Apple and Radish

Homegrown and Handmade things that are as good for you as they are for Mother Earth.

Our Manifesto

Homegrown and handmade things connect us to each other, to the Earth and to the simple joys that make life worth living.

Here at Apple and Radish we believe they are absolute necessities to find happiness and meaning in this fast paced world.

Life is not a competition. There is no need to strive to do more, have more or be more because you are already basking in abundance.

There is plenty of goodness for everyone.

Slowing down to celebrate nature, community and creativity is the key!

We love our beautiful planet. We are committed to helping build a world that honours its diverse people, animals and precious eco-systems.

We are so inspired by the beauty, magic and wonder of Mother Nature that we can’t help but make beautiful things that are as good for your body and soul as they are for the Earth.

Love yourself. Love the Earth.

Please pop in and visit us in person at

40 Southport Avenue, Tamborine Mountain, Queensland Australia

or shop online here.

Let’s Say Thanks To The Bees!

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Did you know there is now a day just for the bees? World Bee Day! This year it was Sunday 20th May. But don’t worry if you missed it because we can celebrate bees every day.

Bees are precious. And they’ve been having a tough time of it lately.

Since the late 1990’s farmers have reported sudden and mysterious drop in bee numbers especially in Europe and North America.

Why is this such a big deal?

Because….bees are fascinating and beautiful creatures and the world would be less amazing if they didn’t exist.

Also, bees are VERY important to food production and the biodiversity on this planet. Without bees  doing their thing, buzzing from flower to flower, many plant species would no longer reproduce.

In fact, one in every three bites of your food requires bees for pollination.

Those sweet organic apples at the farmers market wouldn’t be there without bees. Neither would the juicy mangoes or raspberries. I could probably live without ever eating a turnip again but I know my husband’s life would not be the same. What about coffee? Or apricots? Or cucumbers?

These, along with hundreds of other delicious and everyday foods we take for granted, are brought to us courtesy of the bees’ unwavering efforts.

In short – humans need bees. Probably a lot more than bees need humans!

What’s Causing The Problem? 

Well, all the usual suspects….

  • Habitat loss due to development and other human activities,
  • Pests and diseases introduced from other countries,
  • Climate change (causing plants to flower at different times than usual),
  • Pesticides (including the ones you use at home) are all causing havoc for our precious bees.

So many challenges for the humble bee to deal with and the only thing those little ladies want to do is go out there and collect as much pollen as their delicate legs can carry. (Fun fact: All worker bees are female **) 

So What Can We Do?

Number One: Remember this – We can do many things to help. The situation is not hopeless! Every action we take in the right direction adds up. You matter. Your actions matter. No matter how small. Together we can make the world a better place for all creatures.

Here is a list of easy things you can do to support our precious bees:

  • Plant more herbs and flowers in your garden or on your balcony. Otherwise known as honey plants. This is food for the bees!

 

  • Put the poisons away. Even though you are just trying to get rid of some pesky weeds or snails….the bees die too. Many weeds are actually food for the bees like dandelions and clover. Let them grow free! And if you must get rid of weeds, use sustainable methods such as mulching your garden, pull weeds out by hand, or use boiling water to kill weeds.

 

  • Make a bee hotel. These can be made at home or purchased from some garden or eco-centres. These are great for native Australian bees which are more solitary.

 

  • Mow the grass in the late afternoon or early evening instead of in the middle of the day when bees are most active.

 

  • Support local beekeepers by buying their honey and beeswax products. When their businesses thrive they have more financial resources to maintain the health of their hives and tackle any problems caused by pests or diseases.

 

  • Buy organic produce. Organic farmers use sustainable farming methods and don’t use poisons = happy bees!

 

Let’s try to keep the bees happy because, when you think about it,  a bee-friendly world is also a human-friendly world.

What’s good for the bees is also good for us humans.

Keep buzzing, you bee-utiful thing!

PS: FYI, I use local organic beeswax and honey in my handmade products.

PPS: Check out my favourite bee friendly products here….

** Guess what the male bee’s only job is. Yep, you guessed it…..have sex with the queen bee. Make of that what you wish….

Handmade Christmas

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Hey There Beautiful!

 

I hope you have had a wonderful week.

 

I spent last weekend at The North Coast National Show in Lismore.

 

I gave a talk each day at The Festival of Forgotten Skills about the art of debt free living and also gave a cultured vegetable demonstration. I made new friends and met wonderful speakers and presenters sharing their knowledge and skills.

 

I love the fact that so many lost arts are making a comeback! There was handmade shoes, mosaics, natural garland making, permaculture, learning to live without plastic, women’s health and wellbeing  and more…Not only do many of these skills save us money but they are heart warming expressions of our innate life force and creativity. They improve our lives in ways that cannot be measured in dollars.

 

By using our hands and hearts we connect to the Earth and to each other in a way that buying mass produced stuff from a shop can never do. Home made and hand made items ooze love, charm and creativity.

 

Perhaps it is time to start thinking of some hand made items you could make as Christmas gifts? (Keep breathing…it’s still a couple of months away….and they don’t need to be complicated. Simple is best.)

 

Here are some ideas:

 

 

 

 

  • Home made cake mix in a jar with a hand written label and baking instructions.

 

  • Decorate a plain white mug with waterproof sharpie pens. Include a tea bag and cookies.

 

  • Embroider a set of napkins with a family’s individual names on the corner.

 

  • Home made cushion covers, tablecloth or other home decor using recycled fabrics from an op shop.

 

  • Bake a luscious chocolate or fruit cake.

 

  • Make a video talking about what you love about the person.

 

  • Write a song, poem or short story about your loved one.

 

  • A potted herb or flower garden.

 

  • A big jar of homemade sauerkraut! Recipe below.

 

I hope this gets your creative juices flowing a little…You’ve still got plenty of time so don’t stress….

 

How To Turn Lawn Into A Garden Bed – Without Digging.

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We want to turn another area of lawn into a garden bed.

So Ian and I have been hanging around in dark alleys again. And we’ve scored big time!

 

Don’t worry, there is nothing illicit going on here.

 

Just getting the goods we need to create our new huge flower garden.

 

Namely, stacks of cardboard.

 

We have been busy seeking out dumpsters full of cardboard packaging, loading it into the car and bringing it home.

 

I talked about our grass in a previous letter – how it is so tenacious and how it weedles its way into every garden bed with its thick ropey runners. Living on rich volcanic soil is certainly has its benefits but it also means the weeds and grass are extra vigorous as well.

 

Our solution to invasive kikuyu grass and other weeds?

 

Cardboard.

 

Layers and layers of it. ​

 

We’ve been carting car loads of packing boxes and cartons out to the paddock. I hit the motherload the other day behind a homewares and big box appliance store.

 

Massive fridge, dishwasher and air conditioner boxes which cover large areas at a time. Woohoo! Who new cardboard could be so thrilling??

 

By the way, if you have little kids you’ll know that they are often more interested in the box than the present that comes in it.

Why not grab a couple of fridge boxes and make them a cubby (that’s Aussie for playhouse or fort) for Christmas? You could cut out windows and paint it up. Even put in little curtains if you are crafty like that. Our kids LOVED these when they were little.

Just an idea for a super cheap, eco friendly but much loved Christmas present.

 

So anyway, back to the task at hand – how to create a new garden bed where once was lawn.

 

We put the cardboard down on top of the grass and then layer mulch and manure on top of that. The grass quickly dies without light and the by the time the cardboard has broken down the soil underneath is nice and damp and full of juicy worms.

The Miracle of Cardboard

 

This is an easy way to create a new garden bed on top of a lawn without using poisons to kill the grass. We chip the edges with a spade to make sure no grass roots sneak in from outside the cardboarded area.

 

Another way is to simply dig the grass up and turn it upside down. This only works if your grass doesn’t send out runners or regrow from its roots (like kikuyu does). This method can work well if you have sandy soil as it adds organic matter straight away in the form of the composting grass.

 

So there’s a little tip that can save you hours of back breaking labour and expensive physiotherapy.

 

When you are done collecting and laying out your cardboard you can come inside and enjoy this delicious Rainbow Chicken Salad for lunch.

 

Enjoy!

Gardening Makes You Happy

By

Garden lady

 

Feeling depressed, anxious or lethargic? Do you crave more inner peace, energy and joie de vivre?

The answer is simple – grow a garden. Because gardening makes you happy.

“She who plants a garden plants happiness.”

It’s a nice quote but scientists are discovering this to be literally true. Gardeners have known this since the beginning of time but now it is scientifically proven.

This is why:

  1. Hit of Serotonin: Microbes in the soil trigger our brains and guts to release serotonin – the king of happy chemicals. When we contact the soil we get a dose of natural antidepressants.

 

  1. Better than Candy Crush: The act of harvesting fruits, vegetables, berries etc..has been shown to cause a release of dopamine…another powerful happy chemical in the reward center of the brain which triggers a feeling of bliss or mild euphoria. This same chemical is released whenever you play (and win) at computer games or get ‘likes’ and ‘shares’ on your social media posts. Ooh what a thrill!

 

  1. Ekhart Tolle would be proud: Gardening encourages your presence in the here and now – so your annoying mental chatter shuts up while you are focussed on transplanting those delicate seedlings. This means you are more chilled out and zen-like.

 

  1. Gym Garden Junkie: The physical activity of gardening – bending, walking, lifting, digging keeps you fit, strong and sexy. Nice!

 

  1. A feeling of accomplishment. You are making something beautiful, useful and worthwhile. You are helping the environment while growing nourishing food for yourself and others. What could be better than that?

 

‘Gardening is cheaper than therapy. And you get tomatoes.’

So now you know that spending time in nature and/or gardening is non-negotiable for your mental health.

And heaven knows the world needs more happy people!

So rightio…..outside you go……I don’t care what the weather is like…..just dress accordingly.

Here are some ideas to get you started in order of difficulty. Choose your own adventure!

  • Sit under a tree with your bare feet on the ground for 2 minutes.

 

  • Have a cup of tea in a garden or park.

 

  • Take your camera and take pics of trees, leaves, flowers or insects that fascinate you.

 

  • Fill a watering can and water a plant. (indoor plants count)

 

  • Make a list of things you need for your chosen garden task and buy or borrow them today.

 

  • Start a balcony garden. Get a pot, a bag of potting mix and some seeds or seedlings – fill the pot with potting mix, plant the seeds and water daily.

 

  • Choose a small section of your garden to weed thoroughly.

 

  • Completely clear a one meter square section of garden bed. Turn over the soil with a garden trowel. Water it. Now plant some seedlings or seeds. Water again daily.

 

  • Make compost.

 

  • Make a herbal tea garden and plant chamomile, lemon balm, peppermint, lavender, sage.

 

  • Make a culinary herb garden and plant sage, oregano, coriander, basil, mint, thyme, rosemary.

 

  • Grow strawberries in pots.

 

  • Plant a cottage garden.

 

  • Mulch everything.

 

  • Grow different kinds of roses.

 

  • Design a vegetable garden.

 

  • Plant a vegetable garden.

 

  • Grow a mixed berry patch.

 

Feeling overwhelmed?

Don’t be. Just start with one thing from the list. Preferably from near the top.

Don’t try to do them all. At least not yet.

Start small. Keep at it.

Now go out, get your hands dirty every day and get happy!