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Provenance of a Natural Warrior

Posted by Lilly Choi-Lee on

Did you know that here in the Northern Rivers of New South Wales Australia, we are the provenance of a Natural Warrior?

Defender of Good Health: 

...a natural antiseptic, anti-inflammation, anti-viral & anti-fungal oil – carefully harvested and distilled from a small tree, native to our region, called melaleuca alternafolia or more commonly known as “tea tree”. 

For those who have not heard of tea tree oil, it is a potent antimicrobial product in its pure form as an oil, used for decades in Australia, North America and Europe to treat cuts, warts, insect bites, fungal infections, minor burns & mould. 

It is also commonly incorporated into cosmetic products effective as acne treatments, toothpastes, cleansers and insect repellants.

Many commercial brands of tea tree oil however have been mass produced on large plantations.  Large plantations of a single species are not biodiverse – which means they have a lot of one species of plant – on one hand this is good to be able to grow & harvest massive amounts of tea tree.  On the other hand, it also means the number of pests that love to eat the crop also increases.  Think of a delicious banquet where you attract many people, who then tell all their friends & family, to come to feast as well. 

This is the scenario for non-biodiverse crops.  They are a feasting ground for harmful pests & insects who bring their friends & family to enjoy the free buffet. The most efficient way to kill and control this plague is by use of chemicals & pesticides.

No need for harmful chemicals or pesticides on Olive Gap Organic Farm

Olive Gap Organic Farm specializes in growing certified organic melaleuca alternafolia.  As a small farm, only 15 acres, Olive Gap is naturally biodiverse.

Therefore, no harmful pesticides or chemicals are needed because the harmful pests that attack the melaleuca alternafolia are few.

Nature’s cycle completed

We can safely say that the Olive Gap Farm Cows are the cutest custodians of keeping unwanted foliage at bay! With the help of some of their friends from neighbouring farms, these gentle creatures are a vital part of the team, as they chew & naturally move through the grass and weeds between the rows of native tea trees.  And what passes out of our bovine buddies’ digestive system becomes the perfect nutrient-rich fertilizer for the earth and future crops.

Nature's cycle completed.

These are just some examples of how our passionate team of farmers draws inspiration from numerous sustainable farming practices, both traditional and modern, including permaculture, bio-intensive, bio-dynamics and regenerative agriculture. The ultimate aim is to create the highest quality products available that are equally nourishing to us, our tribe of consumers and the earth.

Join us in future blogs as we explore what this actually means to our Olive Gap Organic Farmers - up close & personal!  Stay tuned to see what harvest time looks like...

 

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