Helen from Grab Your Fork has a great post about the opening of the new Macro Wholefoods supermarket in Concord. The post includes lots of great photos of some of the delicious looking food such as Lescure butter, Dagoba organic chocolate, and buffalo mozzarella (a personal favourite).

This is what Helen had to say:

Wooden slats feature heavily in the fruit and vegetable section, shiny perspex cannisters hold the bulk nuts and dry goods, the pristine grocery aisles are filled with organic and fair trade products.

In addition to the Concord store, Macro Wholefoods has NSW stores in Bondi Junction, Crows Nest and Hornsby. A stand-alone Macro Cafe is set to open on King Street in Newtown.

Within Macro Wholefoods retail lines, particular growth has been noticed in
* skincare, beauty and cosmetics (particularly non-petroleum products)
* baby products (babyfoods, nappies and lotions)
* detergents (phosphate-free so grey water doesn’t kill gardens)
* organic petfoods
* gluten-free and coeliac alternatives.

If you don’t know much about Macro Wholefoods then this is what they are about:

To get clean food we need a clean source. Macro nurtures a close synergy with certified organic growers and suppliers to make sure that the products we offer are authentic – they have not been synthesised or adulterated in production, processing or storage. We know our growers and they know us. We work together to provide the best organic and natural produce available. Our growers know that Macro does not accept poor produce, working to our stringent quality standards.

The benefits of organic agriculture include:

• Working in harmony with local eco-systems
• Minimising soil erosion
• Encouraging bio-diversity
• Maintaining humane livestock practices.

So if you haven’t been to Macro Wholefoods before are you live near Concord then go and have a look while it’s fresh and new. If you don’t live nearby then there are many other organic supermarkets in Sydney where you can do your shopping.

Natural Fashion sells a wide range of organic cotton soft toys which are available both online and off throughout Australia. They are great for young children as they don’t contain any dyes, bleach or other chemicals. They are made using certified organic cotton making them good for the environment as well as your and your child’s health.

Off-cuts from the production of other items are recycled and used in the production of these cute, natural coloured toys. This is a great and easy way to reduce waste while creating a useful product.

Organic soft toys or dolls would make a great gift and the many designs mean you should be able to find something to suit your needs. I particularly like the monkey (pictured) but you can also find:

• organic cotton dolls (for boys and girls)
• organic cotton stuffed animals
• organic cotton soccer ball
• organic toy mobile

They are quite old fashioned looking toys, more like something my grandmother would have had, but I think that is part of the appeal.

Natural Fashion also sells men’s clothing, women’s clothing, accessories, and homewares all made from organic cotton. Here’s a little bit about them from their site:

(quote removed)

For more information, read my Natural Fashion review.

This meme has been around for quite a while now and it must be on its last legs if it has reached me. I don’t know that I really want to ‘thank’ Kathryn for tagging me but anyway here goes…

5 Things You Didn’t Know About Me

I used to play women’s cricket.
I started my cricket ‘career’ at Melville before playing with Curtin University and then for Midland/Guildford (all in Perth). I even played for the State (WA) Under 18 Team and played in the championships in Brisbane. From memory, we didn’t win a game.

I sleepwalk.
About a year ago, I started walking in my sleep. It happened every other night for a while but now much less often. Usually I get up and turn the light on to ‘check’ that there’s nothing wrong with the bed but a couple of times my husband has stopped me trying to leave the house. I don’t know where I was going! The strange thing (if that’s not strange enough) is that I’m completely aware of what I’m doing, although I can’t stop myself from doing it.

I live in France.
It may seem strange writing an Australian blog from Paris, France but that is the case. France is a crap wonderful country but thankfully unfortunately I won’t be staying long term. My husband is working for a company here and I’m working on my blogs, affiliate marketing, and web development. I should be back in Australia in the not too distant future.

Je parle le francais.
Oui, c’est vrai. J’habite en France et je parle couramment le francais.

My favourite actor is Gad Elmaleh.
I accept that most of you won’t even know who he is but I love Gad Elmaleh. He’s more of a comedian than an actor (and it shows) but il est tres charmant et tres drole. Je l’adore! He’s a Jewish Moroccan with Canadian citizenship who lives in France.

I’m going to tag five bloggers from this weeks Weekend Herb Blogging.

Tomatom Neil Ceviz Astrid Burcu

Holistic Select Chicken Meal and Rice dog food is made with certified organic chicken and amaranth as well as other natural ingredients such as rice, fruit, vegetables, and oils. This is ideal if you are looking for a way to provide natural, healthy meals for your pet, without having to go to the trouble of preparing the food yourself.

Holistic Select is a small, family owned company who has been making pet food since the 1980s. They add various natural supplements to their products such probiotics, kelp, and yucca.

Organic Ingredients

• organic chicken
• organic amaranth

The free range, certified organic chicken used in this dog food is raised without the use of hormones, antibiotics or growth stimulants. It also contains certified organic amaranth which provides a good source of amino acids, linoleic acid, and protein.

Fruit and Vegetables

• peas
• carrots
• apples
• alfalfa
• dandelion
• kelp

Other Ingredients

• brown rice
• barley
• fish meal
• pork meal
• oatmeal
• dried eggs
• flaxseed
• canola oil
• cheese meal
• yucca
• chicory root extract
• beta carotene
• garlic

Holistic Select Dog Food is available online at Pet Deli. Use their search function (click on the link on the top navigation menu) and search for "chicken meal and rice" in quotes and you’ll find it.

Pet Deli delivers to Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane as well as many regional areas. Contact them about delivery to your area.

Delivery is free to Sydney Metro for orders over $50.

Eco friendly toilet cleaners such as this one from EcoStore, are made using natural, plant based, non-toxic ingredients which are less damaging to our waterways and the environment.

Regular toilet cleaning products use toxic petrochemicals as well as synthetic perfumes and dyes, all of which can pollute our waterways when flushed away with toilet water. As well as damaging the environment, these chemicals have the potential to harm your health, especially when used regularly over many years.

There is no need to use such harsh chemicals when cleaning your home. There are many natural alternatives which are just as effective. You can safely clean your toilet using baking soda or vinegar and this works well for many people.

If you prefer to buy a ready made, natural product then EcoStore Toilet Cleaner is a good option. It is made in New Zealand with natural ingredients such as:

• citrus oil
• sassafras
• pine oil

The product cleans well and, as the ingredients are biodegradable, it is safe for septic tanks and grey water systems.

EcoStore is a well known environmentally friendly cleaning brand and as well as getting excellent reviews has been nominated for numerous awards. They take pride in their products which they ensure are not tested on animals. They are sold in as little packaging as possible and, where possible, the packaging is recyclable.

EcoStore Toilet Cleaner is available online at Thexton. Delivery generally takes 2 to 3 days to addresses in Australia and they also deliver internationally.

Thexton is an Australian company, based on the Gold Coast, selling health and nutrition products online. They have been in operation since 2003 and sell many well known brands. They deliver internationally as well as in Australia with delivery usually taking 2 to 3 days.

Thexton stocks a number of organic products and everything in store is on sales until 12 midnight EST on Monday 29th January 2007. So if you want to buy something, you may as well take advantage of the sale and get 15% off the regular price. Enter the code AUSTDAY in the voucher box when paying to get the discount.

Organic products available include:

• organic vitamins
• organic tea tree oil
• certified organic rosehip oil
• organic flaxseed oil
• organic skin care
• organic food
• organic coconut oil
• organic herbs
• organic chocolate

Visit Thexton for more information on products and prices.

Silver foliage herbs are some of the most beautiful, tasty, and useful herbs. They make great displays, either planted en mass or used as hedges. They have many culinary uses but also play an important role in an organic garden as companion plants.

Top 5 Silver Foliage Herbs

Sage

• Small growing herb, perfect for pots.
• Commonly used in cooking either in stuffing or in browned butter sauce for pasta.
• Sage tea of often used to soothe a sore throat.

Lavender

• Lavender is one of the most common herbs.
• Its silver foliage looks great when used as a hedge.
• This herb is often used to aid sleep and relaxation.
• Lavender is great for attracting bees to your garden.
• Lavender oil is used as an antiseptic.

Variegated Society Garlic

• A small bulbous herb with long, thin, silvery leaves and pretty pink/purple flowers.
• Smells like garlic but is not garlic.
• Is grown mainly for ornamental purposes.

Silver Thyme

• A small plant with silvery, grey leaves.
• Commonly used in cooking to flavour meat and soups.
• Thyme is good for attracting bees.
• May work as a companion to tomatoes, cabbage, and roses.
• Thyme tea can aid digestion.
• Ancient Egyptians used thyme in embalming.

Catnip

• Catnip has greyish green leaves and white, blue or pink flowers.
• Cats are attracted to catnip with many being strongly affected by its scent.
• Cats will often rub it, chew it, play around it, as well as salivating in its presence.
• This affect on cats is not long lasting and has no negative effects.
• Catnip is sometimes used as a herbal tea to treat colds and fevers.

Most herbs are easy to grow as they are generally pest and disease resistant. They can be grown inside, in pots, or in the garden as companion plants, for culinary or medicinal use or just for their attractive foliage.

For more information on growing and cooking with herbs, check out Weekend Herb Blogging which is being hosted this week by Tomato.

Harvest Highway Organics is a Bunbury based company producing and delivering organic products in the south west of WA. Here’s a little bit about them from their site:

Harvest Highway Organics was started a few yeas ago by Sarah Peterffy a young mother of 4 who wanted to give the best start to her young family as possible, good fresh food, natural ingredients, no chemicals and a thought for our environment coupled with her children’s future.

Products available include:

• organic white bread
• organic wholemeal bread
• organic spelt bread
• organic Turkish bread
• organic brioche
• organic vegetables
• organic fruit
• organic hommus
• organic yoghurt
• organic cheese

You can order online and have your products delivered to:

• Balingup
• Bridgetown
• Bunbury
• Donnybrook
• Manjimup

Check with them about delivery to other areas and for more information.

This organic lip balm is one of the few 100% organic beauty products around. It is made using quality natural and organic ingredients to smooth, moisturise, and protect your lips. It is lightly scented with vanilla and coconut and is a bargain at under $10.

Most of us end up eating quite a bit of lipstick and lip balms over the years so it’s important that we use products which are as natural as possible. The last thing we need it to be ingesting chemicals which have the potential to be dangerous to our health. This lip balm is:

• paraben free
• sls free
• contains no artificial ingredients
• contains only plant based ingredients
• completely natural and organic

It has never been tested on animals.

This Absolutely Gorgeous Lip Balm comes in a small tin which you can easily slip into your purse. Use it regularly throughout the day to help protect against the sun, wind, and cold. The organic butters and vegetable oils in this balm are ideal for keeping lips moisturised.

Ingredients:

• organic safflower oil
• organic shea butter
• organic beeswax
• organic palm oil
• organic cocoa butter
• organic sweet almond oil
• organic macadamia oil
• fragrance

This Organic Lip Balm is available online at Absolutely Gorgeous. They also stock a number of other organic lip balms and lipsticks if you are looking for different flavours or colours. They deliver everywhere in Australia for a flat rate via Australia Post and also ship to numerous international destinations.

If you are looking for skin care products which are natural, biodynamic, and organic then Dr Hauschka is no doubt the best brand. Dr Hauschka uses a holistic approach to creating skin care and their organic skin care and cosmetics are some of the most popular on the market.

Wherever possible, their products are made from minerals and plants which have been organically grown. They are made in Germany and have been certified as organic, meeting strict, independently tested guidelines.

Dr Hauschka Skin Care is free from:

• synthetic fragrances
• preservatives
• colours
• genetically modified organisms

The product range includes a wide variety of skin care products, hair care products, and cosmetics including:

• organic cleansers
• organic moisturisers
• organic lip balms
• organic shampoo and conditioners
• organic deodorant
• organic makeup

Starter kits are an excellent way to try out new products. Dr Hauschka offers a number of starter kits with products suitable for the face and body. These are also great for when travelling.

Dr Hauschka Daily Body Care Trial Kit

• Quince Body Moisturiser
• Rose Body Moisturiser
• Hand Cream
• Blackthorn Body Oil
• Rose Body Oil
• Lemon Bath
• Body Wash Floral
• Body Wash Fresh

Dr Hauschka Daily Face Care Trial Kit

• Cleansing Cream
• Cleansing Milk
• Facial Toner
• Rose Day Cream
• Moisturising Day Cream
• Quince Day Cream

Dr Hauschka Daily Face Care Trial Kit – Oily Skin

• Cleansing Cream
• Clarifying Toner
• Normalising Day Oil
• Facial Steam Bath
• Rejuvenating Mask
• Cleansing Clay Mask

Dr Hauschka organic beauty products are available online or you can find a list of other organic skin care products.