Leonie's Edible Garden News - July 2015

Greetings from the warmth of my fire, yes even on the Sunshine Coast we get some cold nights, often down to 4 degrees! Winter I'm reaping the rewards with some of my favourite foods to grow – sugar snap and snow peas, broccoli, red cabbages for sauerkraut, green paw paw for pickles, asparagus, celery, ginger and cauliflowers to name a few, although it is not cold enough for Brussels sprouts or broad beans, I’ll leave that to the southern states.   We also need the cold weather to wipe out some of the 'bad' bugs in our garden, now is a  great time for planning for spring planting.   Whenever possible, use organic seed that has been sourced from Australia, organic seed provides you will more nutrients in the plant/food and free of chemicals.  There are several mail order organic seed companies in Australia.

Speaking of chemicals, please refrain from using Glyphosate, evidence is coming out regularly now showing that this causes many disease in human (children, women and men), and there is evidence that shows it increases diseases in many plants.  

I’ve been lucky to meet extraordinary and passionate organic teachers that have shaped my strong beliefs around food and your health. I have a motto – your health is your wealth and that comes from your soil. Slowly people are starting to understand that your food is only as healthy as its soil and you need to put the time in to incorporate organic matter, minerals (rock minerals and trace elements), worm castings,and compost to make living soil., with an aftercare program for plants of spraying them with seaweed solution each fortnight. Healthy soil produces plants that grow faster and stronger and less likely to be attacked from bugs, as the plant will not suffering from stress.

There is lots of fun to be had in the garden too like bee motels, worm towers, birdbaths, fairy gardens, lolly gardens in fruit tins, scarecrows,tipees, stepping-stones and snail races. Plant plenty of flowers to bring in the bees and birds, and cut flowers for inside your home.  

Encourage children to stop and observe what is happening in the garden, it truly is a magical place.
 

It’s exciting to see that organic vegetable gardens are common and trendy now, if you haven’t got your own garden you can join a community garden or help out at a local school. It’s a wonderful way to create community, make friends and learn from each other.

Recently I was honoured to have my DVD Edible School Gardens, included on the wonderful FMTV (Food Matters) live streaming hub of over 300 health & wellness films. Visit FMTV to see my Edible School Gardens DVD and of course many others that can be live streamed for your pleasure and convenience.

It is wonderful that Sunshine Coast locals James Colquhoun & Laurentine ten Bosch have done so well in America expanding their Food Matters site, an awesome source of recipes, articles, pretty much all that is Health & Wellness into a Live Streaming TV hub as well in the form of FMTV.

This has resulted in a renewal of interest in my Eat Your Garden Book. As many have become inspired after watching the DVD and wish to have that hands on reference book with them to use as a resource at home in making a healthy edible garden in their own back yard or balcony – and of course put your own notes in those margins as you do....
 

To celebrate the thrill of being included on this pre-eminent Wellness site and to allow people the opportunity to expand the knowledge they may have learned with the Edible School Gardens video into a reality in their own home gardens, we are offering this one-time special.

For a limited time, you can order the Eat Your Garden book for the low price of $19.95 plus postage (normal retail $39.95), though you must click on this link “Food Matters TV Special” to secure your very own copy of “Eat Your Garden” at this special reduced rate as numbers of books available at this rock bottom price are limited.

Children’s health is still one of the most serious issues of our time all around the world. We need to be addressing the health of our soil to be growing healthy food to sustain our bodies and of course, keep them “Healthy”, a project that I have been working on for over 14 years. Too many people fail to understand that they don’t need to be experts in organic gardening to realise the dream of having healthy home grown food in their own backyard – or even a balcony/patio for that matter. It honestly is a lot easier than you think and a lot better for you and your family’s health.

PSST! A lot easier on your wallet too.

The best investment you will even make for your health will be in growing your own food so start/expand your vegetable garden today.

“I’m not good with stuff in the classroom, but I’m really smart in the garden”(Kids Speak quote).

 

 

Gardening for the future of our children
Leonie Shanahan
Edible School Gardens
e: Leonie@EdibleSchoolGardens.com.au
w: EdibleSchoolGardens.com.au
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