honey

If you're reading this blog, you might be interested in the whole "Slow" movement which celebrates taking time to prepare good food, thoughts and friendships. Now in its fourth edition, there's a beautifully produced Australian magazine celebrating all things "Slow".  The words it uses to describe itself/its readers are: "creative, leisured, aware, relaxed, satisfied, informed, sincere..."

The brainchild of Jacqui Motts who has worked for publishing greats such as the New York Times, London's Sunday Telegraph and Rolling Stone New York, Slow Magazine is a fantastic read and if your local ne

Like the slow food movement, there's also a return to more natural, less toxic beauty products...and that's a great thing!  Take lip balms for example, we know a lot of people who get super dry lips and put on vaseline, petroleum byproducts and other synthetic lip balms.

What on earth is synthetic beeswax and why on earth do we need it? That's the question I asked when I checked out the ingredients on one of my daughter's chemist-suggested eczema creams only to discover it said "synthetic beeswax".  It got me wondering...who makes it? (perhaps Cyborg bees?). What's in it? (perhaps petrochemical honey & plastic flowers?)... and what does it mean for my little one's skin and overall health :) .

What a day.  A beautiful morning is always a good time to go and check on the bees, and delighted to discover three boxes of honey fully capped and golden. Popped clearer boards on (so the bees can escape) before I head back out there to extract the boxes in a couple of days.  Swung by the garden on the way back to the house to pick up some mint as the kids have requested a new goats milk ice cream flavour: mint choc chip. The mint is in a raised garden bed along with echinacea, oregano, spearmint, stevia, rosemary, parsley, basil and perennial basil.

When we got started on the self sufficient life, we gobbled up all the information we could find from books, courses and the Internet...but nothing beats meeting a person or group of people who take you under their wing and generously show you the hows, the whys and the what ifs.  You'll find great mentors at Landcare, at Seedsavers, at Nurseries and...hanging out with bees!  Rod the Beeman has taught me how to look after my bees, how to catch a swarm, how to requeen and how to manage my hives gently.  He's