Organic NZ

Organic NZ is filled with info to live a healthier lifestyle - for you and the planet! Published by the Soil & Health Association of New Zealand, working since 1941 for sustainable organic agricultural and good health. Topics range from home garden to large-scale success stories; eco-building; urban organics; genetic engineering & chemical issues; food matters & natural health.

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Organic NZ

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From the world of organics

HEALTH BOOSTERS • With Omicron rapping at our doors and winter just around the corner, maintaining optimum health is more important than ever. We asked several natural health practitioners for their top tips on getting organised, staying well and looking after yourself if you do get sick.

Breaking new ground • Perseverance, dedication and learning by doing has paved the pathway to organic certification for Puro, Australasia’s only organic-certified medical cannabis operation. Rebecca Reider visits its Marlborough farm.

Nurturing resilience • Awatea Organics is a research and training farm in Whangārei specialising in heritage organic food, seed and medicine. Its founder, Tui Shortland, talked to us about food sovereignty, saving heritage seed and her work supporting indigenous communities internationally.

Keep it GROWING • Tips and tasks for the autumn māra

In praise of the earthworm A gardener’s best friend

Invite earthworms into your garden

Grow an earthworm feast

Maramataka • for Poutū-te-rangi and Paenga-whāwhā

Sanctity of the soil • Maanu Paul has been a kaitiaki of organic practices his entire life discovers Sue Allison in her new book on inspiring gardeners and gardens of Aotearoa.

Wild things • Elderberries are packed with nutritional and medicinal properties, writes Sara Mertens. Now is the time to gather them from wild or planted trees.

Autumnal munching • Edible activism meets ethical hedonism in Flip Grater’s new cookbook, which is packed with favourite recipes from Grater Goods, her vegan deli in Christchurch.

Cultivating a climate of CHANGE • Sarah Smuts-Kennedy, the powerhouse behind urban-farming programme For the Love of Bees, talks about Earthworkers – a new course nurturing photosynthesis and microbe farmers.

Supporting kai sovereignty • Jo Smith (Waitaha, Kāti Māmoe, Kāi Tahu) is a researcher and Hua Parakore grower on a small whānau farm in Kaitoke, Te Awa Kairangi. The farm is called Papawhakaritorito and has around 80 m2 of garden beds.

Meet the locals • In the first of our new series that gives us snapshots of people treading lightly, we visit a lifestyle block in Upper Hutt where a herd of goats has made tasty work of troublesome weeds.

A PILE OF e-trash • Electronic waste is the world’s fastest growing waste stream, and in Aotearoa most of it ends up in landfill where it can leach toxins into soil and waterways. The good news is that we are taking steps to reduce our e-waste footprint. Bonnie Flaws investigates.

Collection and recycling solutions

Sleeping au naturel • On the hunt for a peaceful night’s kip, Theresa Sjöquist visits four natural bed manufacturers and discovers the secrets behind a healthful slumber.

Latest reads

WIN this issue! • Look at these great prizes on offer to subscribers and readers.

Association update

DIGGING UP THE PAST • Relics from our 81-year-old history.