Bundaberg Organic Gardeners tantalised the taste buds of visitors as they gave out samples of their home-grown organic ginger and lemon or mint teas at the ever-popular Bundy Flavours.
Bundaberg Organic Gardeners workshop co-ordinator Pam Burgess said the community group had been in the Bundaberg Region for a decade and going along to Bundy Flavours helped promote the understanding of the health and environmental benefits of organic gardening and food production – from soil to plate.
“We are like-minded gardeners in the region who come together to share knowledge,” Pam said.
“Our job is to inspire the next generation to come on board and enjoy being back in the gardens; for their health, for nutrition and to know what you are eating is solid dense nutrition by having that.”
And the group was doing this in particular with one of the three stalls it had at Bundy Flavours dedicated to getting children involved with planting food to take home and grow.
She said members grew herbs, vegetables and fruit based on organic principals and were always happy to share information and experiences with each other.
Pam said when you grow your own food in your own garden you knew what was going in the food and in return into your body.
“It will help your immune system and gets you away from process food,” Pam said.
The club had been around for a few years now Pam said; and it was open to everyone.
“This is the second year we have been to Bundy Flavours and always find it’s a great way to share our knowledge and inspire people to learn more about the food they put in their bodies,” Pam said.
Debbie Bradley and Peter Van Beek were enjoying their time at Bundy Flavours showing the crowds how to make their own wicking bed to grow plants at home.
Club member Peter Burgess said there were between 40 and 50 members in the organisation and by having a group like it in the Bundaberg Region was terrific.
“It really turned our lives around and we understand more about out tucker,” Peter said.
“Believe it or not I use to be 130kgs at one stage in my life and I realise I was getting too big and thought I would have to start eating right and I weighed myself the other day and I am now 66kgs.
“I haven’t been this weight since I was in grade 3.
“We are 90 per cent self-sufficient since joining Bundaberg Organic Gardeners.”
Pam said they were always happy to share recipes such as their mint or lemon and ginger teas they had at Bundy Flavours and said it was easier to make then most people thought.
She also encouraged anyone interested to go along to the Bundaberg Organic Gardeners monthly meeting at the Bundaberg Uniting Church; to find out more information check out the website.
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