Heroines of the Heartland
Heroines of the Heartland
New Zealand is a world leader in agriculture and pastoral farming so it's only right that women throughout the country are being recognised for the senior roles they hold in what has traditionally been a male-dominated industry. Women in farming, we salute you.
My Farm Lady Celeste Wills makes women in farming look good
WOMEN ARE MAKING THEIR mark in the agricultural industry; holding their own against the men. There are organisations like Dairy Women's Network and Rural Woman New Zealand with groups throughout New Zealand. Some meet for networking and friendship, often supporting their local communities through events or fundraising. Others are focused on education and learning, and facilitate training days and workshops for women in the industry to expand their knowledge. There is even an International Rural Women's Day celebrated on October 15 every year. However farm and 'townie' women alike are still plagued by the
age-old dilemma of 'what will I wear?' When Celeste Wills traded in her heels for gumboots and moved to the country, she never thought it would lead to running her own successful online women's farm wear business My Farm Lady. The 26-year-old spent most of her childhood living in South
America with her Brazilian mother, Kiwi father and two siblings, before eventually settling in Taupo. Later she went on to study
journalism in Dunedin. Although growing up with a passion for the written word she happily put down her pen and married Reporoa dairy farmer, Kim Wills. Celeste naturally became involved in the farm, and the idea for My Farm Lady followed. Tired of the shapeless, uncomfortable and most of all unflattering clothing available Celeste decided it was time something was done about it.
"...I kept thinking to myself, 'someone needs to create some feminine girly overalls," Celeste says. "Then one day I just thought 'well why don't I?"
"I hated being caught out in a pair of my husband's ugly, unflattering overalls when unexpected visitors would show up, and
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