Going Organic
with Eleesa Zlatic of the
Lemon Farm Organic Market
(monthly column from The Friendly Bay Islander magazine - February 2016 edition)
Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the box orders that
have been rolling in. It is such a great thing not only for us, but to ensure
you have a fridge full of goodness for the week. It is a creative exercise to
spend your budget on good quality food, and then to find new and interesting
recipes to use it. It forces you to make the most of the money spent, making
sure you are consuming a larger quantity of produce so there is no waste. The
bonus is that you feel so much better.
If you don’t want to commit to a box, why don’t you try
changing over to organics and chemical free foods gradually. Just decide to
exchange one type of food that you would usually purchase and make it organic.
Milk, Apples, Pasta, Flour, no matter what your choice it is a step in the right
direction and apart from getting the chemicals out of your diet you will also
notice that many items taste better.
There is such delicious tasting fruit available at the
moment, the rockmelons have been yummy and in fact someone told me it’s the best
melon they have ever tasted… and they were serious J. The little grapes are the most divine
grapes I have ever eaten, so good I don’t want to part with them! If you are a
Fig lover we have beautiful chemical free figs which are locally grown. Many of
the varieties come from old Italian stock. Figs are not something I grew up
eating but since trying these I am hooked; they are a precious tear drop with a
delightful taste. There are plenty of other seasonal fruits available too.
As I mentioned in last month’s column, in partnership with
Running Wild, a Work for the Dole program has begun on The Organic Farm and
although in its infancy, it is steadily gaining momentum. It has also been
great opportunity to meet lots of new people from the Islands.
The group that have been attending so far have been nothing
short of fantastic! Willing to give new things a go, working really hard to
achieve the day’s goals, and keen to get involved with the creation of this
project. The skills that many of the participants have are under
used/recognised, and we are doing our best to harness their talents and nurture
everyone into their passions. We have great Supervisors and Trainers so if you
are eligible for a Work for the Dole placement, and are keen for hands on work
experience plus the possibility of training, ask if you can be a part of our
program. There are still some places available so get in quick.
Coming Soon…...!!! Macleay Island Red Tent. A space for
Island Women to gather, share, communicate, love and nurture each other. We are
a branch of the group Red Tent Australia, a growing tribe of women who are
gathering in communities around Australia. Like our page “Macleay Island Red Tent” on facebook for more details.
.
