"No man is an island" (John Donne, 1624 & Hugh Grant, 2002)
Welcome to my second blog post and the second part of my journey to undertake PhD research.
September 11 2001 is etched on most adults memories as the day that a militant Islamist terrorist group coordinated a series of attacks against the United States of America. The attacks shocked the world, bringing people together as a global community against terrorism. The repercussions impacted many and contributed to my husband Jon and I, to make a life changing decision.
We were living in rural Oxfordshire and both commuting two hours to work. I loved my job, working for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. I was part of the National Park Designation Team and spent my time between Oxfordshire, London and the New Forest undertaking research, writing reports and organising public consultation events to ensure that the proposed new New Forest National Park was established correctly. However, standing on a country railway station at 6am each day, in order to make it to my desk near London's Westminster Bridge, took its toll. Together, we decided that we wanted a quieter life away from long commutes and an over-populated land-mass on a relatively small island. We wanted to pursue our mutual passions for physically working in the great outdoors, not just pushing pens and writing about it. In short, we wanted a more sustainable way of life.
Jon had a long-held dream to grow grapes and make wine and so in 2002 we made the call, packed our bags and moved from the Northern Hemisphere to the New World. We left behind our families and friends and emigrated to our new home, "clean, green" New Zealand perceiving that the grass was greener in the land of the long white cloud. We bought what is known as a lifestyle block. We owned 15 acres of mostly bare land, in Hawke's Bay on the East Coast of the North Island, and set about establishing our own company, Ash Ridge Vineyards. We were both keen to build a business that would set gold standards for good environmental practice and also naively believed that we could do it on own.
New Zealanders often quip that a lifestyle block should be renamed as a 'life sentence' block because of the sheer amount of work with little financial return. I have often heard veterans of the wine industry also joke that the best way for someone to loose a small fortune, is to buy a vineyard. Sadly, for us the vineyard turned out to be both a life sentence and a great big money pit! I quickly learned, that the romantic notion of growing grapes and making wine, can not be a solitary pursuit but must be cushioned by a supportive village.
Photos left to right: Frosted vines, Some of my 'village', Motherhood and business-owner
(note the Doc Marten footwear!)
Year on year we were plagued by frosts which slashed our grape harvests and our projected income. To make matters worse, we were also subjected to wine companies reneging on grape supply contracts, stretching our finances to breaking point. It was inevitable that we would have to make compromises, but we were determined to stick to our ideals of running the vineyard in a sustainable fashion. This often came at a higher financial cost than more standardised practices, also raising a few eyebrows in the neighbourhood as we tried new organic sprays and approaches. To supplement our income I made the difficult decision to leave behind my own environmental-career goals, stashed away my Doc Martens (a personal symbol of determination), and pulled out my corporate wardrobe.
I began working fulltime in the Marketing Team at the Eastern Institute of Technology, the local tertiary provider. I would leave work on the dot of 5pm, arrive home, change from my business clothes to my vineyard ones, and spend the evenings supporting whatever needed doing on the land. Our work schedule was punishing. There were several occasions when I would be in the vineyard fighting Jack Frost all night, and then turn up at the office next day. Lipstick and high heels can go a long way to support a fake smile!
It wasn't all hard work. Our struggles were punctuated with moments of great joy. Our son came into the world in 2008 and we established a successful wine company, Ash Ridge. However, as the years rolled by, we continued to work long hours, weekends and most holidays. I juggled motherhood, a busy fulltime job and work on the vineyard, with limited financial reward. With very little time to myself and limited funds to indulge in any kind of social life, I missed my family and life-long friends. I felt isolated. I felt like an island.
When we left England in 2002, my sage dad presented me with a copy of "No Man is an Island", by the 17th Century poet, John Donne. Not only is it a thought provoking poem about the importance of our connections to one another, but it is also quoted in the opening credits of the film About a Boy in which the dashing Hugh Grant declares the poem "a complete load of bollocks"! Hugh goes on to explain that in his view, we are living in an island-age, we don't need to rely on others because we can create our "own island paradiase". If you want to hear more of Hugh's opinion on this (or just want to hear dulcet tones), click on the short clip from the film below. In wild contradiction however, I have come to agree with Donne and my dad, realising that in order to thrive both personally and professionally, we all need a village.
If you would like to know how I have resurrected my village and my career focus, read blog post 3.
#environment&society
Video: Opening credits to the film, About a Boy.
Starring Hugh Grant and John Donne's Poem, No Man is an Island.
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