Granny Smith apples
Community

If you can’t beat ’em…

JUSTIN RUSSELL's apple trees have finished fruiting for the season, so he turns to a Stanthorpe orchardist to get an apple fix into winter.

The Fertile Dozen - A beginner's reading list
Book reviews

The Fertile Dozen – A beginner’s reading list

In order to understand the present and prepare for the future, it helps to understand the past.When ELIOT COLEMAN was asked what books would be best to help someone understand what a biologically based agriculture is all about, he put together this collection, which he nicknamed “The Fertile Dozen.”

Why Kids Need Nature
Organic homes

Why Kids Need Nature

KYLIE McGREGOR looks at the importance of outdoor play and why children should be swapping screen time for ‘green’ time.

Graham and Annemarie Brookman in their market garden at The Food Forest.
Inspirational gardeners

Permaculture Providers

Annemarie and Graham Brookman have spent 30 years creating a remarkable permaculture property near the Barossa Valley that produces more than 160 varieties of fruit, vegetables and nuts, and provides a working model for sustainable living, writes SIMON WEBSTER.

As the Earth Breathes
Our planet

As the Earth Breathes

Human-created global warming first appeared on our radar more than a century ago, and scientists have been charting its ominous development ever since. Environmental author and activist ALBERT BATES reflects on the unfolding history of global warming and humanity’s response

New Organic Gardener Cover
Book reviews

Book Review: The New Organic Gardener

JUSTIN RUSSELL reviews the new book by organic industry stalwart, Tim Marshall.

Heirloom Carrots
Community

What’s in a Name

There's more to plant names than you think. Some bear wonderful names that contribute a sense of poetry to the garden, while other are just plain silly. JUSTIN RUSSELL asks the question, "what's in a name?".

One of India Flint’s natural dye dresses.
Organic homes

Ethical threads

The environmental impacts of cotton production have been known for years, but the conventional textile industry remains plagued with problems that affect farmers and consumers, writes SIMON WEBSTER. Plus, an extract from a new book on ethical clothing by India Flint.

Striking stonework and hedging provides order and beauty.
Inspirational gardeners

Beautiful by design

Garden designer Steve Hailstone has combined beauty and functionality to create a wonderfully productive property, writes SIMON WEBSTER.

Banksia Rose Wisteria
Organic life

Welcome to Spring

Some reality TV shows would have you believe that gardening is little more than a way to increase the value of your property or a means of keeping up with Joneses. JUSTIN RUSSELL takes a hatchet to these ideas, and suggests that the benefits of gardening run deep.

Joe (far left) and Antonia (far right) with four of their sons and three apprentices.
Organic life

Milk in the veins

Elgaar Farm is a pioneering family dairy and cropping farm that has been paving the way in organic and sustainable practices for almost 25 years. HELEN CUSHING visits this Tasmanian treasure.

Espalier Apples
Organic life

Homegrown food saves money

Sometimes gardeners are reluctant to admit it, but growing your own food saves money. JUSTIN RUSSELL runs through a few quick calculations to show that when it comes to generating astrononical returns on investment, nothing beats organic food gardening.