Peacock Grove Biodynamic oils and olives

Just in time for Christmas and for summer entertaining: Peacock Grove Biodynamic Oils and Olives, from here.

We recently had a question by one of our members as to whether the olives were raw or had been cooked. This member was embarking on a raw food regime and was happy to hear the response that they were not cooked or heated at all.

This is what the Peacocks had to say: "Our olives have been processed in 20% brine, for several months: some describe this process as "fermenting", others as "debittering", but I think of it more as a "pickling" process.  Basically, after they have been picked, we sort them out (discarding the tiny, bird-pecked, blemished, soft ones), we wash them and then put them in brine.  They are then stored at a uniform temperature, and we check the salinity and Ph of the solution at regular intervals. 

At no stage of the process do we cook the fruit.  ... reminded me of an elderly Spanish gentleman who bought some of our raw table olives a couple of years ago.  He said that he boiled his fruit prior to putting them in brine, and was able to eat them a lot sooner than using our method!  So, it is evidently done in other parts of the world."

So the olives we keep in stock at FIG are not only extremely scrumptious but entirely suitable for a raw food diet. That's important information for many of our members.


In stock now, along with some beautiful honey, which is also raw and cold extracted... 

Christmas gift ideas

We came across this on the internet during the week...

... and thought what a good idea it was to share with you all!

FIG is all about community, sharing, supporting the locals, and the co-op will have available some fresh, raw honey and luscious Biodynamic olives and oils which make good Christmas presents to family and friends, and to serve guests over summer when you're entertaining.

They will be available on the extras tables and when they're gone, they're gone, so...

... get in quick!

FIG updates 22nd March

Just a quick update today, to keep you informed of what's a-happening...

The biggest and latest news is that FIG has really, finally, become officially Incorporated, and is now known as Food Integrity Group Co-operative Limited. We have now received our Certificate of Incorporation and are currently in the process of changing the bank account and notifying suppliers of our new ABN and so forth.

Five Directors were elected and members will be kept informed of meeting schedules, including when the AGM shall be held, shortly, via emails and notices here on the blog.

Due to the bank account change, those members on automatic direct debits for the payment of their FIG boxes, or who pay online for their produce and/or bulk orders, will be sent an email shortly outlining the new details with a request to update their records.

Last week, the FIG box contents were 100% local, which was fantastic, and something we are aiming for, eventually for every week.

We see 2012 as a period of growth for FIG. As more people hear of us; as we find suitable venues with storage facilities and increased refrigeration, and as the farmers grow more to supply us, we can supply YOU, the residents of the Central Coast, with safe, healthy food for your families.

Something we really want to develop this year in earnest is the FIG Friend, or Box Buddy, system, where members take away a few food boxes so that other members can collect from the FIG Friend homes instead of everyone driving singularly to FIG each week. If you are keen to be a pick up point - a FIG Friend - or would like to join FIG and cannot get there during operating hours, then please email us on info@fig.org.au and we'll see what we can do to help set up something in your area.

Come visit us any time during operating hours, to see what we do and order a FIG box to try the following week, or email your enquiries to info@fig.org.au.

See you at the co-op!

Mangrove Mountain Fair

FIG had a stand at the great little country fair at Mangrove Mountain yesterday. It's the first time we have been there and the turn out was fantastic, with a very good atmosphere.

Our mission was of course to talk to prospective FIG members but also to try chat to farmers and encourage more of them to come on board and grow for us, organically of course! We made a few connections so time will tell if the day was successful in that regard.

It certainly helps - and puts weight behind such a quest - to have been in operation for about two-and-three-quarter years and to have settled into a good rhythm of operation, and it helps no end to have farmer Michael Champion singing our praises to anyone who will listen, from local farmers and families to the NSW Farmers Association, who were next door to us at the fair. We must be doing something right - or a whole lot of things, actually!

Thank you to our wonderful volunteers on the day - you know who you are! - and Permaculture Central Coast for the loan of their marquee; to Dawn for her wonderful little posies of colourful flowers and herbs which are delightful. Thanks, also, to visiting FIG members who came over for a chat as well.

I'm hoping David may have photographs of the day; we had a pile of organic magazines and material to hand out (thanks, Michael) and to read, hung photo boards, signs and mini posters and also the following, which prompted quite a few comments - and laughs!

Source unknown

See you at the co-op...

Maree :)

A snapshot of Beulah

We were privileged to be shown around the property of Beulah one recent the weekend by the very passionate farmer and owner of the property, Bill. Bill has this energy of genuine concern and mindfulness that surrounds him. He speaks with such passion about what he does and the food he grows for our families. It is obvious that in every piece of produce that comes out of Beulah, a small piece of Bill’s heart and soul is in the essence of that fruit or vegetable. It fills me with such intense appreciation to know that there is someone like Bill, growing our food - who is genuinely concerned about what he is putting on my family’s meal plates. One day, as we sat eating at our meal table, I said, “We are so blessed to have farmers who grow our food for us” and our child responded with “and so lucky to have people to grow this beautiful food without chemicals”. Hear Hear!

Bill showed us around his farm, the outdoor growing spaces, the greenhouse and the orchards. Our tour led down to the pristine water source of the farm where the children were delighted to scoop their hands in and be able to drink right from that refreshing source. Bill spoke to us about his background. Coming 5 years ago from a trade background, with no farming knowledge or experience he poses the question “If I can grow food like this, how can folk who have lived in the soil their whole lives not do the same”. Bill goes on to say that organic farming is so much more than just not spraying. It’s about living in harmony with the land, respecting the soil, reading the signs, listening to the messages that Mother Nature openly shares with those who will listen. When Bill stands there and with the most loving gesture waves his hand to the ground, he says “God put the grass there for a reason, to keep the soil moist and protected - you spray, you loose all of that - then the problems start...” As he trails off from this sentence, Bill shrugs his shoulders and shakes his head in dismay and confusion as to why people would do this. I nearly wept tears of such extreme respect when I stood there is Bill’s presence and heard how he speaks with such love and understanding about how natural, farming can and should be. He has an amazing ability to generate this extreme reverence in us for the gifts of nature that we are blessed to receive.

It was wonderful to hear Bill share his experiences, learnings, suggestions and ideas with us. He was not at all guarded about techniques he uses and openly shared many, many suggestions with the group who frantically tried to scribble down each piece of organic growing advice as the next one flowed in Bill’s words.

We left the property with a deeper level of appreciation for where our food comes from and an amazing respect for the folk like Bill who consciously grow nutritious food to feed, heal and grow our bodies every single day. I love the final lines from Food Inc and it seems appropriate to close this article with those words; that we make three main votes every day on what kind of food we want produced. Whenever we run a food item through a supermarket scanner, we vote, one way or another - which way do you choose to vote?