If you’re a farmer, why do you grow organic food? If you’re a consumer, why do you buy organic food?

I’m guessing that you do so because you feel confident that it’s a better option. If you’re a farmer, it probably gives you more opportunity, either directly or indirectly, to market and sell your produce. And if like me you’re a consumer, organic food provides you and your family with an opportunity to enjoy food the way it’s meant to be – free of GMOs, pesticides, hormones, and other nasties.

But where does our confidence in the organic industry come from? Is it something that’s intuitive? For some the answer to that is probably yes. But for most of us, myself included, our confidence in organics is gained through experiences, opportunities and, in no small part, through what the media tell us!

Unfortunately, in a world where bad news sells it’s often easier for mainstream media interests to throw stones than promote constructive discussion. This is best highlighted by the speed at which any bad news story concerning the organic industry travels.

That’s why the work performed by The Organic Center is so important. The Organic Center advances peer-reviewed, verifiable scientific research and information behind the human health and environmental benefits of organic food and farming. They then communicate these benefits to society. In doing so, they provide both growers and consumers alike with the confidence they need to continue their support for the organic industry.

I don’t believe it to be an overstatement to say that, without The Organic Center, the organic industry would not have grown anywhere near as quickly as it has. And it certainly wouldn’t be enjoying anything like the level of consumer support that it now does.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with The Organic Center’s site I strongly encourage you to pay it a visit. For those of you who are, there are some neat things going on there that are well worth checking out…

The Organic Center Blog – with some of the sharpest minds in the organic community contributing to it, including Dr. Charles Benbrook, Ph.D., this blog is set to become a really useful addition to the blogosphere.

Organic Essentials – a free pocket guide explaining how to reduce dietary exposure to toxic pesticides.

Serious Science, Serious Benefits – a new educational video providing a comprehensive overview of why living organically is so important.

Without confidence, there is no organic industry!

I like to keep an eye out for new and/or interesting sites that provide information and advice on leading an organic lifestyle. Many of these sites, often presented in the form of blogs, deserve to be shared with others. So to keep you up-to-date with what’s available, today we begin the first in a series of monthly organic blog reviews. In these posts, we’ll check out what’s being said and – where appropriate – why it’s being said, and who’s saying it. Without further ado, let’s check out the top five organic and organic-related blog posts during December 2007:

Tree Hugging Family – Upon returning from the end of year vacation period, many people choose to begin the New Year with a new job. With rising business and consumer interest in all things green and environmental, it may well be possible to snag an eco-friendly position. If that sounds like a bit of you, check out Jennifer Chait’s post from Tree Hugging Family on finding the perfect eco job for 2008.

Enviroblog – Most of us are pretty keen to know when a substance is likely, or at least has the potential, to cause us harm. Bisphenol A is one of those nasties that people really should be made aware of. Amanda Hanley from enviroblog brought to our attention the fact that California may, under the State’s Proposition 65 law, require Bisphenol A to be included in an annual list of chemical substances known to cause cancer or reproductive harm.

Green Right Now – There were a lot of green Christmas tips floating around the blogosphere during December 2007. Deck the Halls and Leave a Lighter Footprint by Shermakaye Bass of Green Right Now was the one that stood out for me. Lighting the way for Santa’s sleigh and making homemade gift wrap are good fun and won’t break the bank.

Organic Mania – For some, it isn’t really Christmas until the lights come on. In her post Green, Tacky, Tacky, Lynn from Organic Mania proves that when you’re from New Jersey, you need some serious lighting to enjoy the holiday season. Lynn shares what has to be done when this also creates an eco-dilemma.

Organic Picks – Saving money and the environment are two topics dear to my heart. And there’s no reason why, with a little imagination and ingenuity, it’s not possible to achieve both during the gift giving season. Cindy from Organic Picks shares her family tradition of sharing a gift-less vacation with extended family. Sounds like a great family tradition to me and certainly beats exchanging store-bought gifts with family members!

I recently stumbled across a pilsner that won’t make its way to the back of my fridge any time soon. Not because the beer isn’t any good – just the opposite in fact. The beer is so good that it demands, and generally receives, instant attention. With its tangy, fresh taste and clean citrus flavours, Emerson’s Organic Pilsner is one beer that has made me an instant fan.

Emerson’s Brewery is based in Dunedin, New Zealand. Dunedin, apart from being a great town, has a long and proud brewing history. With some of the finest organic hops emanating from New Zealand, as well as access to clean spring water and an abundance of fine organic raw materials to commence with, you might reasonably conclude that Emerson’s Brewery enjoys an unfair advantage over others seeking attention in the increasingly competitive international Pilsner market. Having visited the South Island of New Zealand on a number of occasions, I’d have to conclude that such an assessment wouldn’t be unreasonable. However, as some of New Zealand’s larger North Island-based commercial breweries prove all too frequently – with their bland non-descript copycat lagers – having access to premium raw materials is not always enough.

That Emerson’s Brewery commences with premium organic ingredients in bringing to life its Pilsner is not in question. However, its use of premium organic raw materials is just the beginning. Emerson’s is a “real” brewery. The brewers involved in producing this product are quite clearly craftsmen in their own right. They display a deep respect for the Pilsner tradition yet the capacity to carefully introduce and cement their own lively personalities within the parameters of the tradition.

The beer is ideally served at between 6-8 degrees celcius and has an alcohol content of 4.9%. And although Emerson’s Organic Pilsner was a new – and most pleasant – discovery for me, it’s actually been around for a while. According to the company’s website, the beer has received the following awards:

• Silver 2006, Australia International Beer Awards
• Silver 2005, Brew NZ Awards
• Silver 2004, Brew NZ Awards
• Gold 2003, Brew NZ Awards
• Gold 2003, Australia International Beer Awards
• Gold 2002, Australia International Beer Awards
• Gold 2002, Brew NZ Awards

Where can you get it?

If you’re fortunate enough to reside in New Zealand, you can pick up your Emerson’s Pilsner at a wide range of outlets. Your best option would be to visit the Emerson’s website for your nearest stockist. If like me you’re not located in New Zealand, you’ll have to seek out a specialty wine and beer store. I picked up my Emerson’s Pilsner at Festival Cellars in Brisbane. If your specialty organic beer store doesn’t stock Emerson’s Pilsner, you might like to twist the arm of the store manager and get them to order you in a couple of cases specially.

To find out more about Emerson’s Brewery please check out the company’s website and also their blog. This is certainly one beer that I’ll be seeking out whenever I get the opportunity. Cheers.

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 conventionally purchased seeds, which are hybrid (or cross pollinated), non-hybrid seeds are open-pollinating seeds that grow and reproduce true to variety. These are the types of seeds of interest to Seeds of Diversity. They tend to be highly reliable and productive and were the type used for many thousands of years until modern agriculture stepped in.

When you consider that most of the world’s caloric intake, and therefore mass-produced agriculture, revolves around only four different plants – wheat, rice, corn, and soybeans – it’s not difficult to gain a sense of just how important the work of dedicated seed savers really is.

So what does the organization do? Well, the short answer is, like many high quality charitable organizations – many things. For example, they publish their own 40 page magazine three times a year, they’ve developed their own Seed Saving handbook and, of particular interest to many committed organic gardeners I’m sure – they’ve undertaken to document plant varieties of regional, cultural, economic and historical significance to all Canadians. To date, their Heritage Plants Database currently has information on 19,000 varieties of cultivated plants. Quite amazing!

What does it cost to join? Currently, membership for those from Canada and the United States is only $30 per annum, while for those residing elsewhere, a very reasonable $50 per annum. Membership entitles you to a subscription to the Seeds of Diversity magazine, which is published three times annually (January, May, September) as well as a copy of the annual Seed Exchange Directory, which lists the seeds offered from member-to-member in the annual seed exchange (over 1800 varieties!)

So if you’re keen to learn more about an organization that is committed to our future, please visit Seeds of Diversity.

We’re always searching for that special bottle of organic wine to share with friends and family. Nothing is more versatile than a decent shiraz, and there have been some interesting ones of late. You tend to pick them up at airports, surprisingly enough. The Winbirra vineyard is located south east of Wagga Wagga, which places it about halfway between Sydney and Melbourne. Their Retief 2006 Gundagai Shiraz is notable for its even palate with rich fruit flavour and characteristic hints of cracked pepper and spice.

Incidentally, it is estimated that one in five individuals are blind to the aromatic compounds which provide the spice and pepper characteristics of shiraz. If you happen to be in this category, you’ll still be more than satisfied with the blackberry and licorice highlights of this delicious wine.

Francois and Lyn Retief embrace the Biodynamic tradition which is currently leading the way in organic and sustainable viticulture. By avoiding the use of chemical fertiliser and pesticides, the Retiefs allow their grapes to fully assume the character of their geographic location and seasonal influence. Biodiversity is encouraged throughout the vineyard and agricultural tasks like pruning and harvesting are scheduled according to natural cycles.

This one is worth seeking out.