Since commencing their online baby product website in 2001, UrbanBaby has become one of Australia’s top e-commerce sites. They’re one of my favourite websites for organic baby clothes. They stand out from their competitors due to the variety of clothes and accessories on offer and due to their easy to navigate site. They have a good range of products and good service, which is very important for an online business.

Here is what the Information Age had to say about them:

When UrbanBaby.com.au opened its doors (figuratively speaking) back in 2001, it was one of only two Australian companies selling baby products on the Internet.

Today, UrbanBaby.com.au is an e-commerce success by anyone’s standards, doubling its revenues each year and supporting 10 employees. Managing director Linda Hattersley says the company has about half a dozen serious competitors, plus lots of little ones that come and go.

"We probably receive five e-mails a day from new mums wanting advice about starting an online business and asking where we source our products," Hattersley said from the company’s Sydney warehouse.

She and business partner Christine Thompson were new mums themselves when they started the company. They met at a mothers group and discovered they shared a passion for stylish, practical and innovative baby products. Both wanted to return to work, but felt constrained by a traditional bricks and mortar approach. An online business allowed them to develop a successful retail operation while retaining a more flexible lifestyle.

As UrbanBaby.com.au’s Hattersley will attest, it’s the quality of shopping experience that brings customers back.

"We focus on driving traffic to the Web site and then backing it up with fast delivery and quality service. Our customers love our Web site and the products, so we have a very high conversion rate. And as we continue to grow, we know it’s critical that we maintain our service levels and still ship products within 24 hours.

"Other sites often make customers wait weeks for delivery so we need to keep that point of difference."

I’ve bought from UrbanBaby a couple of times and their service has been excellent on both occasions. I would like to see them add more products, especially organic products such as organic toys but overall it’s one of the better Australian websites selling baby clothes and accessories.

I eat mostly organic food at home but rarely when I go out. It’s not that I don’t want to, it’s just that the choice of organic cafes and restaurants is very limited. However, there are a few organic restaurants around and Sandcastle Organic in Fremantle is one of them.

The Sandcastle is one of only a handful of restaurants in Australia who have decided to focus on organic ingredients. We match organic beer, wine and spirit to cuisine of excellent quality and presentation. Our focus extends to organic producers worldwide, but we endeavour to support local and boutique products in Western Australia. We have undertaken this organic specialisation as a result of our commitment to the pursuit of increased quality in all that we consume, and that which we offer to our customers and friends. We hope you enjoy the food, wine and ambience of The Sandcastle.

A review of Sandcastle Organic can be found at Abstract Gourmet:

Sharon got a curry puff and I ordered some bread and olive oil. I think I subconsciously judge a place by the quality of its olive oil. Luckily they use some very nice organic stuff that was quite peppery and managed to hold its own against the balsamic vinegar.

On to the mains. I couldn’t go past the centre cut fillet of beef on oak smoked mushrooms… The decision was made and a glass of Grenache Shiraz Cabernet to go with it. The beef was excellent, although sadly, not cooked the way I asked. I asked for medium rare and it came out a most definite medium. Still tender, but scarcely pink as far as my eyes could tell in the glaring 4pm autumn sunlight. It was already late enough though, and it was still very edible, so I waived the offer to recook it, and instead was offered my drinks for free… a lovely compromise.

Overall the food was great. Rich earthy flavours and complimenting textures from each dish we tried. Definitely a place to try if you’re looking for a healthy change or a tasty distraction from the sterile masses. The owners are very friendly people too, good service is always a delight.

I haven’t been to the Sandcastle but I’ve heard a few people mention it and all have given good reviews. Feel free to leave your review by leaving a comment.

The Herald reports that the Crown Street Public School in Sydney is serving certified organic food to the school’s 250 students.

The inner-city school’s 250 pupils can choose from a lunch list that looks like any other healthy canteen menu, except that it is all organic. Even the snacks such as potato chips, popcorn, fruit bars and licorice straps are certified organic.

The canteen food is provide by the owner of Kawa cafe which is next door to the school.

Kawa, is next door to the school and has been sending the organic message to Surry Hills locals since she opened it in 2001. Everything is organic, from the coffee to the cakes. Further down the road, near Oxford Street, Hewitt has a grocery and takeaway store, The Goods Organic, which she set up a year ago.

A wide variety of healthy organic food is on offer for students.

Hot food, such as organic mini pies, spaghetti bolognaise and hokkien noodles with vegetables, are delivered fresh daily from the Goods’ kitchen to the tuckshop. Sandwich bread and fillings are brought up and made at the school. The kids can also choose organic pasta salad, organic sausage wrap with Nana Wood’s relish (Hewitt’s grandmother’s recipe) or the popular melts.

There is almost nothing organic she can’t source for the tuckshop, from yoghurt to chocolate milk. "Bread rolls are hard to find," she says. Most of the prices are also comparable to conventional produce, from bottled water to dried fruit. Hewitt says that with careful menu planning, "you can offer choices at about the same price as conventional equivalents". She also draws on her experience of buying organic produce wholesale through her two other businesses.

Story via Limes and Lycopene.

In my recent post on how to get rid of aphids, I mentioned that attracting ladybugs to your garden is the best way as they are a natural predator of aphids. It has since come to my attention that ladybug is American English and I should have said ladybird; I am Australian after all. Shame on me! Whatever you call these little insects, they are definitely something you want in your garden.

There is even a vineyard in Margaret River which has the ladybird on its label. The Gherardi vineyard believes the presence of the ladybird in their vineyard shows that they have a healthy vineyard and that they are doing the right thing in not using harsh chemicals on their grapes. I think they’re right. It just goes to show that reducing or being selective with the chemicals you use can be enough to create a balance in the environment so that you can still produce the crops you want but not destroy every living bug at the same time.

Here’s what they have to say about producing their wines and the presence of the ladybird:

In pursuit of the highest quality fruit, vines have been planted at twice the density of the average vineyard (3,333 – 4,000 vines/ha). The vines are hand pruned, crop thinned and hand harvested to maximise quality. All vines are netted to protect the fruit from the ravages of birds.

Peter’s philosophy is to operate the vineyard using the ‘softest’ approach when it comes to the use of chemicals. As a result there is an abundance of spiders and ladybirds – all great signs of a healthy vineyard.

Most of us realise the role this insect plays in the environment. Their sight in the environment means that things are close to being in balance. This is because they feed on aphids and other minute harmful plant pests. As such it is considered bad luck to kill them particularly if one has landed on you.

In many cultures it is believed they bring good luck. Also they are regarded to signal fine weather and generally impart a good feeling on whom they fall.

At the Gherardi vineyard they are often sighted in the vines which shows that the regime of using predator friendly sprays is actually working. While the use of harsher chemicals may rid a particular pest, it often wipes out the predators of other pests and as a result one is left with a worsening situation.

Ladybirds and Pest Control

Ladybirds are brightly coloured to ward away potential predators. This defence works because most predators associate bright colours (especially orange and black or yellow and black) with poison and other unpleasant properties. Most ladybirds are indeed poisonous to smaller predators, such as lizards and small birds; however, a human would have to eat several hundred ladybirds before feeling any effects.

Ladybirds are beneficial to organic gardeners as they are insectivores, consuming aphids, fruit flies, thrips, and other plant sucking insects that damage crops.

Review of the Green Grocer by Michael at Where’s The Beef:

The Green Grocer doubles as a small organic foodstore and a cafe specialising in organic breakfasts and lunches.

I went for beans and avocado to accompany, Krusty settled for just the beans and J-Files opted for mushrooms and hash-browns. All of us settled on poached eggs – with good reason. The eggs were perfectly cooked – fluffy whites gently encasing delicously gooey yolks. The beans are worthy of a mention as well – spicy and flavoursome.

The Green Grocer
217 St Georges Road
Fitzroy North VIC

I think this post is just rubbish. It quotes Norman Borlaug, an advocate of the use of synthetic fertilisers:

Perhaps the most eminent critic of organic farming is Norman Borlaug, the father of the “green revolution”, winner of the Nobel peace prize and an outspoken advocate of the use of synthetic fertilisers to increase crop yields. He claims the idea that organic farming is better for the environment is “ridiculous” because organic farming produces lower yields and therefore requires more land under cultivation to produce the same amount of food. Thanks to synthetic fertilisers, Mr Borlaug points out, global cereal production tripled between 1950 and 2000, but the amount of land used increased by only 10%. Using traditional techniques such as crop rotation, compost and manure to supply the soil with nitrogen and other minerals would have required a tripling of the area under cultivation. The more intensively you farm, Mr Borlaug contends, the more room you have left for rainforest.

It’s fine to say that synthetic fertilisers increase crop production. They do. In the short term. However, in the long term, this isn’t a sustainable method of farming. The use of pesticides, herbicides, and fertilisers, kills pretty much everything except the crop itself. The result is poor soil with no beneficial micro-organisms and nutrients. This means to maintain the same level of crops each year the farmer needs to use more fertilisers. Mono-cropping also increases the risk of disease and as some insects become immune to certain pesticides, more and varied sprays will need to be used on crops further reducing soil quality and again increasing the need for more fertilisers. This is not sustainable in the long term.

There is also no mention on the pollution all these chemicals use. Runoff from farms enters our lakes, rivers, and other waterways, polluting them. There is no question about this. Look at the algal blooms you see in many rivers, killing off fish and everything else living in the water. This is mainly attributed to fertilisers used in the local area.

What about the harm these chemicals are doing to the people using them? The World Health Organisation reports that around 20,000 people die each year due to chemicals used on cotton farms alone. It’s also likely that the high number of cancers seen in children in Canada’s Prince Edward Island is the result of pesticides used on local potato crops.

Organic farming is better for the environment. It produces less pollution, encourages varied wildlife, and promotes healthy soil.

Abstract Gourmet has an excellent review of Tiger, Tiger, a Perth cafe serving delicious coffee, hot chocolate, and some organic meals.

Clare is slowly carving out a little slice of the CBD for her very own, and crafting it into the kind of place where people can feel comfortable hanging out, and perhaps find a bit of solace in this hectic (wait am I talking about Perth) city. Complete with plush booths, eclectic furniture (sourced individually), a burgeoning herb garden, and some damn fine coffee.

The coffee they are using is Fiori (more on them later), and it’s really starting to hit its strides. On a cruisey Thursday morning last week I popped in and sampled a fine short macchiato that had excellent body, as well as just the right amount of sweetness from the milk to keep my taste buds happy. Clare and roving barista Jackson are pumping out some great shots, and are producing what would be the peak expression of the Fiori blend at this point in time.

Aside from the coffee (and a superb hot chocolate with desiccated coconut in it), they also have a little kitchen, and make fresh meals daily and have a commitment to using organic produce.

Tiger, Tiger
Shop 4
Murray Mews
329 Murray Street
Perth WA

Tiger, Tiger doesn’t really have a website, just one page with a map of where to find them. If you’re in Perth, stop by Tiger, Tiger and let us know what you think by leaving your review in the comments below.

A cloche is simply a structure which is placed around plants to cover and protect them. They come in many different shapes and sizes are made of various materials. Cloches were traditionally made of glass but are now often made of plastic. Open weave baskets and wire covered with mesh or netting can also be used.

In an organic garden, it is probably best to use natural and/or recyclable materials for a cloche. Personally, I would avoid buying a plastic cloche, however, if you have some suitable plastic around your home, such as used large plastic soft drink bottles, then these can easily be reused as a cloche.

Advantages of Cloches

Using cloches is an excellent organic way to protect your fruit and vegetables from pests. A cloche places a physical barrier between pests and plants, eliminating the need for pesticides. There are many uses and benefits of cloches:

• to protect plants from insects
• to protect plants from snails
• to protect plants from birds
• to protect from severe weather
• to protect new cuttings
• to warm the soil prior to planting
• to extend the season for herbs and some vegetables
• to protect vegetables from frost

Cloches can protect from the following pests:

• flies
• moths
• beetles
• aphids
• birds
• rabbits

Disadvantages of Cloches

• Cloches can encourage diseases.
• Cloches can speed up the germination and growth of weeds.
• Cloches can prevent pollination.
• Cloches make watering difficult.

Cloches are a temporary protective measure and when used for short periods of time, can be of great assistance to the organic gardener.

This 90 second ‘commercial for the environment‘ was made for the BBC’s highly acclaimed music documentary ‘One World, One Voice’ which was included in their ‘One World Week’ series of programmes in 1990. The commercial won first prize at the London International Advertising Awards in its category. The music was written by Eric Clapton and Michael Kamen for ‘The Edge of Darkness’ and was adapted especially for ‘Stop the Rot’.

If you look at the ingredients found in most soap, you’ll see that they are made almost entirely out of chemicals, many of which you won’t even have a clue what they are. For most people, this isn’t really a problem. The soap does as required; it cleans. However, many soaps found in the supermarket can lead to skin irritations such as eczema and dermatitis and this is especially the case with young children. It is often the chemicals added to soaps which cause these irritations.

Using soap made from natural ingredients is a way to avoid, or at least reduce, many minor skin conditions. It won’t work for everyone, but many people find changing to a natural soap can make a huge difference. Choosing an organic soap can also be beneficial. Organic ingredients have been produced without the use of pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilisers.

There are two main benefits of using organic products. Firstly, it’s better for the environment. Organic farming doesn’t rid the soil of micro-organisms which enrich the soil and help prevent soil degradation and erosion. Organic farming doesn’t pollute waterways with chemical runoff. Organic farming encourages diverse flora and fauna to the area to create a more natural, balanced environment. Secondly, organic products do not contain any pesticide residues which can be harmful, especially when used over long periods.

It is difficult to find soaps which are 100% organic but there are many varieties of soap available which are 100% natural and contain some organic ingredients. Shirts of Bamboo has a large range of bamboo clothing but also stock a number of beautiful natural and organic soaps. The ingredients of these soaps vary depending on the soap but may include the following.

Organic Ingredients

• organic oats
• organic aloe
• organic peppermint
• organic prickly pear cactus

Natural Ingredients

• olive oil
• unrefined African shea butter
• goats milk
• essential oils
• wild carrot
• Moroccan red clay
• wild horsemint
• sunflower seeds and petals
• cinnamon
• wild yucca root
• sea salt

You can buy these organic and natural soaps here or look for something similar in your local markets and organic stores.