Heather McKay is our inaugural associate board member for Rural Women New Zealand.

Today on the podcast we chat about Heather’s career development to date, along with her journey from the West Coast to the Tasman District.

We also unpick pathways to dairy farm ownership, taking opportunities as they arise, and the importance of being purposeful in your career.

Thanks so much for joining us Heather! 

This is the last ep for 2024. See you in 2025!

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Claire Edwards from the Tora Collective joins us on the Podcast today.

We discuss Claire’s journey from Golden Bay to Marlborough and now Tora.

From University to bars in Wellington and finding soulmates, to starting a sustainable, catch to order kaimoana business.

What strikes us about Claire is her really strong and uncompromising standards and values. She has a deep connection with the consumer, and does it all with the longevity of the environment in mind.

Thanks for chatting with us Claire!

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Today on the Black Heels and Tractor Wheels Podcast we have a great chat with Greer Paterson ✨

Greer lives on the Chatham Islands and provides us with an outlook of how truly unique and different Island life is. She talks us through the first moment she landed on the Chatham Islands, having never heard of it, or been there before she arrived. Her original plans changed and 6 years in, she is still on the Island 🏝

Greer really opens our eyes to how remote life is on the Island. We discuss some examples of seemingly ordinary activities like grocery shopping and planning for a birth take on a whole new meaning. We usually speak about rural and remote living, but this is really next level 🙌

Greer is so candid with her personal story and thoughtfully gives her perspective on how to overcome challenges and to develop a resilient mindset 🩷 

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We have a chat with Sandra Matthews, Chair of RWNZ and local community legend. We yarn about engendering volunteering from a young age, developing identity as a woman coming onto a farm from outside, depression and anxiety, and also leadership pathways. 

Sandra delivers some stellar advice on governance, leading yourself and leading others. Thank you so much Sandra for being so candid and open with us!

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We speak to Mel Bennett, a progressive leader in New Zealand's horticulture industry ✨

Mel has come a long way- From accidental beginnings in the avocado sector 🥑 to pivoting into kiwifruit🥝, and now embarking on her new journey as a mum. 

We discuss the importance of both backing yourself as well as getting super support in a new journey, building strong relationships, grabbing opportunities with both hands and when you bite off more than you can chew- you gotta chew like hell! 🙌

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Joining us on the Podcast is Nadine Tunley, CEO of Horticulture New Zealand. 

Nadine has always had a very strong connection with the food and fibre sector, having grown up in rural New Zealand. Prior to Hort NZ, Nadine was primarily in the apple and pear industry and Mānuka honey. 

Nadine candidly talks to Emma and Claire about surrounding yourself with great people, resilience and grit, and the importance of being bold and owning your mistakes. 

This was a great chat full of golden nuggets for anyone out there who may need an extra push to go out and make that next step.  

You can listen here: https://lnkd.in/gYz4hfXD

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Thank you so much for joining us Nadine!

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Today on the Black Heels and Tractor Wheels podcast, we have Kate Scott of Landpro joining us for a chat. 

Kate is Landpro’s Executive Director, a 2018 Nuffield Scholar and 2023 recipient of the Rabobank Emerging Leader award. Landpro is an environmental consultancy business, working with farmers and growers to help them navigate hurdles and challenges in the environmental space. 

Kate grew up on a dairy farm in Taranaki and packed up her life, along with her husband, to go and milk cows in central Otago. When Kate was 26, she jointly established Landpro which has now steadily grown to a team of about 75 people.

Kate chats about what makes a good leader, how Landpro cultivates such a great culture within their growing team, the importance of trying (and failing), and the advice she would give to 20-year-old Kate. 

Thank you so much for joining us Kate!

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Hayley Gourley joins us on the Black Heels and Tractor Wheels Podcast this week!

Hayley hails from a dairy farm on the West Coast, and has had roles in Skellerup, Pāmu, Rabobank and Environment Canterbury to name a few.  

Hayley has spent her career in the food and agribusiness sector, and is extremely passionate about all things Agri. 

Hayley talks to us about selling yourself, acknowledging your weaknesses, being calm under pressure, and the changing face of the sector. 

#blackheelsandtractorwheels #podcast #ruralwomennz

Thank you so much for joining us Hayley! 

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Next up on the Black Heels and Tractor Wheels Podcast, we have Jen Scoular. Jen is an avocado grower, Board Chair of House of Science NZ, Board Member of International Fresh Produce Association AU & NZ and immediate past CEO NZ Avocado.

After 12 years at the helm of NZ Avocado, Jen stepped down earlier this year. After such an exciting career journey, we are very excited to see where Jen's path takes her next! 

We really enjoyed Jen's openness and enthusiastic personality, something that she is very passionate about bringing into her workplace culture. 

Jen speaks to us about her unconventional path throughout her career, her love for the horticulture industry, getting out of your comfort zone and being vulnerable, and cheering for people when they try (and fail).

Thank you so much to Jen for taking the time out of her busy schedule to chat to us! 

Listen here: https://linktr.ee/ruralwomennz

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Lynley and her husband Matt own Spring Valley farm in Kaituna Valley, in the Wairarapa. The business has won several agricultural awards, including Wairarapa Hill Country Farm Business of the Year, Greater Wellington Balance Farm Environment Awards, Wairarapa Gate to Plate, the NZ Golden Lamb Awards and the Allflex NZ Sheep Industry Award for Innovation.

While raising their two sons, now both teenagers, Lynley owned and operated a hairdressing salon for 11 years before Spring Valley became her focus while in a rapid growth phase. 

Lynley co-founded Wairarapa Rural Women Incorporated, a rural business discussion group set up to strengthen agri-business by bringing together women who are fundamental partners in their rural businesses. Lynley is also a Zanda McDonald judge, something that she is extremely passionate about. 

One of her favourite achievements is providing a platform for agri-women to learn, teach, share ideas and foster leadership, self confidence and friendship.

Lynley speaks to us about fostering the younger generation into becoming confident leaders, the importance of a cohesive partnership and what it means to be a good leader. 

Thank you so much to Lynley for taking the time out of her busy schedule to chat to us! 

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