The Ten: Cathy Tait-Jamieson

Name and job title

Cathy Tait-Jamieson, Managing Director

Where were you born, and where do you live now?

Was born in Palmerston North, New Zealand and still live here

How would you describe your job?

Working with my husband, son and sister, we manage and participate in all activities relating to grassland organic farming, animal husbandry, ingredient procurement, yoghurt processing, packing, distribution and sales and keeping the team of 15 working in harmony with all the prior. Wholistic Management.

How much did you spend on your last cup of coffee?

Can't remember....so long ago....make my own

What is one ingredient that is crucial to your life?

Family

What does a culinary system mean to you?

For our food, it is full traceability and integrity from grass to glass. Health transfer. Whakapapa (the lineage of every ingredient to its source)

How does your immediate environment affect your work?

Our farm boundary has the Manawatu River on three sides and Palmerston North city on the fourth. We are conscious of the different forces of both rural and urban environments.

Where do you draw inspiration from?

Ancestral knowledge

What impact to you want to have?

The creation of a sustainable farm to food production system for future generations.

What change do you want to see in culinary systems?

The system will cater to its market and the market will change and develop at its own pace. There will always be fads that affect trends, so our focus is on our own niche rather than thinking of anything needing to change.

We ask all our interviewees to send us two photos: one of themselves and one that represents their work.

Read Catherine Tate-Jamieson's first person account of being a dairy farmer in Aotearoa