Orchard Manager

Managing a large apple orchard and studying horticulture is half a world away from Steven Hartley’s previous career path but, coming from the investment banking world, he can’t think of a better way of life.

From the Scottish Borders, Steven didn’t know much about apple growing before moving to Hawke’s Bay with his New Zealand-born wife. Steven grew up surrounded by countryside and he considered a career in forestry before completing a degree in information management at Edinburgh’s Queen Margaret University College. “It was just when computers were making a big boom and everyone was pushing me that way.”

Sam is one of the 4th generation to grow up on a family land in Gisborne. "I went off to boarding school in Auckland and then on to study engineering at Otago Polytechnic in Dunedin. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to be involved in the horticultural industry at that stage."

Coming back to the orchard after an overseas trip made him realise how good growing fruit and vegetables is. "There is a strong connection between horticulture and engineering so I get the best of both worlds. Being on the orchard gives me opportunities to try new things. Whether it is trying to grow new products, developing new growing systems or marketing and selling produce in new ways."

Emily Crum graduated from Massey University with a degree in earth and environmental science but finding jobs in Australia in her chosen field proved difficult. So she decided to follow her family's background in orchard management and got work as a cadet with Eastpack, a large packhouse operating nationally.

She spent about 10 months at Opotiki and about two-and-a-half years at Katikati and rose through the ranks of orchard management. Emily says the organic orchards are labour-intensive which helps with the recipe for creating fulltime employment.