Yeah, I know I recently updated my About page to say that I wouldn’t be accepting free review gifts and while that still stands (I didn’t personally receive this gift) I am going to do this ‘accidental’ review.

Cocolo sent me some chocolate to try. I’m guessing they sent it to me after reading a post where I mentioned them giving someone else a free sample of organic chocolate, although that post was quite some time ago. They sent the sample to my office in Perth. I don’t really work there anymore so they usually just forward my mail to me. Usually. Today I received an email from the office and I quote:

Someone sent you some organic chocolate to review.

It was yummy.

We need more.

It seems strange to me that they forward all kinds of junk mail to me but a couple of blocks of chocolate is too much trouble for them. Hmm…

So technically I didn’t break my review rule, seeing I didn’t touch the stuff, didn’t even get to smell the chocolate which I already know to be delicious. Apparently the chocolate was shared around the office and they discussed it so they could do a review for me – you know, to help me out.

Here’s what they had to say, again quoting them:

The brand is Cocolo.

The outer package stated 100% recycled paper.  On the wrapper it has lots of information including GMO free – what’s that?

The protective packaging  inside was sealed so ensured the product was fresh when opened.

Milk Hazelnut

had a nice chocolatey smell.

Smooth texture and the nuts were evenly distributed.

Not too sweet, the ratio of choc to sweetener must be high. On the packet said 41.8g of sugar, dont know what Cadbury’s have.

Had on packet fairtrade 59% as some products came from Europe but that’s okay as they have stated all the countries that they got the products from.

Dark Choc

70% cocoa 

nice smell

99% fairtrade.

Smooth texture

Not a fan of dark choc, but it was nice. 

I then got another email saying they needed more, so it looks like not only did I not get any chocolate but I’m going to have to buy them a few blocks to keep them happy!

For those who don’t know, GMO stands for genetically modified organisms and Cocolo chocolate is GMO free.

The only reason I am posting this review is that I’ve tried Cocolo chocolates before and I know they’re great. I think they’re available from most organic supermarkets but you can always have them ordered in if your local supermarket doesn’t stock Cocolo.

Update: I received the letter from Cocolo and they did send me the chocolate in response to my November blog post. It was a nice gesture and a nice bit of PR but I really can’t accept gifts like this in the future.

While I enjoy writing about organic living and organic gardening, it’s not so much fun when I look at my statistics and see that no one is reading my blog. I started this blog in August 2006 and I have slowly, very slowly, made my way up to 300 visitors per day. I had really hoped to be getting over 1000 visitors per day by now. Maybe that’s not realistic for my niche but that is what I had originally hoped for.

It took me a few months to realise that to get traffic to a blog you need links. There are lots of ways to get links to your blog but one of the easiest ways is to participate in a blog carnival. My biggest blogging mistake was not participating in this kind of event sooner. I had heard about blog carnivals but didn’t look into what they were about until a couple of months ago when I was read about them over at Pro Blogger.

All you have to do to participate in a carnival is write an original post, find a relevant carnival and let them know about your post. At the end of the week or month they will write a post on their blog with links to all participants. Depending on your niche you can easily get 20 links to your site per month using this technique.

Not only can you get links to your blog but you can get direct traffic as well. Plus you can find related blogs which are sure to be of interest. I definitely recommend participating in blog carnivals and I only wish I had started doing so earlier in my blogging ‘career’.

This is my submission for the blogging mistakes group writing project at Daily Blog Tips. You can participate too by writing about your own blogging mistakes.

Growing plants by seed is the cheapest way to get fresh, home grown fruit and vegetables. You can buy organic seeds to ensure that no nasty chemicals have been used and if you use organic gardening methods you will have an abundance of healthy, pesticide free food.

When growing vegetables (or any plants) from seed, you have two options; plant the seeds directly in the garden bed or plant them in a seed tray and then transplant the seedlings once they have established themselves. Planting the seeds directly in the bed can work well but the seedlings are at risk of attack by predators, such as snails, as well as the weather. Using a seed tray avoids these risks but you can lose some of the seedlings when planting out due to transplant shock.

So what is the best solution? Use individual seed boxes which can be planted directly into the ground. This way there is no transplant shock and the seedlings will be strong enough to survive being out in the open.

You can buy seed boxes or containers from garden centres but they are so expensive that it defeats the purpose of growing your own plants from seed. If the purpose is to save money, that is. The best way is to make your own. You can try using egg boxes or the cardboard from toilet rolls or paper towels. These will work. The other option is to make origami seed boxes. It will take a little effort to make them but once you get the hang of it you’ll get them done in no time. Small Meadow Farm also has some info on making newspaper pots.  Thanks to Groovy Green for the links.

Greenfoot reminds us that Earth Hour is on in Sydney this weekend. Don’t know what Earth Hour is? It’s a campaign to improve awareness of global warming:

At 7.30pm on 31 March 2007, we are inviting Sydneysiders – businesses and individuals – to turn off their lights for just one hour, Earth Hour, as a sign of their commitment to reduce global warming.

Earth Hour is just the start of a campaign that aims to reduce Sydney’s greenhouse emissions by 5% in 2007. The event will demonstrate how simple actions can make the world of difference if everyone takes part. And it sends a powerful message that we care about the future of the planet.

The campaign is aimed at Sydneysiders but everyone from across Australia is encouraged to participate. All you have to do is turn off your lights for one hour at 7:30pm, local time, this Saturday. That should be easy enough to do. They hope it will later become a global campaign.

Update: Earth Hour has been declared a success:

The carbon dioxide saved during Sydney’s Earth Hour was equivalent to taking almost 50,000 cars off the road for an hour, Energy Australia says.

Sydney’s skyline was plunged into an unfamiliar darkness last night as the Harbour Bridge and Opera House, along with 65,000 households and 2,000 businesses, flicked off their lights.

A good round up of people’s experiences can be found over at Oikos.

Nvey Eco is a certified organic cosmetics brand which is now available online. Their products are made using natural ingredients and are therefore ideal for those with sensitive skin or allergies. Of course, less damage is done to the environment during the production of organic products making this a great brand for everyone. A wide range of colours are available so you should be able to find something to suit your skin.

Nvey Eco’s product range includes:

• foundation
• concealer
• blush
• eye shadow
• mascara
• lipstick
• lip gloss

The organic and natural product ingredients include:

• jojoba oil
• safflower oil
• chamomile
• herbs
• beeswax

The Eco Moisturising Mascara is formulated with nettle herb, horsetail herb, corn silk, jojoba oil, and also contains vitamin A, B5, C, and E. It is nourishing and conditioning and is available in black for a dramatic look or brown for a more subtle look. The Eco lipstick includes safflower, beeswax, castor oil, and vitamin E and is available in a wide variety of colours. If you prefer you can choose their lip gloss which they call the Organic Lip Lustre. These are available in 5 colours. There are a couple of different foundations available depending on your preference but the Creme Delux foundation gives a full coverage while leaving your skin soft and smooth.

These cosmetics are available online at Absolutely Gorgeous. Information about each product and their ingredients can be found there. If you have tried the Eco cosmetic brand please leave feedback or a review below so other visitors can more of an idea about them.

Daisy Blossom is a Victoria based company with a great range of organic cotton baby wear. They sell Under The Nile baby clothes which are made of 100% organic Egyptian cotton. The range includes:

• baby body suits
• kimonos
• long sleeve snap tops
• side snap pants
• side snap layette set
• footies
• flannel rompers
• mittens (these are gorgeous)
• blankets

The range is very cute, with lots of colours and designs to choose from. Prices start at $21 so they’re affordable and they currently have a deal where postage (within Australia) is included.

Alchemy and Akin hair and skin care products are two of the most established natural beauty product brands available in Australia. While some of their products contain organic ingredients, they specialise in natural, chemical free haircare and skincare.

Alchemy and A’kin products are free from parabens, silicones, petrochemicals, sulfates, artificial colours, ethoxylates, propylene glycol, and phthalates. They are natural and made without the use of animal ingredients or animal testing.

The Alchemy and A’kin product range is currently on sale (some items include a free gift) at Thexton so now is a good time to try their products or to stock up on you favourite skin and hair care products.

Alchemy Natural Products

The Alchemy range of natural hair and body wash products include varieties to suit all skin and hair types. Those available online include:

• Jasmine Body Wash
• Lavender Body Wash
• Orange Blossom Body Wash
• Sandalwood Body Wash
• Lavender Shampoo
• Lemongrass Shampoo
• Mandarin Shampoo
• Rosemary Shampoo
• Ylang Ylang Shampoo
• Rice Aminos and Wheat Shampoo
• Unscented Shampoo
• Avocado and Calendula Conditioner
• Jojoba Conditioner
• Lavender and Anthyllis Leave in Conditioner
• Macadamia and Wheat Conditioner
• Gingo and Jojoba Intensive Vitamin Masque

A’kin Skincare Products

While Alchemy products are for the hair and body, Akin products are generally for the face and hands such as cleansers, moisturisers, night creams, and hand creams. Those available online include:

• Pure Facial Cleansing Gel
• Pure Creamy Cleanser and Toner
• Refreshing and Soothing Toner
• Jojoba and Corn Gentle Exfoliating Facial Scrub
• Rose De Mai Antioxidant Day Creme
• Lavender and Rose Repairing Night Creme
• Lavender Hand, Nail, and Cuticle Cream
• Unscented Hand, Nail, and Cuticle Treatment
• Lavender and Geranium Body Moisturiser
• Unscented Replenishing Body Moisturiser

Alchemy and Akin products are reasonably priced and readily available online. Thexton has the biggest range so visit them for more information on individual products.

The demand for organic food has been increasing rapidly over the last couple of years and that trend is expected to continue over the next few years too. A recent article in The Australian on the state of organics in Australia discusses the ever increasing demand for organic produce:

Neil Druce says demand for organic products is outstripping supply. He is backed up by statistics from the Rural Industries Research and Development Corp. It estimates consumption is growing at 25-40 per cent a year, but Australian production ranges at only 6-15 per cent. That lag is occurring despite premiums for organic produce that can be as high as 100 per cent.

Sales of organic food in Australia are estimated at about $500 million a year and are growing at 25-50 per cent a year, according to the Organic Federation of Australia

Suppliers are having difficulties meeting this demand which has resulted in a significant portion of organic foods being imported:

"If you go into shops like Macro, Coles, Woolworths and have a look at the (organic) processed products, the majority now are imported," Leu says.

This hasn’t helped reduce the prices of organic food which is often ridiculously expensive:

At Coles, organic broccoli was last week selling for $11.96 a kilo – more than three times the price of "ordinary" broccoli, priced at $3.48 a kilo.

A 500g jar of organic honey was $6.79, compared to $4.79 for the same amount of conventionally produced Capilano-brand honey, while organic raw sugar was $2.26 kilo, 26 per cent more than regular raw sugar.

Part of the added expense can be explained by the higher costs of organic farming – without chemical fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides and genetically modified crops, yields per hectare are generally lower, resulting in a higher production cost per unit.

It seems Australian farmers need a helping hand to switch to organic growing methods and to get certified, which is a time consuming and, no doubt, expensive process. More Australian organic producers will benefit local consumers as well as the farmers themselves who may find new and lucrative overseas markets. Hopefully we’ll see more certified organic producers in the future to meet the increasing local demand.

Via Organic Food Blog

Organic fruit and vegetable home deliveries are becoming a popular way for people to get their organic groceries. I’ve tried it a few times and, while I’m yet to find a supplier I’m completely happy with, I think it’s a great idea. You place your order online and it gets delivered to your door once a week or so. I can’t think of a more convenient way to get your groceries.

There are a growing number of companies around Australia who deliver organic produce. If you are looking for this kind of service in New South Wales you could try CentWest Organics who have been getting recent media attention:

CentWest Organics offers customers throughout Wagga and the Riverina a long list of certified organic products, including fruit, vegetables, breads, cereals, milk, yoghurt and eggs, which can be delivered right to their front door.

Organic foods and healthy eating trends are making headlines everywhere, from supermarkets and retailers, to a rise in farmers’ markets and emerging boutique brands.

The ordering process is very straightforward, allowing customers to search through the extensive range of products from organic cheese, pasta, oils and salad dressings to confectionary, health bars, chips and biscuits and have them delivered with just the click of a mouse.

“We had the vision to bring the best, the freshest and the highest quality certified produce to as many households in the Riverina, the Central West and beyond as we possibly can."

CentWest Organics specialise in organic box home delivery that are certified organic. Boxes filled with seasonal produce are available from $35 to $70 plus delivery. However, if you prefer to choose your own, you can browse the range of products which includes:

• organic fruit and vegetables
• organic bread
• organic cereal
• organic dairy products
• organic beverages
• organic confectionary
• organic oil
• organic pet care

They currently service:

• Blackheath
• Mount Victoria
• Lithgow
• Bathurst
• Orange
• Oberon
• Cowra
• Dubbo
• Mudgee
• Young
• Wagga Wagga
• Blayney

Check with CentWest Organics for more information.

Thanks to Dave from Wagga Wagga for letting me know about this company.

I’ve received a few emails recently about the quality of certain farmers’ markets in Australia. Not just about the quality of the produce but also the variety or produce available and about value for money. Ed from Tomato has just written about his experience of farmers’ markets:

On the negative side from the Farmers’ Market I often end up with about 10kg of poor quality peaches that after a couple of days resemple a sinister pile of shrivelled scrotums filling-up my fruit bowl. Often the food is so ripe it is on the turn. This is the opposite problem to the supermarkets where produce sometimes seems to have been mummified and never ripens.

A farmers’ market takes more skill in shoping than a regular market. Instead of asking the reliable and well-known greengrocer what is good we have to self select from the producer who sells direct. Despite my grandfather being in the fruit growing and import business I still find I often fail at this.

The problem is that there is a whole load of stuff that isn’t available and from past experience I know I don’t want to buy from the Farmers’ Market. That means I have to travel to another market anyway, which makes me think: what’s the point?

Quality Produce?

I must admit that I struggle a bit at fruit and veg markets. I go in hope of picking up some really fresh food, which has just been harvested, for less than what I would pay in a supermarket. Unfortunately, I often see shrivelled eggplant or capsicum or soft potatoes so they are clearly not fresh. How can that be? Don’t they come directly from the farm? Perhaps the produce in farmers’ markets is what the fruit and vege shops or supermarkets refused buy from them?

Sometimes I do think it is my own fault though. I tend to go to my local farmers’ market in the afternoon, not long before they close. Obviously that is pretty stupid. The best produce would surely go fairly early on in the morning. I keep thinking I should go as soon as they open but seeing I’m not much of a morning person, that never happens. However, due to the number of complaints I’ve heard, it seems that there is a definite lack of quality at some farmers’ markets.

Wide Variety of Produce?

The variety of products available in a farmers market will depend on a few things. Firstly, the size of the market. Obviously, a small market won’t have everything you are looking for so you’ll have to go elsewhere to get everything you need. Secondly, the variety of local producers. If producers in your area don’t produce organic lamb, for example, then you won’t be able to get organic lamb at that market. Simple. Thirdly, the variety of produce will depend on the season. I think sometimes we forget (and by we I mean me) that fruit and vegetables grow in certain seasons so it’s not normal to find them all year round. Not when they’ve been grown locally, that is. So if you want to buy local organic produce then don’t expect to see strawberries available in the middle of winter.

Overpriced?

While I don’t find that farmers’ markets are expensive, they are more expensive than I feel they should be. I would think buying direct from the producer would result in significantly cheaper prices. There’s no middleman after all and if they are local producers then the transport costs should be fairly low. However, I’ve found prices in the markets to be fairly similar to those in my local greengrocer. Maybe it’s just too much trouble for them go to the market, set up the stall, and get a couple of people to man it – so they up the prices a bit to make it worth their time.

Why Shop at Farmers’ Markets?

If you go early and are selective then you can get quality organic fruit and vegetables fresh from the farm. If you go regularly you’ll soon figure out who has the best produce and you can get what you want quickly. Certain items such as eggs, cheese, yoghurt, and meat are generally of high quality and reasonably priced.

Where to Find Farmers’ Markets

Farmers’ and growers’ markets can be found all around the country. The links below should help you to find a market near you:

Farmers’ markets in Sydney and NSW
Farmers’ markets in Melbourne and Victoria
Farmers’ markets in Perth and WA
Farmers’ markets in Brisbane and Queensland
Farmers’ markets in Adelaide and South Australia