COMMONSENSE ORGANICS NEWSLETTER - WINTER 2009
Welcome to our winter newsletter! Usually in the middle of winter I start getting into a mantra of ‘I’m over this winter – I’m sick of rain and cold – where’s the sun, where’s summer?’ So this winter for a change let’s concentrate on all the lovely things about winter - like curling up with a steaming cup of hot chocolate and a good video, gathering with good friends over a bowl of delicious soup, walking to see the seals at Red Rocks.
PLASTIC BAGS
We were pioneers in reducing the use of plastic in our stores and now we want to take it one step further – we’d like to introduce a ‘no plastic shopping bags’ policy. We have a wide selection of reusable shopping bags - including biodegradable bamboo bags. We provide recycled plastic bags (though the supply of these is reducing as customers use less plastic bags) and we usually have a good supply of boxes. But before we go ahead, we’d like to hear from you – do you support the idea? Let us know at marion@commonsenseorganics.co.nz
MAKE WELLINGTON FAIR TRADE
Wellington and Kilbirnie customers – please help yourselves to the bumper stickers supporting the Make Wellington Fair Trade campaign. This is a real win-win project. A Fair Trade City is one that has made a commitment to supporting fair trade by using and promoting fair trade products.
Working towards Fair Trade status brings together workplaces, schools, universities, voluntary organisations and faith communities to show the City Council that our community actively supports fair trade and wants our city declared a Fair Trade City. You can show your support for the campaign by displaying a sticker on your car or bike or backpack and by using fair trade products in your workplace or community group and registering that with the Fair Trade Association - www.fta.org.au/files/workplace%20application%20form.pdf
SHOP TALK
The Kapiti store is carrying out an experiment with their cleaning products. They have them all arranged by brand, rather than function. Which do you prefer? Do give them feedback.
The Kilbirnie store has rearranged the health section to give more shelf space to health products. They’ve also added more shelf space in the produce department as it just flies out of the door.
The Wellington store continues a regular programme of tastings, usually on a Friday and/or Saturday. Check the blackboard for information.
The Hutt store window is about to get a make-over – watch this space! And all our stores now offer hot soup to take the chill off those winter days.
WHATS NEW
Yay – we now have fair trade sugar in our bulk bins – so now we have fair trade coffee in bulk and fair trade sugar to go with it.
A supermarket recently received an award for the number of fairtrade lines they carried – 47 in all. Not that we want to blow our own trumpet (much), but we carry over 80…
We also have a new liquid palm sugar from Vivas – palm sugar is often used in Thai and Indian cooking.
Have you tried the new Bees Blessing honey, lemon and ginger cordial? It’s organic and local (made in Upper Hutt) – and delicious. Just what you need for these winter days.
Mary’s Gone Crackers already do delicious crackers – now they’ve come up with a new snack – sticks and twigs. The flavours are chipotle, salt and curry.
And while we’re talking about Mary – have you tasted the new Maria’s chutneys – non-organic, but locally made and fresh, so they are in the meat fridge.
We also have another range of preserves – Central Organic make spiced cherry sauce, kirsch cherries, cherry marinade and cherry jam – check them out.
And another Rapunzel line – curry ketchup – great with smoked beef and garlic sausages from Harmony.
Another new product and a new name. Lucuma powder can be used instead of sugar. It blends easily with baby food, yoghurts, pies, cakes, desserts and smoothies. It’s low in acid, low in sugar and contains an excellent source of carbohydrates, fibre, vitamins and minerals. It’s especially rich in beta-carotene, niacin and iron.
For a more familiar product, try the new Purebread ginger biscuits – and they’re gluten free. They’ve also brought back their ‘choc delights’ with a new improved recipe.
We are getting in lots more New Zealand organic wines. We have a ‘pebble in the pool’ buying policy – we buy local, then New Zealand, then the closest to New Zealand. So we will gradually be phasing out the European wines and instead stocking wines closer to home. New wines include Huia (from Marlborough), Urlar (from Martinborough), Mount Edward (from Central Otago), Yalumba and Angove (from Australia) and Cuma (from Argentina).
And a couple of new products from Swiss Bliss – chewy coconut logs which are gluten-free with organic ingredients and wafers – orange and sunflower seed or coconut and raspberry. And have you tasted the M
And while we’re on simply divine treats – Kohu have brought out a new part organic ice cream – coconut and rum – and it’s dairy-free!
A really simple and effective gift is one of our seedlings in the smart planter box we have just got in - made of non-treated pine.
Have you tried our Mytopia oyster mushrooms – they are uncertified from Epicurean in Hastings? They are a natural source of statins and are great in soups and stir fries.
Trilogy has a new range for men – cleanser, shave cream and after shave balm and moisturiser with an introductory special. Trilogy is great on specials –still available are the free travel pouches when you buy any 2 Trilogy products
Dr Bronner is back – and there’s a new product available – a shaving gel. Did you know all Dr Bronner products are fair trade?
Weleda have introduced their arnica massage oil to New Zealand – and it comes with a travel size freebie.
And the latest craze in Europe is Antipodes grapeseed butter cleanser – it’s just great for dry, chapped skin. And who doesn’t have chapped skin in the current Wellington winter!
Talking of winter, we have a new immune defence product from Zen Therapeutics – and they also do a Harmony product for menopause.
And Hebe Botanicals have produced another good product to support a healthy immune system –their PSP extract is made from Coriolus Versicolor, which is a mushroom.
*CORRECTION: *In our autumn newsletter it was stated that the Source Naturals range contains absolutely no synthetic ingredients. This was a misunderstanding. The ingredients are not all 100% naturally derived as previously thought. Please accept our apologies.
WHAT'S BACK
Our Seasonal Guide to Fruit and Vegetables is back in print – help yourself to a copy when you come into the store. We’ve also updated the gluten-free guide and the sprouting guide and the guide to cooking times for beans and grains.
Eight types of delicious apples and 4 types of delicious pears. Eat lots of them right now, because they are kept in cold storage and the quality deteriorates of course the further we are from the day they were picked from the tree. You can buy the apples in 3kg bags – that’s the best buy.
Frozen chestnuts are available again – you can use them in salads, fritters, breads and puddings – very versatile.
Vivani dark couverture chocolate is back and we also have a dark couverture version from Equagold – it’s non organic, but comes from the Pacific so it’s sourced much closer to home
Dr Karg crackers – a really lovely special treat, especially for people on a sugar free diet
Viva eye drops are back – they are a good lubricant for dry eyes
The Syrian olive and laurel soap, Sabun, is back – better packaged too. It’s traditionally used for problem skin, including eczema.
Just to confuse us all, the Vitalize brand of supplements is changing its name back to Clinicians. To speed up the process there’s a special on – for every Vitalize product you buy you receive a free sample size Vitamin/Mineral Boos or Family Vitamin C powder.
WHAT'S UNAVAILABLE
No more fresh chickens until further notice. The difficulty is we only have one fresh chicken supplier and they’re based in Invercargill. The freight makes it uneconomic to send fresh chicken, especially at this time of the year. We hope they will reconsider in the summer. In the meantime we have lots of frozen chicken and we are bringing in more cuts, like diced chicken that will thaw easily and be usable for dinner tonight.
The Pure and Natural crystal deodorants are no longer available, but we are sourcing alternatives.
We’re finding it more and more difficult to source organic rice and rice flour. You can rest assured that if it’s in the country, it will be in our stores.
Rice flakes, potato starch, kamut flour and black eyed beans are all currently unavailable.
COMMONSENSE HEALTH – WINTER WELLBEING........ By Natalee Durrant ND
Winter is well upon us, as is the battle against colds and flus, particularly the well publicised Swine Flu (N1H1). A good way to combat such things is to boost our immune systems. p>
Ultimately the most appropriate way to do this naturally is to arm ourselves with a diet bountiful in fresh organic fruit and vege while avoiding refined and processed foods. We should also look to reducing our daily stress levels as much as possible.and a routine of preventative supplements and herbs to boost our immune systems may also be helpful.
Our immune systems are intricate systems designed to protect our bodies from invading bacterial and viral infections. The thymus gland situated under the breast bone can be referred to as the king of the immune system as it is involved in many roles of providing immunity, including the production of white blood cells These are our immune system’s knights that attack bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi that invade the body. Another type of white blood cells are ‘macrophages’which live within the lymph nodes and lymph vessels throughout our bodies and have the task of ‘eating’ the ‘nasties’.
High levels of stress have the ability to inhibit white blood cell actions and slow down the thymus, ultimately suppressing immune function. There are many ways of reducing stress, from Bach flower remedies and having ‘time out’, through to enjoying that well over-due massage you’ve always thought about.
Fresh organic fruit and vege contain high amounts of antioxidants and nutrients that can support the immune system in both preventing illness and dealing with your current cold or flu. Garlic and onions provide an anti-microbial effect to our meals. Garlic can also be added to lemon, ginger and honey drinks for an added immune boost. Drinking at least 6-8 glasses of water a day aids the flushing of viruses and bacteria from the body, but this does not include coffee or tea, which has the opposite effect. Herbal teas can be a warming alternative: echinacea, ginger and green tea are some great choices.
An adequate intake of protein (about 0.8grams per kilogram of an individual’s weight per day) is useful in aiding the body’s ability to regenerate when fighting a cold or flu.
Sugar, refined flours and alcohol reduce the effectiveness of the immune system by limiting the actions of white blood cells, so it is best to avoid or at least minimise consumption of these during an acute illness.
In store we have a wide range of supplements and remedies that may boost the immune system and aid it in fighting off the dreaded ‘lurgies’. These include:
‘Ethical Nutrients Zinc Fix’ – contains zinc plus vitamin C and provides powerful antioxidant and immune support. We can check your zinc status in the Wellington store free of charge.
Vitamin C plus bioflavonoids – ‘Ester C’ is a non-acidic form that stays in the body much longer than regular vitamin C. ‘Lifestream’s Natural Vitamin C’ is another option. Vitamin C is essential to the enhancement of the immune system and for antioxidant support. Small regular doses with food are best.
‘Good Health Viralex’ –These are high potency olive leaf based immune formulas for children and adults in liquid or capsule form. They have an antimicrobial and antiviral action. Viralex-Max is twice as strong and better for acute influenza or colds. Viralex can be used preventatively or acutely but is not recommended for use in pregnancy.
We also have a wide variety of echinacea extracts– this well known herb has immune stimulating, antibacterial and antiviral actions. Echinacea is generally safe for all ages and from the 2nd trimester of pregnancy onwards. ‘Kiwiherb’ has produced a specific ‘Children's Echinacea’ which is alcohol free and tastes good.
We also stock many types of cough syrups. Some are suited to a dry cough and others to a chesty cough. Some are suitable for children and during pregnancy where others are best avoided if pregnant. To ensure you have picked the right syrup for your cough please do not hesitate to ask us.
By eating well and looking after yourself, winter can be an enjoyable and healthful season. If you do however succumb to a cold or flu the best treatment is bed rest and increased water intake. If you have any queries about the remedies, you are advised to talk to a qualified natural health professional. Anya, Lynne and I are always available to answer your queries in the Wellington store and Ginny is available in the Kilbirnie store and Lynne works in the Kapiti store on Sundays. We are also available to talk to customers in the Hutt store by phone.
COMMONSENSE GARDENING..... by Catherine Collins
Kia ora Gardners
As I write this it is cold and windy outside but we had a hot, sunny weekend and after thinking that maybe I may never feel like gardening again, the sun sparked a gardening burst, and I’m glad it did as it’s now a month since the shortest day and already plenty of spring hope is growing there.
Now is a good time to divide any perennials that are getting too big or just because you want more plants, that is what I spent all weekend doing, and clearing out weeds that are also undergoing a new spurt of growth. All this is to be expected with the days getting a little longer, and it can only get better from here on in.
The most significant factor in growing organically is your soil: healthy soil will make your plants healthy and disease resistant, which in turn will benefit you and your household, and the best way to have healthy soil is to keep feeding it; our plants for the most part are always sucking up nutrients from the soil and we need to keep replacing them to keep the whole process ticking over.
Making homemade “teas” to use as a foliar feed is a great way to deliver nutrients to the whole garden and not just the plants. I like to fill a usual sized bucket with water, add some tea from my brew and soak the garden so the soil can enjoy it as well as the plants.
Common weeds and garden plants have many of the nutrients needed to keep your garden well fed, and to make a “tea” all you need is a large bucket with a lid; I use a 50 litre rubbish bin. I half fill my bin with the desired plant, or plants, fill with water and leave for around 3 weeks when it’s ready to use. I give it a stir every few days, and I find that giving it a stir using the biodynamic method of stirring the mix one way until you have created a vortex, then stir it the other way, and so on, after about 10 minutes the water looks and feels softer and it just feels right. If you add a handful of your own compost it can help protect your plants from fungi like downy mildew.
Comfrey (once again 1st prize for usefulness) and nettle are two of the most common plants used in liquid “teas”, but other mineral rich plants that are found in most gardens include: dandelion, bracken (if you live near the bush), yarrow, parsley, borage, dock and plantains. Comfrey, dandelion, nettles, and yarrow all contain copper and are good to make a “tea” to spray on fruit trees to help prevent leaf curl and other fungi. Late autumn to early spring is the best time to spray copper sprays.
Variety is the spice of life they say and that goes for the garden also, I like to mix my brews up a bit and use different weeds. I was taught that it’s impossible to over feed your soil with natural fertilisers as the bacteria level will simply increase to accommodate. But it’s not the same with feeding plants - if you spray your plants with liquid fertiliser, it is possible to over feed if the mix is too high in nitrogen or if you feed too often; it can cause too much leaf growth, the plant then gets too heavy for its stem and will topple over or not produce for you as well as all its energy has gone into the leaf. Liquid feeding every 3 weeks in the growing season is the norm. As a rule of thumb, any homemade sprays should be diluted to the colour of weak tea. And of course the never ending worm liquid from the worm farm is a ready available source of nutrients all year round.
My compost has also been slowly filling up over winter and I also turned that in the weekend. As I turned it I added some layers of fresh cut grass and some dried comfrey I had left over from last summer, this will heat the pile up again and activate the bacteria so it will be ready to spread on the vege patch for spring planting.
And don’t forget that mulching will provide a constant source of nutrients as it breaks down during the season. My latest source of free mulch is rhubarb leaves. I’m not a big fan of rhubarb but have a rather large plant in the garden and the leaves are the size of elephants ears and I just simply lay them over the ground between plants, they give good protection from the weather and are really good at keeping the weeds down, they break down over 3 or 4 weeks and I just add another layer, and it costs me nothing.
Thank you to customers that have emailed me, your comments are encouraging and I enjoy the feedback, please feel free to email me with any suggestions for future ideas for this column and with any gardening questions you may have. If I don’t know the answer I’ll try to find out for you.
Happy gardening.
cath.collins@xtra.co.nzThis newsletter is written by Marion Wood with named articles and ideas and input from staff.
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