Organic blog review - December 2007

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!

Organic beer - Emerson’s Organic Pilsner

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.

Seeds of Diversity - conserving the future

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.

Organic Shiraz of the month

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.

Duchy Garden Tools Collection

Over recent years I’ve become mighty tired of replacing my gardening equipment. Don’t worry, it wasn’t being stolen. The memory’s not quite what it was, but it’s still uncharacteristic for me to misplace a tool. So what’s happening, you ask? Well it seems they don’t make them to the old standards. The cheaper ones are mostly rubbish. Mass manufactured and probably designed by someone who never wielded a garden spade or fork in their life. This ongoing complaint with modern tools was becoming somewhat tiresome among my gardening friends. It was only last month that somebody suggested I try out the Duchy Garden Tools Collection.

I admit to being skeptical. Instead of making a blind purchase, I used the internet to research the collection. I learned that these particular tools were designed and crafted from Victorian drawings and combined quality materials with traditional British craftsmanship. Yeah, I thought. Heard it all before. Then I looked at the prices and nearly fell off my chair. Upon regaining balance, I got on the telephone and asked them to courier me their premium digging spade. It arrived promptly the next day, tightly packaged in that annoying bubble material. Then we unwrapped my sixty odd pound investment and settled down for a closer inspection.

Elegant is one word which probably gets bandied about too readily these days. This new digging spade necessitates a descriptive category which I generally prefer to associate with lime scented aftershave and suede brogues. The stainless steel blade is polished to a mirror finish and the shaft is fashioned from a solid piece of Canadian Ash. When picked up, there’s a decent sense of balance and stability. This was one elegant garden tool and I felt convinced that it’s combination of timber, waxes, and steel should see it through some serious gardening activities.

It’s already seen plenty of work around my old potato and onion field. I’ve used it to replant some citrus saplings and a friend borrowed it to dig out a miniature fishpond. So far so good. The blade remains true and the mirror finish is barely scratched. I presume this is titanium steel although I wonder how it fits with the heritage craftsmanship?

Without fear or favour, I’m happy to recommend the Digging Spade for anyone who appreciates fine quality and is prepared to spend (well) beyond the basic amount to obtain this. I’m seriously thinking about purchasing some other tools in the range and may well review these at a later date.

Seeds of Distrust

It’s sometimes difficult to believe that the widespread application of GE in agriculture dates only from 1996. This suggests that there is much to learn about the environmental and health implications of the technology. There are strong indications of consumer resistance to GE products and growing preferences for safe food options, particularly organically certified and holistic foods free of chemical and other contaminants. The unwarranted introduction of GE materials poses a threat to organic producers and the concerned consumer who prefers to avoid undisclosed risk. Seeds of Distrust, written by Nicky Hager, explores the anti-democratic influence of big business in New Zealand and how political expediency, self-interest and the abuse of power culminated in a cover-up of epic proportions.

Nicky Hager is an investigative journalist whose 2002 publication revealed some of the influences which threatened New Zealand’s position on Genetically engineered crops. The chapter on media manipulation summarises a number of the miscommunications and duplicities which have characterised the emergence of GE technologies throughout a majority of the world’s agricultural communities.

In November 2000, New Zealand government officials were informed that routine testing of a batch of imported sweetcorn was contaminated with unspecified quantities of genetically engineered seed. By the time these results were available, thousands of the contaminated seeds were planted out in separate parts of the country. The political response to the problem was ultimately one of secrecy followed by partial truth and manipulation of the public record.

Hager describes the context in which New Zealand politicians were convinced that efforts to prevent GE contamination were unrealistic and unreasonable. Following consultation with scientific experts, some degree of contamination was perceived as “inevitable”. The government then created the impression that this reported contamination held no threat to national biosecurity. While official press releases questioned the possibility of assuring the purity of any food crop, the conservative media derided environmentalists for their utopian mentalities. Within several weeks, the standard had been established. A contamination of 0.5% was declared to be free of contamination.

Hager’s book provides a powerful reminder of the weak authority exercised by national governments seeking to resist the dominant influence of multinational agrochemical and biotech organisations.

The book is published by Craig Potton Publishing and may be puchased online.