Organic Cheat Sheet
You demand organic because you know it is better for you and for the environment. Here is the meat behind the message--the top reasons for demanding organic and the science that supports that sound and sane choice.

• Organic is healthy.
• Organic is safe.
• Organic protects our planet.
• Organic feeds the world
• Organic supports farmers.

read the article here
Source: Rodale Institute

Sensitive sites (including Organic) WA information service online
An information service for growers identifying sensitive production sites is now available from the Department of Agriculture and Food website. Grains Industries Executive Director Peter Metcalfe said the Department had recently written to
known growers with sensitive production systems asking for their participation in a voluntary register of sensitive sites for use in 2011.
A sensitive site is considered a commercial property that needs consideration due to the nature of the production system. Examples may include certified organic, certified biodynamic, aquaculture, horticulture and viticulture.
This web site aims to provide an information service for producers to help them be aware of the location of any sensitive agricultural production systems in their area.
The Department has received about 200 registrations for the site. To view the map, navigate to www.agric.wa.gov.au and either click on the Sensitive Site Hot Topic button or search for Sensitive Sites.
As the location of known likely sensitive agricultural production systems may change, the department plans to publish an updated Sensitive Sites WA map early in 2012. If you would like to register your interest for inclusion of your property on the 2012 map, please send an email to sensitivesites@agric.wa.gov.au
Source: DAFWA

UK organic sales drop in economic gloom
Sales of organic products in the UK dropped by 5.9% in 2010, local certification body the Soil Association revealed yesterday. Organic sales fell to GBP1.73 billion (A$2.7 billion), with sales at multiple retailers - which account for 72.3% of total organic sales - sliding by 7.7% during the 12 months, the Soil Association's Organic Market Report found. Additionally, the number of organic food producers fell as farmers and manufacturers felt the squeeze of increased competition and lower demand.... Read more » Source: Australian Food news
However…
Organic Monitor predicts more investment in European organic sector
Organic Monitor predicts an eight per cent rise of European organic food and drink sales in 2011, as the global economy is coming out of recession more capital is now available for companies to invest.
And
US organic food sales surge 7.7% (while conventional foods manage just 1% growth) US organic food sales surge 7.7% (while conventional foods manage just 1% growth) ... US sales of organic food and drink surged 7.7 percent to $28.6bn in 201...
Source: foodnavigator

Weed as an e-Book
ABC e-books has released Weed in this first wave of titles. Weed is an excellent resource book on the numerous methods organic methods that can be used to manage weeds in crops and gardens. Tim Marshall, OFA Deputy Chair, is the author of Weed.
It will be available for purchase from the following E stores:
www.borders.com.au , www.angusandrobertson.com.au , www.kobobooks.com , www.amazon.com , Apple iBookstore
Source: OFA

New funding initiative helps ‘grow' Organic School Gardens Program in Australia
The Biological Farmers of Australia (BFA) has partnered with Vitasoy Australia to provide start up grants for Primary Schools to assist with the establishment of an organic garden, as part of the Organic School Gardens Program (OSGP).
As one of four new sub programs within the OSGP, the Vitasoy Australia Starter Schools Program has provided ten Primary Schools across Australia – including  Clifton Hills Primary School (WA) - with monetary grants towards the purchase of gardening materials and equipment. For more information on the Biological Farmers of Australia's Organic School Gardens Program, please visit www.organicschools.com.au.
Source: BFA

Drought pilot expansion 2011-2012  to include all of South West WA
The WA Government has reached an agreement with the Federal Government to extend and significantly expand the trial of drought reform measures. From 1 July 2011, this region will be expanded to the entire south west region of Western Australia. The program includes assistance for:

• Farm Planning: assistance for farm businesses to undertake a program of training to enhance their skills in business planning
• Building Farm Businesses: grants of up to $30,000 over 2 years to help eligible farm businesses prepare for future challenges
• Farm Family Support: income support to help families meet basic household needs
• Stronger Rural Communities: measures to support and strengthen rural community and farm family resilience
• Farm Social Support: a better co-ordinated social support network to meet mental health, counselling and other social needs of farming families and rural communities
• Farm Exit Support: grants to support farmers who decide to sell their farm, including retraining and relocation expenses

Source DAFWA

Steven McCoy
Development Officer, Organic Food and Farming
Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia
steven.mccoy@agric.wa.gov.au
Ph 08 9368 3960
Mb 0424 147 408
Fax 08 9368 3355

Questions were encouraged and discussion welcomed.  We were then introduced to the Biodynamic calendar which initiated a lot of interesting discussion and more questions.

We walked to the FERN headquarters for a wonderful lunch and then our enthusiastic group donned our gardening gloves and proceeded to make (under Hamish's supervision) a massive biodynamic compost heap.  Hamish then showed us how to stir and distribute the Biodynamic preparations.  Finally Hamish and John answered even more questions and the day finished with everyone going home, eager to stir up their sample packs of Biodynamic Soil Activator.
This annual workshop was most enlightening.  We all felt we learned so much. Hopefully many organic gardeners will feel inspired to attend next time. Hamish and John run this class every April in WA.  It was a positive and uplifting day.
Important notice: Our next meeting will be a week later on Thursday 16th June. We will start a series of talks on food security and food supply.  The first talk will be on “How Cuba Survived Peak Oil” with Sue Hartley. In the following months we will have presentations on fermentation, cooking demo and talk on whole food, seed saving, a field day to visit an organic vegetable grower and a bee keeper to give a talk on backyard bee keeping.

Kind regards
May-Ring and Margaret
ogafreo@yahoo.com.au

The Grove Library are doing some innovative things, this short video is quite inspiring. Take a virtual tour of The Grove with Josh Byrne and discover some of its environmentally sustainable design (ESD) features. Visit The Grove Precinct website to learn more about the ESD features. It demos cutting edge environmental techniques http://thegrovelibrary.net/2011/04/02/the-grove-virtual-tour/
Cheers,
Lisa

Local residents Leissa and Paul Hanley, Howard Herbert, and Carol and John Wolf all saved  their homes. Howard's friend Paul Huisman very kindly came from Byford and helped him fight the fire and he will be on the panel too. They will discuss how they fought the fire, how it is now and what changes they have made to their properties and home to make it safer for the future.

The meeting is on Wednesday 8th June at 7.30pm in the Roleystone Family Centre, 19 Wygonda Rd, Roleystone. Entry $3-members free. Enquiries to Lisa 9399 2312  or porter4@aapt.net.au

NEXT MEETING
Still to be confirmed. Contact Charles for the details. charles@permaculturewest.org.au or 0466633275

I tried it but didn't make much difference. Just recently I've noticed eggs laid right near the mealy bugs so I have stopped trying to physically remove the mea lies (as this also removes the eggs) and I'm waiting to see what hatches…..hopefully whatever it is comes out ravenous and devours the mealy bugs!
I have heard of making bug spray by collecting the pest, mushing up in water and leaving over night before spraying, this could be quite satisfying! Another biodynamic solution is to make peppers. It is the ash collected from burning the pest in question and is usually done at a specific time.
OK so the one spray I do make is a kick arse chilli with lots of dried (or fresh) birdseye chillies left in water over night and then added to water the next day. You can see the caterpillars jumping when you spray! If you don't have lots of chilli you can use garlic and onion. It's a contact spray that they hate the taste of and feel!
There are many sprays you can make yourself, a lot are based on herbs and plants that don't grow in the Kimberleys. Finding a solution to pests has to be easy and I wouldn't recommend buying in dried herbs to make sprays. Just remember diversity is the key and companion plants can really help with pests. I wouldn't be surprised to find local plants could be used to make efficient sprays, imagine a world where the Department of Agriculture put research money into that!
The next three meetings are garden visits details to follow.
Tan.
fusionherbs@westnet.com.au
Venue: 12 Mile Cafe
Address: Lot 20 Yamashita Rd, 12 Mile, Broome

Fresh Produce report:

Leeks and Celery have been quite hard to get over summer and those we could get were coming from interstate, but we are now getting a fairly consistent supply of great quality local produce. Kale is also a star performer at the moment, with several varieties available (including the tasty Cavalo Nero). The Carnarvon tomato season is now hitting its straps, so after a month or so of patchy supply tomato soup (or even just cheese and tomato toasties) are back on the menu.

Now that the excitement of new season apples is starting to wear off citrus is what we're all looking forward to now. New season Navel oranges, Mandarins and hopefully even some Lemons should be on the shelves any day now.

Enjoy!
Lyndon McMath

Shop 7, 299 Charles Street
North Perth WA 6006
p: (08) 9227 7755  f: (08) 9227 7711
www.organiconcharles.com.au

Hello again!
I know I seem obsessed with rain but as I am writing we are awaiting rain tonight which is supposed to continue all week – Hooray!
If (like me) you've been too busy lately to spend much time in the garden – don't fret.  There is still time to get in your winter vegies. See our website for a general guide on what to plant now:

Growing Jerusalem Artichokes
While researching this piece, I found this great quote on the internet:
In 1621 the writer John Goodyer wrote of the Jerusalem Artichoke, “…in my judgement, which way soever they be drest and eaten they stir up and cause a filthie loathsome stinking winde with the bodie, thereby causing the belly to bee much pained and tormented…. more fit for swine, than men.”

Cheers,
Linda Mitchener
The Green Life Soil Co

Whatever the season brings we have to go on, maintain our standards, and stand up for what we believe. This picture of organic farmers Ron and Suzanne Watkins sums it up. Markets don't want to buy it, traders don't want to sell it, people don't want to eat and farmers don't want to grow it! Now how hard is that to understand?
Cheers, Janet

Snippet from BFA's Enews
Artificial food colours are liquids or powders added to foods or beverages to enhance the colour and appearance. Research shows that artificial colours may cause hyperactivity, allergic reactions and migraines and they have been linked to stomach upsets and swelling of skin (The Southampton Study 2007).

Food allergies are now up to 8% in children aged to five years old and in addition, a lot of people are now using synthetic antioxidants that can have an effect on children's allergies and manufacturers don't have to state that it is artificial on the label. There is a difference between food allergies – a reaction to proteins in food - and food intolerance which is related to chemicals in food and artificial colours and flavours.

Artificial colours are not the only problem as products may still have other things in them such as preservatives.  Organic food is the best means of avoiding over 50 additives in foods which cause health or behavioural problems, particularly children, excepting those with annatto natural colour and rosemary extract used as a preservative. There are also a limited number of natural foods which can cause intolerances; therefore it's always good to visit the Food Intolerance Network website.” Look up: www.fedup.com.au

Supermarkets busted: dodgy labelling leaves a sour taste
The NSW Food Authority has caught two of Australia's biggest retailers in the act of falsely describing the origin of fruit for sale in two Sydney stores, Minister for Primary Industries, Katrina Hodgkinson revealed.

It is the first time Coles and Woolworths have been fined for Country of Origin labelling breaches – labelling imported fruit as Australian produce - and both have been placed on the NSW Food Authority's Name and Shame register.

“It may be seen to be of commercial advantage by some retailers to imply that their produce is of Australian origin. This is illegal and will not be tolerated.”
Katrina Hodgkinson said that the State's 40,000 farmers would rightly be outraged by this case.
Our farmers deserve better than to have supermarkets trade on their clean-green reputation using products that were grown thousands of kilometres away.”
Woolworths at Newington has been fined for advertising lemons for sale as being the “Product of Australia” when the individual products were actually from the USA. The action breaches the Food Act (2003) which states that “a person must not, in the course of carrying on a food business, sell food that is packaged or labelled in a way that falsely describes the food” and carries a penalty of $1540.
Coles at St Marys has been fined for displaying grapefruit for sale without a statement indicating the country of origin. Neither the price ticket nor the sticker on the individual fruit contained information informing the consumer the grapefruit originated from Israel. The penalty for the offence is $880

Toxins in human & foetal blood caused by genetically modified food
Research in Canada has identified a Bt toxin, produced by genetically modified (GM) insect resistant crops, in the blood of women. The study also shows the toxin was passed on through fetal blood.
The study was undertaken at Sherbrooke University Hospital in Quebec where a team of researchers studied samples of blood from 30 pregnant women, 30 umbilical cords and 39 non-pregnant women – all women were close in age.
The study shows the long-term held belief that all Bt-toxin is destroyed in the gut to be untrue.
BFA spokesperson, Dr Maarten Stapper, said the research proves, “not all Bt-toxin is broken down in the gut when we eat GM food or in plants when they senesce, as GM scientists and food safety authorities have us led to believe.”
“They [GM scientists and food safety authorities] claim GM crops are safe as they have undergone more tests than non-GM before being released. That may be so but they are not conducting appropriate long-term and generational studies on GM effects after long-term use.”
The conclusion of the research paper states; to our knowledge, this is the first study to highlight the presence of pesticides associated genetically modified foods in maternal, fetal and non-pregnant women's blood. 3MPPA [3-methylphosphinicopropionic acid] and Cry1Ab toxin [Bt toxin] are clearly detectable and appear to cross the placenta to the fetus. Given the potential toxicity of these environmental pollutants and the fragility of the fetus, more studies are needed, particularly those using the placental transfer approach. (2011)
Dr Stapper says that while over two trillion meals made with GM ingredients have been consumed across the world without any obvious health issues, he believes the long-term negative health effects of consuming GM are yet to be understood.
“It is a considerable concern that there are no published studies to show GM safety in long-term soil health or generational animal feeding. Why are there no such official publications when unauthorised ones show many health problems in 2nd and 3rd generations? Why would we accept being guinea pigs?” Dr Stapper said.
Dr Andrew Monk, Director and Standards Convenor, Biological Farmers of Australia, said that due to loose labelling laws, buying certified organic remains one of the only guarantees to consumers that food is not made with GM ingredients.
“It pays to take the precautionary approach and buy certified organic. Our research shows consumers' top reasons for choosing organic include avoiding chemicals, additives, antibiotics and GM food as well as helping the environment,” said Andrew.

Rock Art on the Peninsula
The annual non-profit trip to Burrup peninsular, near Karratha, organized by Friends of Australian Rock Art is taking place end of July. The purpose of the trip is to make people aware of the quantity and quality of the unique rock art on the peninsula. The $1750 you pay will include the bus trip up and back, 2 nights in motel in Carnarvon, 5 nights in good tents in the Karratha caravan Park, all meals and tours up little valleys with a guide to see some of probably 1 million existing rock art (all petroglyphs, no paintings) in a stunning landscape. For more details please email Betty McGeever: (mcgeever@iinet.net.au)

• Aris A, Leblanc S. Maternal and fetal exposure to pesticides associated to genetically modified foods in Eastern Townships of Quebec, Canada. Reprod Toxicol (2011), doi:10.1016/j.reprotox.2011.02.004

• Organic vs conventional agriculture: 20 year trial reveals major benefits of organic production
  In America's longest running trials comparing organic farming methods against conventional, the results are in; organic agriculture methods are the most environmentally sustainable and resilient.
  Organic production was found to have less net carbon emissions, was more water saving, and at least as financially profitable for farmers as conventional farming methods - in many cases more so.
  Click her To read more.

WINTER SEASONAL SEMINAR on SATURDAY 25TH JUNE,
on GROWING YOUR OWN ORGANIC VEGETABLES.
For more information
contact Jude Blereau - jude@wholefoodcooking.com.au

For Sale
Crates for sale – fresh produce plastic crates 84litre large quantity please contact Dieter
Ph 041 232 8387  

Organic Wheat/pea/oat Seeds wanted
Could you help me find suppliers of organic wheat seed for stock and organic peas and oat seed for hay. Contact Nicole at  Gilshenen@hotmail.com

Source of Organic Oranges
Alive Juice is looking for a year round source of organic oranges. If you can help please get in contact with Les Carrol at info@alivejuice.net

Looking for 2 year old comfrey leaves.  If anyone has any and you want to give away or sell please contact Leesa at sales@thegreenhouseorganic.com

For Sale

ORGANIC FARM 49 ha Private sale
BORDERS NATIONAL PARK & Tourist Drive, North facing, 3 dams w/Large contour drains  (incl a 6000 yard dam),6 paddocks, New Colorbond shed w/ underground power & Septic tank.  Mixed timber tree plantation, Fenced off (el) orchard area.  All wandoo strainers (no CCA pine) 3 Organic Neighbours $498000, Porongurup
For more details and photos call Ph 98 531123 or email peterbamboo@activ8.net.au

OGAWA Member Discount Scheme - Supporting businesses that promote organic food and farming
WA organic food and farming businesses offering discounts to members of OGAWA continues to grow. We thank these participating businesses for supporting the OGAWA and encourage all members to tell your friends about these great organic products and services available.
Click this link for the list of participating organic businesses.

The MDS is only available to current OGAWA members as shown by a valid membership card.
OGAWA Member Discount Scheme – Ask for your member discount from these participating businesses.  
Simply display your member discount card with some ID to verify your OGAWA membership.

Membership Renewals  Download Ordinary Membership Forms $30   
Download Commercial Membership Application $60

Welcome to the Organic Association of Western Australia's current edition of our paper– free electronic newsletter. We will be publishing a newsletter monthly and welcome articles, contributions and advertising from members and friends. (Please send to Leesa) Please ensure that we have your updated email address as our database has many invalid addresses where people have changed their details and not advised us. To subscribe or unsubscribe please contact Sue enews_editor@ogawa.org.au

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