Ipswich Women Share Their Success Stories
Karalee’s Sonia Bitmead (pictured above) is a second generation flower farmer, wife to Jeremmy and mother to two children Molly, 9, and Eli, 7.
“Our farm, Currey Flowers, was started by my parents Don and Lynda Currey 41 years ago,” she said.
They supply florists and wholesalers locally and up and down the coast of Queensland.
There are 60 000 rose bushes and 13 000 gerberas. They are hydroponically grown and is a 7 day a week operation.
An average day for Mrs Bitmead involves picking flowers about half an hour after sunrise and getting them into the packing shed.
Getting the kids bundled off to school and spending the rest of her work day taking and processing orders, looking after the maintenance of the flowers.
“We keep the roses for four to five years and the gerberas for about two years. Trends change and the quality of the flowers decrease over time.,” she said.
“We donate them to the Salvation Army who take them and sell them.”
The constant quest to grow the perfect flower keeps Sonia and her team on their toes.
“We are really well known for our quality and that is our reputation,” she said.
“People think growing flowers must be very romantic and you spend your days prancing around the fields 60s style, but it is a lot of work. They don’t stop flowering for holidays.
“Because the business is 365 days a year it is always a constant juggle. As a mother I have massive mother’s guilt. I’m lucky as my mum watches the kids when I can’t.
“You are always juggling sport, school and work. If everything is good at home work is falling behind. If you are on top of your work the kids are falling behind.
“That constant guilt, I have no answers. But I have really great kids so I must be doing something right.”
Despite the busy lifestyle Mrs Bitmead wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I was born on this farm. When I went to school I was not going to work on the farm. But it’s in my blood,” she said.
“I am really passionate about it, I really enjoy it.”
