from President's Report, April 2001
The flourishing of the organic food industry over the last year, in the climate of widespread horror at the prospect of genetically engineered food, is encouraging. People are awakening in ever increasing numbers (towards a critical mass level) to the folly of feeding our population and ourselves on nutritionally unbalanced and impoverished fruit, vegetables and grains grown chemically and treated regularly with a multitude of biocides. We are becoming aware of the destruction that such substances are causing the living soil, which is our very life source and existence. We are beginning to see the idiocy of the cancer causing growth hormone and anti-biotic regime of the cow and sheep farmer. We are awakening to the perfection that is Mother Nature and to the reality that all we need to do is learn from her, receive her providence and return to her all we take. That is sustainability and that is our future. We are on a new path back to life in harmony with all beings. That is our existence. It's not a backward path but another turn of a growing spiral of human awareness and fulfillment.What is rather scary is that the growing and marketing of organic produce is still barely sustainable both in terms of the life principle (continued land degrading practices like cultivation and large mono-cropping) and in terms of securing a livable income in both local and export markets. Many are saying that the global market economy and the organic philosophy are mutually exclusive. Does the marginalization of natural food producers that Vandana Shiva writes about extend into our country? But remember, the organic market is growing at around 25% per year!
We had several excellent speakers at our bi-monthly meetings: - April Harvest Meeting, Brendan Hoare about SHANZ, Organics 2020 and BHU, Michael McCammon about natural winter ailment remedies, and Trish Fraser spoke on Earthworms. Our Harvest meeting last April and our Spring Seedling Sale were enjoyable successes as was the Southern Seed Exchange's Spring Seed Celebration with which we assisted.
Our Xmas outing to Tim Chamberlain's was poorly attended, but was really enjoyed by those who came. Our recent tour of community gardens was an enjoyable day and a valuable experience with many networking contacts being formed.
We continued to hold displays at Gardenz, Festival of Flowers Big Day and were part of a combined stall at the A&P Show. The display boards have been a static display in the foyer of the Christchurch Environment Centre due to transporting limitations. We loaned them for a Soil & Health display at the Organic Wine & Food Festival in Oamaru.
Our newsletter that was always combined with OGCT has undergone a re-structuring and we are indebted to editor Matthew Morris and contributors especially George Maslin who until recently had his regular column 'Gardening With George' and Anne Seyger for her 'Herb Corner" and many articles. George has retired from writing and Anne has traveled to Europe. An offshoot of the newsletter re-structure was our re-aligning to the legal requirements for Incorporated Societies re subscriptions. Subscription is to our Branch or to the Friends of OGCT and the newsletter is a benefit of membership.
Our Community Radio show has operated successfully over the year with continued fortnightly shows on a Thursday evening. Plains Fm, in a recent survey, indicate a listening audience of 6,000 to 10,000 people, mainly adult over 30 years old and into alternative lifestyles and music. Currently, CCOG and Christchurch Community Gardens are considering my proposal to widen it's support base, since it does serve the whole local organic scene.
Our Soil & Health Library is housed at the Christchurch Environment Centre. Patronage has been small.We have been fortunate to receive a donation of some significant books, old "Soil & Health" issues and some equipment.I propose a vote of thanks to Syd Richards of Bishopdale, a long-time member of Soil & Health for his contribution of a number of organic gardening books, including Lady Eve Balfour's "The Living Soil" and a great collection of the magazine. Old friends Stuart Jeffrey and Page Lawson are re-visiting Britain and America. They have loaned our library many books of value for use by our members.
I wish to thank the dedicated souls who have devoted time to our society and our cause. I especially thank our dedicated committee for their effort and acheivements.
Like all the voluntary organic groups we are limited by the lack of involvement by many. We survive and progress toward our organic goals only by the committed effort of our members. The call is renewed. Our organic path needs people to take on some of the tasks. I invite you to commit to some of these labours of love for Mother Earth and her people in our local community. For organics to continue spiraling we need to continue our work of helping to raise people's conciousness and we need many hands to make light of this work. I invite everyone to be part of our activities and I look forward to another fruitful and satisfying year for our Soil and Health Branch.