Australia is currently experiencing a long and exhausting drought. Farmers are struggling. Many of them have been forced to sell their family farms. Those that remain face tough times ahead. During times of difficulty such as this, it’s often simpler to look for quick fix solutions rather than to focus on the more sustainable long-term options. Biological Farmers of Australia Standards Chairman, Dr. Andrew Monk warns against adopting quick fix solutions. Instead, he emphasises the importance of focusing on natural farming systems which emphasise biodiversity and encourage sustainable practices. Dr. Monk says biodiversity can reduce the vulnerability, and boost returns of crops, particularly during trying seasons. “Biodiversity makes...

Well the rugby lads didn’t quite manage the result I was hoping for. The half time score was close enough but we were unlucky with the penalties and probably gave away too much in the lineouts. A victory would have disrupted the world rankings and given me boasting rights against some gardening friends of mine from Natal. Never mind. When things don’t turn out as they should, I usually retreat to a corner of the garden and make myself as busy as possible. I’m not sure whether it’s my state of mind, but everything looked a bit grey and lifeless this week. The weather’s cooled off a touch and leaves are falling faster than I can rake them aside. They’ll make a nice organic mulch to protect next year’s...

It’s probably fair to say that there is no better example of a committed and successful grassroots organization than Seeds of Diversity – Canada’s Heritage Seed Program. Seeds of Diversity is a charitable organization with 1700 members dedicated to collecting, documenting, and promoting the use of non-hybrid seeds that are of significance to both current and future generations of Canadians. Without organizations such as Seeds of Diversity, the future of the organic movement would not be nearly as bright! Why is saving seeds important? Saving seeds is a fundamental activity for both organic gardeners and professional growers alike. Seed saving helps to maintain the genetic integrity of crop varieties for future generations. Unlike most...