What Is Natural Fragrance? – Osmia
What Exactly Is “Natural Fragrance”? December 13, 2023 by Sarah Villafranco, MD If you are trying to make the switch from synthetic fragrance to natural scent in your life, it’s helpful to understand what falls into the natural fragrance category: essential oils, absolutes, concretes, and CO2 extracts. Lots of people feel uncertain about the meaning of
Commonsense – 5 Ways with Seaweed
I know I should eat more seaweed but am not sure how to use it! There are a great variety of seaweeds and, just like land vegetables many are seasonal. Dried seaweeds retain their high nutritional value when they are naturally dried. They re-hydrate to their original texture and keep for a very long time,
Organic Farming & Climate Change
March 2, 2023 at 3:35 PM What happens on our farms has huge consequences for our climate and impact on climate change. In Aotearoa New Zealand 50% of our greenhouse gas emissions come from agriculture. The way we farm can make or break the health of our atmosphere. Agriculture’s climate problem stems from the way
Commonsense – The Organic Farm Butchery
April 5, 2023 at 10:28 AM For the past 20 years The Organic Farm Butchery (previously Ti Kouka Farm Organic Meats) has worked hard to grow beyond a one-farm-story, and now have a total of 8 certified organic farms within the East Coast and central North Island supplying their butchery (including some familiar brands
Commonsense – Café Style Creamy Mushrooms
May 30, 2023 at 3:25 PM Creamy mushrooms on toast is a classic option that is hard to go past when out for weekend brunch and now it’s easy to recreate this savoury dish at home too! We’ve made it café style here but you can also pair it with thick cut noodles, rice or
The Commonsense Guide to Cooking Oils
Within the last 20 years there has been an explosion in the choice of cooking oils – no doubt for the betterment of both our health and our palette – but it does lead to some confusion about which oil to use. Here’s what you need to know about the edible oils we sell and how
Carrot Muffins with streusel topping
July 4, 2023 at 1:23 PM A great wheat-free recipe to make with the kids, perfect to pop into lunch boxes whether you’re heading off to school or the office! We’ve used carrot, but these muffins can also be made using courgette, beetroot, or parsnip. We recommend using whatever veg is in season at the
What’s So Special About Eucalyptus? – Osmia
What’s So Special About Eucalyptus? December 14, 2023 by Sarah Villafranco, MD Ingredient: Eucalyptus Essential Oil WHAT’S THE Fancy Latin Name? Eucalyptus globulus Where Does Eucalyptus Come From? Eucalyptus trees and shrubs come from Australia and Tasmania but have been naturalized in many other countries. The essential oil is steam-distilled from its leaves and has
Commonsense – Walnut ‘Meatballs’
August 21, 2023 at 5:58 PM Bursting with essential nutrients, plant-based protein, and the rich goodness of walnuts, these vegetarian meatballs are a harmonious blend of the finest fresh, organic ingredients. We’ve adapted our recipe from one of our walnut suppliers, Tricket’s Grove, which showcased their recipe on Country Calendar in 2022. This recipe is
What’s So Special About Rose? – Osmia
What’s So Special About Rose? December 14, 2023 by Sarah Villafranco, MD INGREDIENT: Rose essential oil WHAT’S THE FANCY LATIN NAME? Rosa damascena WHERE DOES ROSE ESSENTIAL OIL COME FROM? Most of the roses used to make rose otto essential oil are grown in Southern Bulgaria, whereas most of those used for rose absolute are from