18/08/2026
❤️ THE PEOPLE BEHIND RATA & SMUDGE
I’ve been doing my supplier shout-outs, but there’s another very important group of people I need to acknowledge.
My helpers. My family. My friends. My sanity savers. My “Fee, move that before you trip over it” people. 😂
Rata & Smudge might be my crazy little herbal business, but there is absolutely NO WAY I do all of this on my own.
⸻
❤️ ANGUS — my very patient husband
This man will sit for HOURS de-stemming saffron, step in whenever I need him, and gets roped into just about every job going. He’s also a willing product tester for anything I dare to create. 😂
He’s watched this business grow from “another one of Fee’s ideas” into something that’s taken over our lives — and somehow he’s still here!
⸻
🌿 WENDY — organiser, stickerer, herb wrangler & keeper of my sanity
Wendy stickers every bottle, jar and tin in sight, organises my chaos, moves things before I trip over them, and gives honest feedback on every new scent.
She processes herbs, strips mullein, handles mountains of lavender and yarrow, and somehow calms me when I’m deep in BUSY mode. She’s also my daily chat and emotional reset button. 😂
And then there are the scones. Especially the Christmas ones. 🤤
⸻
🔥 BEV — firecracker, roadie queen & get-it-done legend
Bev is now busy with Soul Sisters, but she still shows up for the big moments — and when she does, she brings a whole roadie crew with her. 😂
The “just tell us what needs doing” humans who turn chaos into order in record time.
Bev is a super packer, organiser, fixer of everything, and if you give her a job, it’s done before you’ve finished asking.
But more than that, she’s one of my dearest friends — the kind who turns up, gets stuck in, laughs at the madness, and makes everything feel lighter just by being there. ❤️
⸻
⭐ ANGE & THE EXTENDED CREW
Especially at Wanaka A&P, Ange brings a whole crew who have become part of the Rata & Smudge world:
❤️ Sarah — product tester and honest reviewer (some that just can’t be published)
🌱 Sharon — gardener, tester, and always up for a working bee & the best market groupie
🛠️ Mark — hedge trimmer extraordinaire (often up a ladder) loves to help always
🔧 Dann — my brilliant shed engineer and problem solver, mechanical advisor too
And then there’s…
🦸 RENTON — shed superhero
Bev’s hubby has built workbenches, designed shelving, fixed doors, made a drain cover, and most recently installed my flue, hearth, and fire — with Dann as his trusty assistant.
So now I can actually work in my shed without freezing. 😂🔥
These guys take my “I’ve got an idea…” and somehow make it real.
⸻
🌿 ASHTON — our gardener Local Garden Co.
You’ve saved my stress levels more than you know!
You’ll find Ashton in the Forever Garden, helping keep things under control and making sure all those beautiful herbs actually thrive.
⸻
🌿 TONY — our middle son
Supplier of our Kawakawa from the Far North and my spreadsheet guru.
All the numbers, costings, and admin that make my brain quietly retreat — Tony handles it. 😂
⸻
🏋️♀️🥬 REYNA — daughter-in-law & health coach extraordinaire
Reyna has taken on the slightly terrifying job of getting me to look after myself. 😂
When you run a business, it’s easy to forget your own wellbeing — she’s putting me back on track and holding me accountable.
Apparently coffee and chaos don’t count as a wellness plan. Who knew? 😂❤️
⸻
💜 DAN & NGAIRE
Our oldest son Dan, and his VERY patient wife Ngaire, who lets me descend on their place and steal all their lavender. 😂💜 ngaire is also a whizz accounts advisor for all things Xero
⸻
🧘♀️🌿 BEN & ASH
Our youngest son Ben and his fiancée Ash are my reminder to slow down, breathe, and reconnect.
Ash, a naturopath and herbalist, is also someone I can bounce ideas off endlessly. Her knowledge, support, and friendship mean the world.
⸻
🧡 ROBYN (ALEXANDRA)
Thank you for the beautiful calendula you bring week after week.
Those bright orange blooms travel far beyond Central Otago once they leave your garden — and I appreciate every single bunch.
⸻
🌱 GRANDAD DAN
For all the gardening wisdom.
I treasure being able to ask questions, learn, and tap into decades of knowledge.
⸻
❤️ MY DEAR MUM
Even from the nursing home, Mum is still cheering me on, asking what I’m making and encouraging this whole crazy journey.
That support means more than she’ll ever know. ❤️
⸻
🌿🌿 KEN — THE MULLEIN MAN 🌿🌿
What can I say?
The gathering, drying, hours of work, and constant support — Ken quietly keeps me going when things get busy.
So much of the mullein on my shelves starts with him.
Absolute legend.
⸻
And a special mention to the Jessops at Millers Flat who also generously share theirs — every armful ends up in something special.
______
💜 KELLY — plant-mad friend & lifelong support
Kelly turns up with new plants, ideas, and knowledge that keeps me learning (and slightly overwhelmed 😂🌱).
But beyond the plants is a long friendship I deeply treasure.
⸻
And that’s the part people don’t always see.
When you buy from Rata & Smudge, you’re not just buying something I’ve made.
You’re buying something shaped by people who have picked, grown, gathered, processed, stickered, packed, built, fixed, tested, carried, advised, encouraged — and occasionally told me to SIT DOWN. 😂
There are hands in everything.
There is friendship in it.
There is family in it.
There is generosity in it.
There is laughter in it.
And there is a whole lot of love in it. ❤️
I may be the mad herbal woman at the front of it all…
but THIS is the village behind Rata & Smudge.
And I couldn’t do it without them.
Thank you, my wonderful people. You are part of every Herbal Hug that leaves my door. ❤️🌿
