Kay, Mel & Tamsin from Koanga Institute are leaving us today after an intense, informative and fun 4 days.
The important news is how low the nutrients are in the food that we are growing. We aren't the only ones thank goodness! It was a shock after testing our plants with the Refrectometer and getting such a low reading of brix which is the word used for the nutrient levels in the plant.
The good news is that it is easily fixed and that we must fix it to have healthy people. All our soils in NZ are missing so many minerals and Kay explained why that is. There is a lot of scientific evidence.
I will be giving talks to community gardens and anyone else that wants to hear and I think we all need to hear this and do something about the health of the food we grow. Kay is backing me on this as she wants to get it out there to everyone.
So as well as the good and bad news from Kay, yesterday we had a fun day with Mel and Tamsin. a good turnout from all around Nelson, Motueka & Blenheim, the sun shone on us for 3 days but yesterday we were mostly inside with the cold and a little in the rain. It didn't seem to bother us much as the whole day was a fun hands on learning. We learnt to prick-out carefully, double dig and why it is important and then the intensive way of planting up the garden. It was all different to how I've been taught and been doing for 12 years. Then we had to build a 'compost heap' by drawing on the board (because of the rain) and that turned out a laughing experience. I got it that we need lots more carbon in our compost and not to make it hot, only warm, not to burn lots of the microbes that are working in there. I learnt it's best to put most of the minerals and things you want in your food in the compost and cook it slowly over 6months, just like it's done in the forests.
Lets get behind this and grow Nutrient dense food so we and our children are healthy, strong, active and happy people without the disease that seems to be taking over our people.
Will you join me to support each other in doing this here in Nelson?
Contact Helen @ email: [email protected]
The important news is how low the nutrients are in the food that we are growing. We aren't the only ones thank goodness! It was a shock after testing our plants with the Refrectometer and getting such a low reading of brix which is the word used for the nutrient levels in the plant.
The good news is that it is easily fixed and that we must fix it to have healthy people. All our soils in NZ are missing so many minerals and Kay explained why that is. There is a lot of scientific evidence.
I will be giving talks to community gardens and anyone else that wants to hear and I think we all need to hear this and do something about the health of the food we grow. Kay is backing me on this as she wants to get it out there to everyone.
So as well as the good and bad news from Kay, yesterday we had a fun day with Mel and Tamsin. a good turnout from all around Nelson, Motueka & Blenheim, the sun shone on us for 3 days but yesterday we were mostly inside with the cold and a little in the rain. It didn't seem to bother us much as the whole day was a fun hands on learning. We learnt to prick-out carefully, double dig and why it is important and then the intensive way of planting up the garden. It was all different to how I've been taught and been doing for 12 years. Then we had to build a 'compost heap' by drawing on the board (because of the rain) and that turned out a laughing experience. I got it that we need lots more carbon in our compost and not to make it hot, only warm, not to burn lots of the microbes that are working in there. I learnt it's best to put most of the minerals and things you want in your food in the compost and cook it slowly over 6months, just like it's done in the forests.
Lets get behind this and grow Nutrient dense food so we and our children are healthy, strong, active and happy people without the disease that seems to be taking over our people.
Will you join me to support each other in doing this here in Nelson?
Contact Helen @ email: [email protected]