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Preparing for winter: organic gardening tips and tasks for autumn
Autumn is traditionally viewed as a time for winding down the food garden, but it doesn’t need to be that way. With a cost-of-living crisis on our doorstep, Diana Noonan gives practical advice on adopting a waste-free approach to harvesting and preparing a garden that will provide fresh produce throughout the chilliest (and priciest) periods of the year.
The benefits of Vitamin Sea
As we chase modern life, do we forget the powerful and potent benefits of nature? Simply going to the beach can have profound effects. Zara Adcock explains how the surf, sand, and sun affects our spiritual, mental, and physical health.
Blooms for change with Rebecka Bjelfvenstam Keeling
Rebecka Bjelfvenstam Keeling is not just a grower and a champion of local seasonal flowers; she is also an educator with a strong commitment to cultivating a greener tomorrow
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Creating food forests with syntropic agroforestry
Jared Hiakita is a practitioner of syntropic agroforestry and the founder of ōNuku, a charitable trust in Hokianga that provides opportunities for the community to build more resilient food systems. He talks about growing food for whānau and the whenua.
Meet the locals: Vagabond Vege
Vagabond Vege is a market garden in Te Hūpēnui/Greytown, started by four friends, Lise, Elle, Sheldon, and Saskia.
Rethinking glyphosate
Last year the Environmental Protection Authority called for information on the popular weed killer glyphosate, but are they dithering to avoid a risk assessment? Bonnie Flaws investigates.
How to make kimchi
Not only is kimchi delicious but it’s a probiotic that is great for gut health. Theresa Sjoquist talks to two kimchi makers to find out the secrets of this moreish crunchy pickle.
Recycling companies close the loop
Diana Noonan investigates the work of three recycling companies saving us from ourselves.
Redefining weeds for the post-herbicide era
If non-chemical weeding is the only way forward, how do we manage troublesome weeds, and what exactly is a weed anyway, asks Charles Merfield.
Untame your herb garden
Enough with the spick and span, says Sara Mertens. Instead, go a little bit wild and take advantage of the smorgasbord of nutrition our gardens have to offer, especially from those plants with reputations for being weeds.
Spring gardening: kai waste, seedlings, and other tips
Nothing announces the start of spring more than the bright yellow blossom of te kōwhai! Kōwhai blooms also signal the beginning of some seriously hard mahi in the māra as we strive to give our seeds and seedlings the best, and earliest possible, start in life.
The wellbeing of food in Aotearoa
We produce enough food in New Zealand to feed 40 million people, yet one in five Kiwi kids live in households that experience food insecurity. Gareth Hughes talks about his new role as lead of the Wellbeing Economy Alliance Aotearoa.
Visiting Motueka’s Toad Hall café
Louise Perzigian visits a Motueka food business that serves up freshly grown organic produce grown on the same plot of land.
Banned pesticide impacting New Zealand youth
An insecticide called chlorpyrifos, banned in the US but still widely used here, is again under the spotlight due to risks of exposure in New Zealand children.
Fashion: the good, the bad, and the greenwashed
If you’re feeling overwhelmed and bewildered about what constitutes planet-friendly fashion, you’re not alone. Claire Brunette unpicks the multilayered environmental and ethical issues within the fashion industry.
Visit the luxury hut heated by mulch
Louise Perzigian visits a luxury hut in Nelson with a low-impact price tag and a heating system powered by a giant pile of mulch.
Forever farming in Southland
Philippa Jamieson visits an organic sheep and beef farm where crop rotation, diverse pasture species and natural fertilisers contribute to the production of a premium product that prioritises soil and climate.
Hormone balance, naturally
Holistic nutritionist Laura Hett explores the roller coaster world of hormones and provides practical advice on lifestyle changes that can make a difference.
Kūmara recipes from Hapī
Kūmara is something we need in our community. It’s an abundance crop, says Gretta Carney, owner of Hapī Ora organic café and māra in Ahuriri–Napier. She shares some of her favourite kūmara recipes.
Kai as medicine with Hapī Ora café
Gretta Carney, owner of Hapī Ora organic café and māra in Ahuriri–Napier, talks about kai as medicine, the quantum science behind biodynamics, homeopathy and Hua Parakore – and shares some favourite kūmara recipes.
Meet the locals: Weathersfield Organics
Bridgit Gibellini lives in Nelson and owns herb and vege seedling company Weathersfield Organics.
Kids’ activities for Matariki
Get the kids outside and into the garden with these fun activities.
Winter gardening: fruit trees, new beds, and other tips
Your winter māra may be resting, but that doesn’t mean you can do the same! July and August are preparation months, and the mahi you put in now is essential if you are to reap rewards down the track. Act without delay because spring is just around the corner.