If greens traditionally keep children healthy, for Otago couple Hannah and Dale Jordan, greens have also provided family prosperity and happiness, in their case not by eating their greens, but by growing their greens. In 2012 and with three young children the couple was interested in going into business: something food related, which also needed to fit around family life.
They found out about an existing Mosgiel hydroponics operation growing lettuces and spinach for distribution throughout the lower half of the South Island.
"We hummed and hawed for several months, then decided to jump in. At first it was a huge learning curve, though turned out to be really good for family dynamics," says Hannah. While she had grown up on a dairy farm, Hannah was working at Otago University, and Dale was an operator in a civil engineering firm. Starting the company they named Saddleview Greens, once they quit those jobs, as well as learning how to become growers, with several part time staff they also had to learn how to be employers.
"Looking after staff was our biggest new responsibility. That and learning how to run the three waste oil boilers that regulate the temperature in the hydroponic system."
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