November - December 2020

Organic NZ

New Zealand’s organics and sustainable living magazine

Organic NZ2 min read
Ora Means Life
Published by the Soil & Health Association of NZ Inc. Tēnā koutou e hoa mā. As I write this we are entering the last week of the election campaign. By chance the revised election day coincides with the Soil & Health strategy weekend and as part of th
Organic NZ1 min read
Thank You For Supporting Us!
Did you know? By buying or subscribing to Organic NZ you are supporting the work of Soil & Health, a not-for-profit registered charity, towards a GE-free organic New Zealand. Subscribe and save over 7% off the retail price – and enjoy home delivery.
Organic NZ1 min read
Organic NZ
Marion Wood Jodie Bruning, Barbara Collis, Ella Lawton, Jenny Lux, Bernie Mabbs, Peter Wells Pete Huggins: pete.huggins@organicnz.org.nz Meghan Read, info@organicnz.org.nz Philippa Jamieson: editor@organicnz.org.nz Phone 03 473 9293 Proofreader: René
Organic NZ2 min read
Speaking With One Voice
2020 has been a busy year for OANZ and 2021 is looking like another step up. The Organics Products Bill has been working its way through the parliamentary process, and the launch of the 2020 OANZ Organic Market Report is planned for February 2021. Th
Organic NZ8 min read
Your Letters
Email: editor@organicnz.org.nz Post: PO Box 9693, Marion Square, Wellington, 6141. I always learn so much from your magazine. Thank you. In Dr Tim Jenkins’ article ‘Reduced tillage for organic matter’ (ONZ September/October 2020), he said: “Yes, no-t
Organic NZ2 min read
Competitions
Win one of five sets of the new Slasher glyphosate-free weedkiller by Organic Crop Protectants (OCP). Slasher Organic Weedkiller is glyphosate free, GE-free, certified by BioGro NZ for use in organic systems, and does not contain palm oil. With its r
Organic NZ2 min read
Campaign To Ban Glyphosate
We’ve launched our campaign to ban glyphosate in public places, on food, and to initiate a New Zealand risk assessment. This is about the health of our environment and all of us who live in it. Glyphosate-based weedkillers are used too often, and in
Organic NZ1 min read
Organic Week 2020
New Zealand’s largest annual celebration of all things organic was held in September, after being postponed from earlier in the year. The week-long event was quieter than planned, due to Covid-19 restrictions, but there were still 25 events nationwid
Organic NZ1 min read
Soil & Health’s Soil4Climate panel
Soil & Health’s main focus during Organic Week was the Soil4Climate campaign. This was launched with three pilot sites in the Wellington area – read more on page 14. In addition, the Association hosted an online panel event with four speakers who tal
Organic NZ1 min read
Happy 10th birthday Ooooby!
Congratulations to Ooooby for reaching the 10-year milestone. The organic and sustainable food box delivery scheme was born out of the need for a rethink of the food supply chain following the 2008 global financial crisis. Ooooby (Out of Our Own Back
Organic NZ1 min read
Grape Growers Wanted For Trials
Are you a grape grower who’s plagued by grape mealy bugs on your vines? Andreas Welte of Ecogrape is looking for growers to participate in trials of a homeopathic remedy designed to reduce the numbers of the grape mealy bug. He’s looking for organic,
Organic NZ1 min read
Book review Tree Beings
By Raymond Huber Illustrated by Sandra Severgnini (Exisle Publishing 2020, $34.99) This large-format beautifully illustrated book pays homage to ‘tree beings’ – trees themselves, and notable people who have saved trees, led tree-planting campaigns, o
Organic NZ3 min readEarth Sciences
Soil4Climate Project Breaks New Ground
The health of our soils is a key part of the climate change challenge. We know that growing food locally helps reduce food miles and food waste. Communities are also stronger and more resilient when they’re connected locally to where their food comes
Organic NZ5 min read
Ethics In A Cup
When you choose a brew of certified organic and Fairtrade wake-up juice, you also contribute to the creation of many jobs, strong communities, and actively help sustain the planet. Ensconced in the Taranaki port city of New Plymouth, IncaFé Organic C
Organic NZ2 min readCooking, Food & Wine
Cooking With Coffee
Supplied by Kaiaroha Vegan Deli and Eatery 100 Parnell Road, Parnell, Auckland kaiaroha.co.nz 2 cups cornflour4 cups soy milk (or plant-based alternative)½ tsp salt1 packet vegan flaky pastry3 double shots coffee or approx 1 cup coffee 1 cup raw or w
Organic NZ4 min read
Te Wharekura O Maniapoto Kura-ā-iwi – Educating The Community
Tuia te rau harakeke i tuia ai te muka tangata Hōhepa Hei (Te Whakatāhea, Te Whānau-ā-Apanui, Ngāti Porou, Te Aitanga-ā-Hauiti, Te Aitanga-ā-Mahaki) is a kaiako at Te Wharekura o Maniapoto in Te Kāiti in the heart of Ngāti Maniapoto. Hāhepa discusses
Organic NZ5 min readCooking, Food & Wine
HOT Favourites
Have you ever been given a small and thoughtful gift that had a profound effect on how your life played out? Mine was a ‘Grow your Own Chilli Farm Kit’ given to me while I was still in the corporate world, and which was instrumental in me becoming th
Organic NZ2 min readCooking, Food & Wine
Top 12 favourites
I love my chillies not only for that characteristic bite, but for their different flavours and for their versatility in use – my pantry overflows with chilli jams, jellies, sauces, spice mixtures and ferments. I also love the beautiful variations of
Organic NZ4 min readCooking, Food & Wine
Tips And Tasks For The November–December Garden
Garden gluts are no fun – and finding space in an overfull garden is just plain stressful. Whether you’re growing veges, annual herbs or flowers, sow just a tiny pinch of seed every 3–4 weeks to keep the harvest coming on-stream. And by sowing into s
Organic NZ4 min readNature
Keep Your Chooks In Tip-top Health
Now that the days are longer and warmer, egg production increases as does the activity of our flocks. It is fun to watch chooks doing more ground pecking, dustbathing, sunbathing and insect chasing. Unfortunately at this time of year we may also see
Organic NZ2 min read
Maramataka For Whiringa Rangi And Hakihea
Kua raumati; kua kaha te rā. It is summer; the sun has gained strength. The rewarewa blossoms herald the approach of summer. The harakeke too is in flower and tui proclaim their pleasure in their song, as they enjoy the sweet nectar in the warmth of
Organic NZ5 min readCooking, Food & Wine
From Breakdown To Breakthrough
It was July 2017. Like every other school day I left home at 2 o’clock to fit in a run before picking my little one up on the way home. I was 35 years old, super fit and hadn’t seen a doctor in eight years. That was all about to change. I remember gr
Organic NZ5 min readMedical
Something IN THE WATER
In many areas of New Zealand, especially rural areas where water supplies come from groundwater, drinking water is high in nitrates. They originate from the urine and manure of stock, from septic tanks and from nitrogen fertilisers that leach through
Organic NZ5 min readCooking, Food & Wine
Organic Sheep And Beef renewed Efforts For Growth
The future is looking brighter for organic beef and lamb production in New Zealand, thanks largely to the persistence of two organic farming pioneers. Southland farmers Neville Parkinson and Paul Ruddenklau have so far lined up 45 certified organic s
Organic NZ3 min readAgriculture
A View From The Land
Educated and experienced, Harry Russell-Bowen has a clear view on the changes necessary for faster growth in organic sheep and beef farming – producers will need consistently higher returns and more of them will need to shed old ideas about ‘producti
Organic NZ3 min readArchitecture
MULCHING To Protect Soil Organic Matter
It makes intuitive sense that it is better to have the soil covered. Exposure of bare soil to weather leads to increased leaching of nutrients, damage to the soil surface and fluctuations in soil moisture and temperature. One way to protect soil is u
Organic NZ7 min readTechnology & Engineering
Low Energy High Performance
For 25 years my partner Shane Loader and I lived in Island Bay, Wellington, where we brought up our three daughters in an old 1927 house up a steep path. When we bought (cheaply) this almost derelict house, it was advertised as ‘worst house scenario’
Organic NZ8 min readBiology
Noticing Microbial Worlds
One of the wondrous parts of biology is that it shows us that living beings – including ourselves – are not what we thought. We are now beginning to realise that ‘individuals’ aren’t particularly individual at all. The organisms of developmental biol
Organic NZ2 min readArchitecture
Events And Contacts
The Soil & Health Association – publisher of Organic NZ – has groups that meet in different parts of the country. These meetings and field days are wonderful ways in which to meet fellow gardeners and growers, and other people interested in healthy s
Organic NZ2 min readCooking, Food & Wine
What’s On
Earthbuilding Conference & AGM 30 Oct – 1 Nov Kawai Purapura, Auckland www.earthbuilding.org.nz Taranaki Sustainable Backyards Trail 30 Oct – 8 Nov Taranaki As part of the 33rd Taranaki Garden Festival, 35 properties are participating in the Taranaki
Organic NZ1 min read
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