chemical poisoning a survivor’s story
I met my wife Ciaran when we were both teenagers. After living together for two years in Wellington we embarked on the adventure of a lifetime. We were young, carefree and in search of adventure and a more natural lifestyle. We arrived in the Far North – Doubtless Bay: a tranquil seaside community known for its spectacular harbour and fishing.
GROWING FLOWERS FOR EXPORT
In 1992 Ciaran was offered a job through a WINZ placement with a local flower grower, who was cultivating Zantedeschia calla lilies for the export market. Six months later I also took up employment there.
Our duties covered all aspects of flower growing, from planting tubers to harvesting and packing flowers. We paid little attention to the various chemicals used, and followed the example of our employer who worked in shorts and T-shirt, with no protective equipment.
Our jobs were low-paid but we were inspired by the industry, so we decided to invest in our own tubers, and leased land
