Features

Feature Articles

Making soil: turning food scraps into food production

21 Apr 23

A climate action enterprise uses bokashi and no-turn composting methods to create carbon-rich, nutrient-dense soil. Theresa Sjoquist talks to those who are diverting landfill to profitable crops.

Bringing seaweed back into the food chain

22 Feb 23

Nutrients and minerals from the earth’s crust flow into the sea and are absorbed by seaweed. Duncan Smith outlines the benefits of closing the loop and bringing seaweed back into your food chain.

Medicinal fungi at Ora’s Farm

22 Feb 23

Lion’s Mane, Turkey Tail, Piopinno, Enoki, Shiitake. Intriguing names for delicious mushrooms that science is revealing are beneficial to our health. Crispin Calidicott talks to two growers who are excited about their therapeutic potential.

The Therapeutic Products Bill: A step forward for natural health products?

22 Feb 23

Natural health products are included in the Therapeutic Products Bill which was presented to Parliament at the end of last year. Dr Sandra Clair looks at the reasoning behind it and says that, if executed well, this could be a step in the right direction for pluralistic medicine in New Zealand.

Nourished for Nil’s mission to turn waste into food

20 Dec 22

New Zealand’s yearly food waste produces 409,234 tonnes of carbon emissions. To offset this we would need to take 150,453 cars off the road for one year or plant 163,693 trees. Rescuing this waste to feed people is a win-win. Christina McBeth tells Bonnie Flaws how she co-ordinates Hawke's Bay businesses, government assistance, sister organisations, and volunteers to redirect waste into food for over 1200 families.

Help our native butterflies

20 Dec 22

There are 26 different species of pēpepe butterflies in New Zealand. Most of them are endemic (found only in New Zealand) and some are struggling to survive. Jacqui Knight explains how and what gardeners can do to provide the habitat and food they need.

Introduction to biodynamics

20 Oct 22

Biodynamics is a holistic organic practice that views a farm as an entire organism. Rebecca Reider explains the fundamentals of this earthy yet cosmic system of growing.

Degrowth: is it time to live with less?

20 Oct 22

Capitalism is hurting the planet and people, yet we all play a part in driving consumerism. Ger Tew from upcycling collective The ReCreators talks about learning to tread lightly.

Ethical omnivorism: a case for eating meat

20 Oct 22

Meat is a divisive subject for ethical, environmental and health reasons. As part of an ongoing conversation we'll be running on this topic, Bonnie Flaws shares her view on why planetary and human health is compatible with ethical omnivorism.

Creating food forests with syntropic agroforestry

20 Oct 22

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.

Rethinking glyphosate

22 Aug 22

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.

The wellbeing of food in Aotearoa

17 Aug 22

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

17 Aug 22

Louise Perzigian visits a Motueka food business that serves up freshly grown organic produce grown on the same plot of land.

The history of GE in New Zealand

14 Jun 22

Bonnie Flaws investigates New Zealand's ongoing debate on the regulation of genetic modification

Matariki: a new year commences

14 Jun 22

As Puanga and the Matariki star cluster reappear in our midwinter sky, heralding the start of a new year in Aotearoa, we talk to a healer, a politician, a biodynamic farmer and two organic growers about what Matariki means to them and how they’re choosing to celebrate it.

Pouwera, the circular community garden in Ōrākei

14 Jun 22

Rob Small takes us on a tour of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei's productive māra and talks organics, mātauranga Māori and the challenges of pesky pūkeko

Pricing up organics

20 Apr 22

When it comes to groceries, many of us want to shop organic, but can’t afford the higher price tag. So why is organic food more expensive, and when you add up environmental and health factors, does it really cost us more? We investigate the economics and ethics of eating organic and shares tips on how to get more of it into your weekly shop.

To GE or not to GE: Organic growers consider Pfizer

19 Apr 22

Organic NZ asked four organic growers to share their stories of how they navigated ethical considerations regarding the Pfizer vaccine.

Remix Plastics spins material right round

19 Apr 22

Anthea Madill is the owner of Remix Plastic, which sells jewellery and other products made from plastic waste as part of her kaupapa to educate people about sustainability. We talked to her about this mahi, and why we need to think beyond recycling as the main solution.

Puro, Australasia’s organic-certified medical cannabis operation

15 Feb 22

On a stretch of coastline at Kēkerengū, midway between Kaikōura and Blenheim, a field of medicinal plants is growing in the sunshine and sea breezes. This is no small garden. It spans 10 ha, making it the largest medicinal cannabis plantation in New Zealand. And unlike any other cannabis farm in New Zealand, this one is fully certified organic.

Feature Articles

Proudly published by the Soil & Health Association NZ