Jan 1, 2010
ORGANIC GROWING NEWS Newsletter 267 – January 2010
Levin Branch, NZ Soil & Health Association
www.organicnz.org/branch/Levin
Patron Fay Te Kira 364 5168 President Ian Sheen 364 3299 singa@xtra.co.nz Treasurer Liz Baucke 368 0009Minute Secretary Val Nicol 367 8320 Secretary Annmarie Coote 367 3753
Committee Emily Williams 362 6684 Barbara van der Valk 364 3244 Jill Scott 363 7567 Michael Hunt 364 8053
Ambassador at Large: Winifred Bourn, 23a Fairfield Road, Levin Fax 368 6271, ph 368 6701
Subscribe to Organic NZ magazine
The Soil & Health Association of NZ is the world’s oldest organisation dedicated to organic production. Since 1941, we have led the debate on issues surrounding health, sustainable development, safe food, pesticides, GE and organic food production. We rely on the generosity of members to continue working on your behalf.
By subscribing to the Association’s magazine, Organic NZ, you also become a member of the Association. Subscription costs $40 for one year (six issues) or $70 for two years (twelve issues). Family memberships, allowing two votes, are available for an extra $5 per year.
Send your subscription, or gift a subscription to family or friends, to Soil & Health Association of NZ, PO Box 36170, Northcote, Auckland, or via the website www.organicnz.org. You can pay by cheque, Visa, Mastercard or Amex.
This year we are having two stalls at upcoming markets/shows:
The AP&I Show is open to the public from 9am to 6pm on Saturday 23rd January and from 9am to 4pm on Sunday 24th January. This is being held at the Levin Showgrounds. We have a site booked in the hall and we will be selling books, Rock Dust and Biobit (formerly Dipel), as well as giving out information. We will have a raffle with a garden bed as first prize and free membership to the Soil and Health Association as the second prize.
We need volunteers to help. So if you have some spare time at any stage over this weekend, please contact Liz or Val. We will be setting up the stall from 8am on the Saturday.
The Manakau Medieval Market is on Saturday 13th February from 9am until 4pm. This is also being held at the Levin Showgrounds. This is a one day event where we will have books for sale as well as plants. Again we are asking for volunteers.
So come along and enjoy a beautiful summer's day relaxing and having fun!
Future group meetings:
February 13th - stall at the Medieval Fair at the Levin Showgrounds.
Our AGM will be held on 28th March and will also feature Amor Walter talking on bees and Emily Williams display of some alternative hives. This meeting will be held at the Horowhenua Art Society, Bath Street, Levin. Access and parking from Kent St.
In April we will visit Judith Balchin’s award winning home garden in Botanical Road, Palmerston North.
In May we will visit De Molen, the windmill in Foxton to see the stone ground flour making process (entry/tour fee $4 or $5). Following the tour we will visit the home of Jill Scott, for afternoon tea and will look at growing a garden in the sand.
The next committee meeting will be on Monday 8th February with Wendy Batterbee at 18 Barrett Drive, Waikanae Beach.
Our Christmas function was held on Sunday 6th December at Thomas Reisinger’s organic lavender farm.
Prior to a delicious lunch, supplied by Thomas, we were treated to a tour of the property. Thomas grows three types of lavender, which each produce certain properties that are aimed at different markets.
The property, which was New Zealand’s first Bio-Gro certified Lavender Farm, is continually evolving as Thomas tries different crops on different parts of the property. He had initially hoped to grow a much wider variety of crops but the underlying stones have put paid to many of his ideas including taro, which he envisioned supplying the local market.
Additionally, in one area that had been planted in lavender, he found a strip – directly beneath a row of lage old pine trees - was struggling, with many plants dying off. Once he realised that the falling pine needles were too sour for the soil and the lavender planted there, he pulled out all of the rows directly beneath the trees and has replanted lemon geranium, which is now thriving.
For those who had visited the property before, they were in for a pleasant surprise. One area previously overgrown with blackberry has since been cleared and is now a prolific border garden, which although not yet all in bloom, showed the promise of things to come!
An old relocated shed is going to be an ongoing project for Thomas, who hopes to dismantle three of its sides to allow him a quiet place to sit and contemplate at the end of a days work.
Thomas is fortunate to have organic neighbours on both sides as well as a sympathetic farmer behind him, who only sprays when the wind is blowing from the right direction, so as to avoid any drift. Part of Thomas’ land is on the other side of the Waikawa River, but when the river is at its usual height he can easily drive across in his truck and undertake any necessary work there. To ensure he has good clean water to irrigate with, Thomas draws water from a bore which has been sunk lower than the 12 metre water table.
Following lunch Thomas showed us the distillery. He had two large containers of rosemary ready for a demonstration but due to a mechanical failure that very morning he was unable to show us, relying instead on talking us through the process.
This begins with water from the bore being heated through solar power to 95 degrees and is then brought into the boiler. This is powered by diesel and takes a further twelve minutes to heat it up to 112 degrees, which is the required temperature for distillation. Thomas noted that if the water was brought in cold, this part of the process would only take eighteen minutes. This steam then moves through a pipe to the other part of the distiller, where the container of contaminant-free, cut lavender, rosemary or whatever is being used is hoisted up and into the top, where it is then securely sealed.
Once the steam has reached the required temperature, he opens a valve to let this in. Another short wait ensues until the container has also been heated. Once this has reached the desired temperature Thomas opens another valve which lets the lavender or rosemary etc flavoured steam into the distilling chamber. The temperature at this point is vital as anything from 45 upwards will burn the oil, whereas anything below 30 degrees and separation won’t occur. Once the steam reaches the lower end of this chamber and in an effort to control the temperature, Thomas lets some cold water in. once the desired temperature is reached a tap is opened and the mixture is drawn off. This is then left to separate, with the pure essential lavender/rosemary oil remaining on the top.
To ensure quality Thomas cleans the distillery at the end of every day’s processing. He also completes what he calls a ‘dummy run’ before distilling anything for market, where he blows the entire unit through again.
Thomas decided to grow lavender organically and on a commercial basis when he realised that organic lavender has a larger mineral content that enhances our immune system. As the organic growing process is so labour-intensive he decided not to become a big export grower but to concentrate on quality rather than quantity. He offers a consultancy service as well as selling his lavender products. Thomas can be contacted on enquiries@lavender-impressions.co.nz or phone: (06) 362 6506 or fax: (06) 362 6506.
Thanks to Thomas for his ongoing support of the Levin Branch of the Soil and Health Association.
JANUARY and FEBRUARY IN THE ORGANIC GARDEN
from the Organic Garden Calendar by Kath Irvine
January:- Plant out the last of zucchini, corn and beans
- Direct sow carrot and beetroot
- Cut the grass under the nut trees for an easier harvest
February:
- Keep up brassica sowings for winter harvest
- Plant tomatoes in the greenhouse for a winter harvest
- Make compost tea
- Plant Strawberries for next year
MOON PLANTING GUIDE:
Late JANUARY16, 17, 26 – Make and apply compost to beds; harvest root crops
21, 22 – Transplant cabbage, lettuce, silverbeet &leeks
24 – Summer pruning
28 – Sow all seeds
31 – Sow late beans and broccoli
FEBRUARY
1, 28 - Sow brocoli and cauliflower
3, 4 ,5 - Sow root crops
6, 24 – Harvest crops (excluding root)
7, 8 – Sow lettuces, silverbeet and leeks and cabbage
10, 20, 21 – Summer pruning
12, 13, 22, 23 - Make and apply compost to beds; harvest root crops
17, 18, 19 - Transplant lettuces, silverbeet and leeks and cabbage
27 – Plant all seeds
REIKI – A NATURAL & EFFECTIVE HEALTH THERAPY
For further information or to make an appointment phone 3673753
Organic wholemeal flour available at de Molen windmill in Foxton. Open 10-4, 7 days. 1.5 kg for $5.80
Peter’s Yoga Sunday morning Yoga Classes for Men & Women
Improve your flexibility, strength & balance. Promote your own health & wellness.
Learn to relax and enjoy life! 9.30 -11.00am Sundays. New students can start on any Sunday.
More Dance Studio, 268a Oxford St, Levin. $10 for a casual class (Discount for pre-paid 10 class ticket)
Enquiries: Peter Macdonald: (06) 3681454 or (0274) 418358
EM (Effective Micro-organisms)
EM 1 available in 750ml, 2 litre and 20 litre containers. Bokashi Zing Compost Buckets and Bokashi Zing.
Full range of EM Ceramics and EMX. EM Practical Workshops..... to be advised.
Dave Johnston, 39 State Highway 1, Otaki, ph 06 364 6101, email lao@ihug.co.nz
A1 SHELTER BELT TRIMMERS for all your shelter belt and hedge trimming. Height reduction and decrowning now available. Competitive prices, prompt service. Phone Marty (06) 362 6737
MAWHENUA FARM - organic since 1986. Beef, hogget & lamb processed & packaged under MAF licence. Craft & knitting wools available. For price list and inquiries contact Warren and Trish Gilbert, RD 7, Dannevirke (06) 374 8281.
IMAGO ORGANIC ORCHARD (OFENZ Certified) Home grown & local fresh, dried, preserved and processed organic & spray free fruit & berries. Agrissentials Rok Solid & Organic 100 also available.Summer hours 9.00am – 5.30pm. Winter hours by arrangement. Phone Ann 06 3683858
World’s first fully certified organic SKINCARE, BODYCARE AND COSMETIC PRODUCTS.
100% free of synthetic chemicals. Discount and free shipping available.
Order on-line www.organics4you.net.nz or phone Louise (06) 364 2190
Bach flower phone consultations available.
A blend of one or more of the 38 Bach flowers made uniquely for you! Also available – Rescue Remedy
To make a phone appointment please call Kimberley Jeromson (Naturopath) on (06) 364 2151 or email jeromson6@hotmail.com
