Ep 144 Catherine Velisha -

Catherine Velisha is the director of one of the country's biggest horticulture operations Velisha Farms. It won’t take long for you to hear from this conversation that she’s a real go-getter. Having faced severe discrimination throughout her career as a strong female in a male dominated industry, she has smashed through the glass ceiling to build a $40 million company.

Now she is rolling out school programmes both locally and nationally to get more females interested in having a career in horticulture - in fact she nearly convinces me to sign up. Because when you think about it - after air and water - fruit and vegetables are the next most important thing in our lives.

We talk quite a bit about the tension between farming and consumer expectations - such as seasonal fruit, shape of fruit. Catherine believes that a broader education and conversation between farmers and consumers is required for truly sustainable practices.

Catherine is smashing the perception that farming is a man's world. Women were only legally recognised as farmers in Australia in the 1990s - prior they were only known as a farmers wife. 25 years later, we are still feeling these repercussions yet Catherine is paving the way for females to get into these roles and showing them that they can be leaders and succeed in it.

Soak up the tenacity that is Catherine Velisha.

https://www.velishafarms.com/

Host: @alihill