making sure that what we are selling and sending out to them is good.
Jessica: What we do is what we love, and we have our family here doing it with us.
Courtney: I think Dad is proud of watching us work, and we’re proud of what the previous generations have done. I get a lot of pride in selling a variety called Pheasant’s Eye. Our grandfather just had a few bulbs and he’s built up a big patch over the years – and now I’m selling it to customers. We’re lucky that he made that decision back then on a variety he liked, that Dad continued it, and now we get to grow and sell it, too.
This story is supported by St Margaret’s College. To learn more about this independent boarding and day girls’ school, and how it empowers girls from Year 0–13 to learn, live and lead, visit stmargarets.school.nz.
This story appeared in our Raumati Summer 2024/25 Edition.
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