Summer should occur from December to February which would currently put us in the middle of what you might reasonably expect to be a period of hot and dry weather with BBQ’s and carefully managed irrigation in the garden.  This Summer, however, is more like a wet and warm Spring which has given us little cause to reach for the hose!  Plant growth has been spectacular, matched unfortunately by enthusiastic weeds!  Every growing season has its own character and this one has me curious and excited to see what February and March deliver. 

It's a busy time in the garden.  I will be harvesting lavender shortly, which looks spectacular and has provided work for so many bees! Chamomile, calendula and hypericum flowers have been abundant this year.  We are currently using large Perilla leaves as a spicy wrap with meals while waiting for seeds to mature which contribute to my shampoo bars.  The hops have completely covered their frame with healthy green foliage but it’s a little early to speculate on cone production and the pending Autumn harvest.  Always an aromatic event!

The frequency of markets has slowed from the pre-Xmas carnival and I’m enjoying the change of pace and some time at home.  I hope you have managed some time with friends, family or just time to yourself and a break from the routines of a demanding life.  I wish you all health and happiness in the year to come.

Soo

While I take pleasure in the changes delivered by every season, there is nothing quite like Spring to fill you up with its energetic sense of renewal. 

We survived a couple of early frosts and are now busily tending existing gardens while creating new ones in our ever-decreasing lawn!  Plants that over-winter underground like arnica, hops and echinacea have enthusiastically broken the warming soil in search of sunlight.  Others like lavender and lemon verbena are covered in new growth while new plantings of chamomile and calendula are already bright and full of colour.  After such a wet winter, it feels a little ironic to be watering again but this is the Hawke’s Bay!

Those of you who come to markets have no doubt noticed the positive Spring mood.  There has been great support of the markets I attend throughout the Manawatu, Wairarapa and Wellington.  Thank you for sharing your thoughts, kind words and interest in the natural products I make.  I’m excited to offer a new range of essential oil soy wax candles which include Lilly of the Valley, Jasmine, Rose, Ylang Ylang and Mint.

I hope you have enjoyed the long weekend and find happiness in the world that grows around us.

Good health,

Soo.

There is certainly no mistaking the season as we experience cleansing cold and possibly a little more rain than we would like! This is an excellent opportunity for me to evaluate different garden spaces, tidy up and let winter vegies have a turn. I love the colour changes and seasonal flavours from the garden that make warming dishes to enjoy in front of the fire. My lavender, roses and lemon verbena have all been pruned and sit quietly with hops and dormant seeds waiting for Spring.

 Autumn harvest ingredients, either frozen, dried or bottled in carrier oils form the basis of my Winter production. This allows me to extract and utilise the active botanical compounds as they are needed. Markets have been particularly busy in July and it’s been wonderful to see so many people in Hawke’s Bay, Manawatu and Wellington enjoying the market scene.

 Thank you all for your trust and support. As always, stay warm, happy and healthy. I welcome any feedback and look forward to hearing from you through my website or seeing you in person at markets.

2022 Autumn Newsletter

The Autumn weather has settled after a wild and wet beginning leaving us with cool nights and fresh, fine days. It’s such a nice time to reflect on the seasonal harvest, which this year produced an abundance of wonderful primary botanicals. Arnica, hops, perilla and lavender have filled my drying room with enticing aromas full of promise.

This week, I’ve been busy distilling hydrosols from lavender and beautifully scented rose geranium. Distillation also yields small, precious quantities of essential oil which are exhilarating and delightful to work with.

With the traffic light settings now at orange, a more regular market schedule has become possible. I will post upcoming markets on my website. I’m certainly looking forward to catching up with many of you in person over the coming months. Stay safe and well as you enjoy these late Autumn days.

Xmas Newsletter

After more than 5 months away caring for family in Korea, I am so happy to be home and back in my garden! I completely missed Winter and have come back to the splendour of late Spring with so much growth.

Lavender are forming buds while chamomile, comfrey, calendula and my Damask roses are all flowering. Arnica, which sits quietly dormant underground over winter has spread and looks set to yield the best crop yet, while plantain, gotu cola, burdock and nettles all look so healthy! Echinacea has self seeded and always produces some of my favourite late summer blooms. Aloe vera, rosemary and hypericum are loving the warmth while hops are rapidly filling their frame. Lemon verbena and Kawakawa are flush with fragrant leaves and our citrus and edible garden looks amazing thanks to my partner!

I’m excited to produce more of my own hydrosol and a small quantity of lavender essential oil with an Alembic still this year and have new glassware designs for my range of soy wax and essential oil candles. After a great deal of searching and trials I am also very happy to supply a range of superb organic essential oils from a trusted source for aromatherapy.

I wish you all a happy and healthy summer spent with those you care most about.

In good health,

Soo

2020 Spring Newsletter

Phonological indications of Spring seem to occur earlier each year with budburst and new growth taking a bite out of Winter’s seasonal share!  Nonetheless, Spring is certainly here with life pouring back into the garden and the equinox winds reminding us of the temperature transition.  It’s an exciting time for me personally and an opportunity to use what I’ve learned to make changes in the garden that set the scene for another growing season. 

I would like to highlight a particular interest of mine in each of these seasonal newsletters and for Spring I have chosen avocado.  In this exposition on nutrition, the late Quentin Grady was so enamored with avocados that he proposed they be reclassified as their own food group!  As a food, they are about 70% water, with ¾ of the calories of bread by weight, high in fibre, packed with useful minerals and about 15% highly beneficial healthy fats.  In my field, it’s the cellular nutrition of avocado oils that I find fascinating.  Despite being densely packed with an impressive array of beneficial plant derived nutrition and protection, the oil is light and easily absorbed into the epidermal layers where we need it.  As well as containing high levels of omega-9 and omega-3, antioxidants and being high in fibre it contains a multitude of vitamins and importantly, vitamin co-factors K, Na and Mg.  As we age, our skin collagen levels naturally decrease.  Avocado oil and it’s oleic acid content in particular is involved in collagen synthesis and slowing this decline.  Collagen is particularly important for skin elasticity and moisture retention.  As well as providing resilience to age and environmental damage, avocado oil is beneficial to cell regeneration and repair of sun and wind damaged skin where vitamin E, beta carotene and lecithin play a role.  It also has anti-inflammatory properties which can benefit some skin conditions.  I use this amazing oil (certified organic) in my serums, creams, cleansers, lotions and hair products with confidence in the benefit to our cellular health.

I look forward to seeing you at markets which are resuming now or hearing from you through my website.  Enjoy the season!

Welcome to my first seasonal newsletter! I hope this finds you healthy, warm and in good spirits. Restrictions over the last few weeks have given me an opportunity to slow down a little and gather my thoughts without markets or even the ability to send products out by courier under level 4.  With more time to read, I have been studying philosophy, English and as always, researching the natural nutrition and health benefits of botanicals.  Autumn harvesting in our garden has given way to seasonal pruning, lots of weeding and composting for winter crops.  As we work our way towards a resumption of normal living, I have a renewed appreciation of the people my work has introduced to me through markets and my website. 

Punica granatum better known as pomegrante is amazing! This beautiful and unusual fruit has a multitude of recorded health benefits aside from its tasty culinary uses. Its health benefits have been utilized by civilizations from the ancient Middle East to its contemporary resurgence as modern science has uncovered its biochemical contents and modes of action. What follows is a short expose on one of my favourite beneficial plants. 

The seed oil of pomegranate contains very high levels of conjugated linoleic acid or CLA which improves our skins ability to retain moisture by increasing our natural ceramide production.  The benefits of CLA extend to the repair of cracked and damaged skin as well as improving overall elasticity.  It has soothing, anti-inflammatory qualities as well as being anti-microbial, anti-oxidant and slowing the visible signs of aging skin.  There is a wealth of literature on the anti-aging and medicinal effects of this polyunsaturated fatty acid including the treatment of psoriasis and eczema.  The highest quality pomegranate oil is cold pressed from dried seeds which then contain the fullest complement of beneficial acids, nutrients and polyphenols.  In my research, I have found many references to the repair of sun damaged skin and the protection of skin from UV damage.  The pomegranate is a wonderful example of how ethnobotanical knowledge remains relevant to modern healthy living.  I’m very happy to offer the benefits of this incredible plant in many of my skincare products.

 As winter markets are a little scarce, please feel free to make use of my website for your regular skincare needs or contact me if you have particular requests.  Take care and thanks for your support.

To my loyal customers

I hope you keep safe and well during this time. You can still place orders through my website as usual. Ordering during these days will be dispatched after this Level 4 Period, I apologise any inconvenience and appreciate understanding.

To my market customers, I hope to see you again when our lives return to normal. I always appreciate your support, even if my english is not fluent, we share an understanding and humour.

I have added an Instagram link on my website so you can see what I am doing in my garden and what products I am making.

Stay safe and well.