Merry Xmas and A Happy New Year

Green Cleaning Alternatives

I was discussing with my Aunt Irene the other day about alternatives to phosphate base dishwashing liquids.  There are a lot of alternatives on the market some work quite well but others don't and it can be quite an expensive experiment.  I have been using a New Zealand brand that is no longer available in Australia.  I usually buy it in bulk, 5 litre container.  There is about a 2 litres left so I have time to consider future options.

Irene then mentioned that you can use bi-carb soda as the dishwasher powder in your dishwasher plus vinegar as the rinse aid.  This intrigued me. (Bi-carb soda also know as bi-carb or sodium bicarbonate).   I really hate using the caustic dishwasher powders that are available but the commercial 'green' alternatives don't work very well.  So as I write this, my dishwasher is running with bi-carb soda and vinegar.  By the time I post this article later today I should have some results for you.  See the results at the end of this article.

Aunt Irene lives on acreage in NE Victoria.  She does not have a dishwasher so has not tried the bi-carb and vinegar.  She has tank water and septic toilet system and is always interested in environmental issues.  She often relies on information gained while growing up with my mother and their other siblings on their family acreage on the outskirts of Brisbane, Australia.  Their parents were soldier settlers from England after WW1 and settled on 10 acres in The Gap.  Back then The Gap was in the middle of nowhere and it was a very hard life as poultry farmers.  Now The Gap is quite a trendy suburb in Brisbane's outer west.

Back to my conversation with Aunt Irene.

Irene also mentioned that you can use vinegar in place of fabric softener when washing clothes.  We don't use fabric softener for washing accept for the massage towels. My husband, Greg, is a massage therapist and there are always towels to be washed.  I do use fabric softener when washing these towels and have found an environmentally friendly one but would like a cheaper, greener alternative.

I had heard somewhere that fabric softener lessens the absorbency of  towels which is not an issue for our massage towels.  Massage towels just need to be clean, soft and fragrant for clients.  So I decided to test this.  I have put on a load of washing.  A couple of towels and few grubby tea-towels used when bottling the home brew last night. I have a front loading washing machine that has 3 dispensers 1 for pre-soaking; 1 for washing powder and 1 for fabric softener.   I used 2 tablespoons of bi-carb and 4-5 drops of eucalyptus oil in the washing powder dispenser and 1 tablespoon of vinegar with 4 drops of lavender essential oil and 4 drops of ylang ylang in the fabric softener dispenser and programmed the washing machine for a cold wash. Eucalyptus oil is often used in 'green' washing powders and liquids. I selected lavender and ylang ylang in the final rinse because I love the fragrances and lavender is great for all your linen (see lavender properties below).  If bi-carb works on the dishes it should have some effect on fabric.  My results later in this article.

I make my own kitchen and bathroom spray.  I find that most of the 'green' commercial kitchen/bathroom sprays usually have some type of essential oil (orange oil?) that is so strong that it catches at the back of my throat when I use it.  I can't believe that this sort of irritation can be good for your respiratory system.  My Spray Cleaner Formula is:-

To a spray bottle add

1 tablespoon of your favourite no phospate dishwashing liquid
1 teaspoon of colloidal silver (sanitizes)
a few drops of lavender essential oil
(You can use a different essential oil - but lavender has anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and antiseptic proprerties.  Alternatives would be eucalyptus, tea tree, bergamot or lemon essential oils.  I just love the smell of lavender and it is reported to have some insecticide properties.  Just remember that  Lavender Essential oil can cause drowsiness when used constantly or in low blood pressure.)

Top the spray bottle up with water. Close the lid.  Shake. And you are ready to go.

I usually spray chopping boards and other things I want to sterilize and leave for 30 minutes. I also use this spray for all my furniture.

I also use the colloidal silver to sterilized all my brewing equipment.
 

Result Bi-carb and Vinegar in the Dishwasher

Well I have just emptied the dishwasher and the dishes are lovely and clean.  No different to when they are washed with caustic dishwasher tablets.  I must admit though we don't put 'pots and pans' in the dishwasher.  Usually we wash these by hand and if they are hard to clean I just soak overnight in bi-carb soda and water. Not adding pots and pans to the dishwasher alleviates the concern about using the longer 'pots and pans' cycle and leaves a lot more room for dishes etc.  For most of our meals we use slow cookers or other cooking appliances that can't be put in the dishwasher. 

For years I have been cleaning the dishwasher by sprinkling the bottom of the dishwasher with bi-carb and running it empty on the shortest cycle.  (This little hint came from my nephew who picked it up in a science class at school).  I am not sure why I never made the jump to using the bi-carb for cleaning the dishes.  Well, I will be from now on.  

Results Bi-carb and Vinegar in the Washing Machine

On the first cycle of washing the laundry smelt like the clean, crisp fragrance of eucalyptus and then later on the fabric softener cycle on the entire floor where the laundry is located there was a blend of the clean crisp fragrance of eucalyptus with the light, refreshing, floral fragrance of lavender and the sweet smell of ylang ylang plus a touch of apple cider vinegar.

I don't normally put towels in the same washing load as tea-towels but I wanted to compare how they washed.   The heavier fabric items smelt stronger of the essential oils and as I placed the washing on the line (inside as it is raining today) the whole room became very fragrant.  Now sometime later, the whole house just smells wonderful.

The washing itself appears clean. A few old stains did not miraculously disappear and a few new stains remained.  However, I would normally pre-soak the tea-towels to remove these stains.

So what do I think about bi-carb and vinegar in the wash.  Well I will definitely continue to use it.  It is a lot cheaper and lot more environmentally friendly.  When we build our new laundry and grey water system next year I will need to look into the effects on the grey water system, especially the essential oils.  I will however continue to pre-soak items with difficult to remove stains as there are 'green' pre-soaker alternatives on the market to use.  I will report later on the laundry items once they have dried, softness etc.  I think in future I could probably use less essential oil.

And then there are the hints on the Bi-Carb Soda pack.

Carpet - sprinkle carpets with Bi-Carb Soda; leave a few minutes then vacuum.  (I usually mix a few drops of essential oil in the Bi-Carb first)
Fridge - to absorb odours, fill a small container and leave in the fridge
Tea/Coffee Cups - apply Bi-Carb Soda to a damp cloth and rub stains away
Sinks - pour half a cup of Bi-Carb Soda down the drain with warm tap water (I usually use vinegar instead of tap water)
Smelly shoes - sprinkle a little Bi-Carb Soda in the shoes and leave for a few days (Again I usually add some essential oil - peppermint)
Oily stains on concrete - sprinkle Bi-Carb Soda over stain and scrub with a wet brush
Laundry - 1/2 cup in the laundry rinse cycle (This differs to my trial)
For your body - a refreshing bath soak, 1/2 cup of Bi-Carb Soda in your bath leaves the skin soft and silky. (Oh yes, don't forget the essential - lavender for relaxing)

Plus there are a number of health benefits to Bi-Carb Soda but that's another article.

Tips for Surviving the Holiday Season

This holiday season be prepared. This is the time we catch up with family and friends.  It's also the time we eat more, drink more and spend more.  Just a few precautions can make a difference to your diet and to your budget.

1. If going out make sure you eat a healthy snack before you go out even if you are going out to dinner. Consider fruit, nuts, popcorn, organic cheese and homemade crackers.

2. Alcohol flows freely during the Holidays with all the different parties and get-togethers we have.  If you are drinking wine add filtered or mineral water (at least half and half) and try the low alcohol beers.  You just have time to brew a batch of beer for Christmas. Home brewing has come a long way and there are some really great home brew beers available.  One of our favourites is Coopers Mexican Cerveza.  Coopers recommends using their Brew Enhancer 2 instead of sugar. This makes it more expensive but it makes a great tasting brew. To make a low alcohol beer use only 500g instead of the 1kg.  Keep away from the ‘pop’ alcohols. If you drink spirits, mix your own drinks.   Add fruit juice (no added sugar) and soda water to your champagne.  

3. For non-alcohol drinks, try fruit juice (no added sugar) with added filtered or mineral water.  Try to keep the ratio to 25% fruit juice and 75% water.  Or try some homemade cordials like Old Fashion Lemonade.

4.  Snacks at parties can greatly increase calorie intake, unhealthy fats and food additives.  Try to keep away from purchased chips, biscuits etc.  and go for the dips that are home made.  Try roast garlic dip, salsas and vegetable base dips.  Have these with bite size pieces of raw fruit and vegetables.  Consider fruit, nuts, popcorn, organic cheese and homemade crackers.

5. When out, keep a supply of healthy snacks with you. Again, consider fruit, nuts, popcorn, organic cheese and homemade crackers. Eat these at the first signs of hunger instead of going for the unhealthy, expensive packaged alternatives.

6. If going out for a meal skip the entree course unless you are very hungry. 

7. Select meals that have a high vegetable content.

   

8. Avoid meals with creamy or high fat content sauces.  Ask for the sauce to be put on the side.

9. When ordering salads ask for the dressing to be put on the side.  Otherwise you may find you salad is covered in oil (unhealthy types) and sugar. 

10. For desserts, go for those that include fresh fruits, ricotta, yoghurts, yoghurt cream cheese or coconut milk.  Try Pineapple Freeze

11. Often at this time of year we are meeting friends for coffee.  Keep your coffee intake to no more than 3 cups per day. Or better still go for herbal teas.  Like peppermint or black adder tea.  If you drink decaf coffee please make sure it is decaffeinated through natural filters and not by chemicals. Try to resist the temptation of cake with your coffee.  If you can’t resist go for something with lots of fruit.  Better still invite your friends to coffee at your place then you can control what you eat and what you spend.

12. Drink at least 8 glasses of filtered water per day. 

13. Go to the www.terracottacottage.com.au for more great ideas and recipes.

Wrigglers

From the Wangi Garden Journal

I noticed that there are 'wrigglers' in the small garden pond.  I grew up calling mosquito larvae - wrigglers.  When I was a kid growing up on a couple of acres on the outskirts of Brisbane (Australia)  we only had tank water.  Sometimes you would pour yourself a glass of water from the tap and there would be a wriggler swimming in your glass of water. Time to treat the tanks. Of course these days, water tanks have screens and filters to prevent mosquitoes breeding in the tanks.

For my pond I need to get some native Australian fish which will eat mosquito larvae. Kevin Casey suggests in his book "Attracting Frogs to your garden" -

Pacific Blue Eye - I think we are too far south for these

Fly specked Hardyhead

Australian Smelt

Rainbow Fish from your local area

I managed to get Crimson Spotted Rainbow Fish from the local pet store.  Apparently they are native from Coffs Harbour to Tamworth.

I removed the Bacopa plant from the pond and left the Gotu Kola so there would be more room for the rainbows.  

The species I planted is an Australian Native Gotu Kola, Centella asiatica, which is recommended for frog friendly ponds. (Here's hoping - we hear frogs on rainy nights but have not seen any yet)  Gotu Kola also has medicinal properties.  I always found it quite useful for people who have trouble sleeping. It won't help you get to sleep but is more helpful for those who wake up during the night.  It may also be helpful for clarity of mind, arthritic pain and fatigue.  

One of my pet dislikes is the amount of Soy that is in our food.  Most processed food has soy in it.  Soy has been promoted as an amazing health food.  And yes, how it is eaten in the traditional Japanese diet is healthy - naturally fremented and only in small amounts.

We were not meant to eat Soy flour, textured vegetable protein or drink Soy Milk.  For more information go to Soy Alert at The Weston A Price Foundation. Gotu Kola may be helpful to those who have had too much soy in their diet.

The recommended daily dose of Gotu Kola is two leaves of 40mm diameter per adult, or the equivalent in smaller leaves. It will be bitter if grown in full sun.

Gotu Kola is usually considered safe.  However there are a few side effects to taking too much of this herb - mouth ulcers, sensitivity to the sun, increased blood sugar levels, stomach irritation and nausea.  

As with all plants allergic reactions may occur.  

Gotu Kola is contraindicated in pregnancy and while breast feeding. 

Local Climate at Wangi Garden Journal

 New Post
Local Climate at Wangi Garden Journal

Solar Power

Its been almost a year now since we installed a 1.75kw solar power system and evacuated tubes solar hot water.  We don't have a north facing roof so we placed the evacuated tubes hot water on the nw corner of the roof and the solar panels for electricity on the east facing roof.  The front of our house faces east. We also have a lot of very tall gum trees in the neighbourhood which tend to block the sun early morning and late afternoon.  The only time we have had to turn the electric booster on for the hot water were those few times that we have had cloud and/or rain for about 3 days. 

Where we are at Wangi, our electricity company is Energy Australia.  We signed up to a new contract earlier this year where we feed 100% of what we generated back into the grid and receive 66c per kw paid to us each quarter through the buy back scheme.  We then receive our electricity bill as normal where we are charged different rates for Peak, Shoulder and Off-Peak.

We do use more electricity than we generate.  Even though we have replaced lights, fridges, freezer, dishwasher and washing machine with more energy efficient alternatives and try and schedule the use in the off-peak period .  However, because of the attractive buy back scheme the cost of our electricity is covered most quarters.

Our biggest problem is living in a pole home (wood) with polished wood floors with no insulation.  Come winter and the house is freezing when the westerlies blow up the hill.  We are in the process of building in under the house which should alleviate most of this problem.

We are very happy that we invested the money in solar electricity and don't think we could have received a similar return if the money was invested in shares or sitting in a term deposit.

Recipes for Vegetable Lasagne

I have just posted the 3 recipes that make up my vegetable lasagne recipe.  Very healthy recipe and tastes great too.  Enjoy!!!

Yoghurt Topping

2 cups of non fat yoghurt

3 eggs

1 tablespoon of dried parmesan cheese— low fat

1 teaspoon of garlic powder (optional)

1 teaspoon of onion powder (optional)

1 teaspoon of  parsley

Mix all the ingredients together and place on the top of pasta, vegetables or casserole before baking. Top with your choice of cheese.

This dish needs to be cooked (baked) before eating.

Yoghurt Topping may be stored in the fridge 1 day before required

Tomato & Herb Sauce

2 cans of organic tomato pieces (approx 410g cans)

1/10 teaspoon of  Stevia Powder

1 teaspoon of garlic powder

1 teaspoon of onion powder

1 teaspoon of dried oregano

1 teaspoon of dried parsley

1 teaspoon of dried basil

1 teaspoon of miso bouillon

1 bay leaf

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and simmer for 30 minutes.

This sauce can be used as a sauce for pasta, vegetables or meat.

Make extra and freeze.

Vegetable Lasagne

1/2 a butternut pumpkin

1 teaspoon of Coconut Oil or Olive Oil

Tomato & Herb Sauce

1 cup of cooked spinach

2 onions sliced and sautéed in water

10 gluten free lasagne sheets

Yoghurt Topping 

1 cup of grated Mozzarella cheese - low fat

1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

Method

Peel, clean and slice the pumpkin into 1.5cm slices. Brush both sides with Natrim Coconut Oil and bake in a moderate oven until cooked.

Grease a baking dish approximately 28cm x 18cm.

Place in ingredients in layers in the following order:-

Cooked pumpkin

1/2 Tomato & Herb Sauce

Layer of lasagne sheets (5 sheets)

Spinach

Onions

Remaining Tomato & Herb Sauce

Layer of lasagne sheets (remaining 5 sheets)

Yoghurt Topping

Mozzarella Cheese

Parmesan Cheese

Bake in a moderate oven until cooked.

Serves 8-10

Serve with a fresh garden salad

Will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days after baking

Cut into serve size pieces and freeze.

May be assembled 1 day ahead and stored in the fridge until ready to bake.

For variety, replace pumpkin, spinach or onion with vegetables of your choice.

Handcrafted Soaps and Cupboard Keepers

It’s time to start thinking about Xmas presents.  I like to give handmade presents or natural healthy items to my friends and family.  I thought this year I would try making handcrafted soap as gifts.  Not having the experience or the time for making soap from scratch I started with melt and pour soap.  This is really fun but there is a knack to getting it just right.  So I think  the melt and pour will be a new hobby - next year.  Any tips would be appreciated.
Meanwhile I have sourced some lovely Handcrafted Soaps and I came across something interesting – Cupboard Keepers.
I was very taken with the Citrus Cupboard Keeper ………………

Citrus Cupboard Keeper

Imbue your cupboard spaces with these fresh lemon scented essential oil clothing protector blocks.
Harness the protective power of essential oils in your clothing, linen and cupboard space with these natural alternatives to moth balls and naphthalene flakes.
With naturally insect repellent lemon scented oils, including lemongrass and may change essential oils and filled with calendula petals and a sprinkling of vibrant blue cornflower petals, these natural alternatives to naphthalene flakes and moth balls will last for many months in your cupboards, drawers and storage spaces.
Go to Citrus Cupboard Keepers for more details

Zone 1

Just planted some lovely tomatoes bushes in Zone 1 of our garden.  Part of our Zone 1 is in the front of the house as this is the easiest to access and faces north-east (Southern Hemisphere).  I have always been interested in Permaculture.  Permaculture uses Zones for efficient energy planning.  These zones can apply to farms or suburban gardens. The only modifiers are local factors such as access, slope, climate, and soil.  In our Zone 1, I have herbs and vegies that we use all the time such as tomatoes, parsley, chives, oregano, capsicum, lettuce, basil, calendula, rosemary, lavender, lime verbena, garlic, a lemon, a mandarin, a flame grapefruit plus a couple of pomegranates.  The part of Zone 1 that is in the front yard also contains climbing roses and geraniums for their beautiful flowers. 


I started by reading Introduction to Permaculture by Bill Mollison. My copy is so worn out it has started to fall apart.  However I found that this book was more orientated towards farms.  I only have a small suburban block and I wanted more help with the problems facing organic backyard gardening.

I moved onto The Permaculture Home Garden by Linda Woodrow.  I found this more suitable for a suburban block and had great ideas on how to plan a permaculture garden in a suburban garden. I specially liked the Guild Planting idea for crop rotation in small places.

Garden Journal

30 September, 2010.  In 2009, Greg and I moved to Wangi Wangi on beautiful Lake Macquarie.
We purchased a pole home with views of  Myuna Bay, Lake Macquarie.  To us, there is just one small down side and that is the backyard.  What once must have been a beautiful Australian native garden was now overgrown with lantana. The slope is quite steep.
With a vague plan to plant a vegie patch, herbs and some fruit trees, we started clearing the lantana.  Greg would spend hours chopping away at the lantana.
This area has a number of pole homes and quite a lot of landscaping using copper logs. Research suggests arsenic is only taken up in carrots, radishes and beetroot.  Never the less we decided to make the vegie patch in raised garden beds.  We purchased 4 colour bond garden beds 1.3m wide x 3.3 m long and .8m high.  This wasn't going to be easy as work needed to be done on the slope before we could place the garden beds in situ.  Plus all soil would need to be brought in and carried down to the backyard in buckets.
We started by removing two trees, one that was growing up against the house and banged against the roof in the wind.  The other tree was about to split down the middle and would have probably fallen onto our neighbour's roof.  We decided to leave all the rest of the large trees.  This gave us an additional reason to put in raised garden beds as it is really hard to grow vegies under gum trees.  We will just need to be vigilant with the falling gum leaves.

Wangi Front Yard Sept.09 Looking towards the road

4 October 2010 The front yard faces east.  The photo was taken September 2009 before any work was done. Here I planted some herbs, flower and climbing roses.  I also added two pomegranate trees (deciduous), one on the verge to the south and one north of the drive way.
Also added a chair, and small pathway between our drive way and the neighbour's driveway.  In front of this is a small vegie patch for all those things you may need in a hurry.  You might say it is my Zone 1 (Permaculture).