Going Organic

Going Organic

“Organics is one of Australia’s top 5 growth industries, becoming mainstream,” says the Australian Organic Market Report.

“Supermarkets are fast embracing organics, with growth propelled by the average Australian,” the report adds.

There are lots of reasons to increase the amount of organic food we consume, including eating more nutrients and taking far less chemicals (poison) into our bodies. After all, the best medicine is preventative.

On the Gold Coast, sources of organic produce have been Miami’s weekly Organic Markets, bulk health food stores such as The Source, Naked Health Foods, Garden of Eden, Bliss, Your Organic Pantry and Helen’s Health and Bulk Food, as well as Wray Organic and Mrs Flannery’s.

Gold Coast Organic Meats, GJ’s at Parkwood and Southern Cross Organic Butchers in Highland Park source and sell organic meat, with supermarkets dipping a toe in the water by stocking more free-range meats.

Recently, a new organic outlet has joined the market:

Ground Grocer has operated every Saturday in the big shed at the Currumbin Eco Village since late 2016. Creating a rustic farm shed atmosphere, the crew have created the popup shop from recycled materials – milk crate shelving filled with produce, recycled timber and hessian swathes for display. It’s beautiful in its own earthy way, grounded and communal.

Begun by Kylie and Paul Cook and Peter Aubort, Kylie tells us that because of their personal commitment to eating organic food, they wanted to form a groundswell of like-minded people.

Ground Grocer operates as both a co-op and retail outlet, with shoppers having the flexibility to join at two different levels, each one offering a discount, or to purchase at retail prices. There’s also a weekly delivery service of pre-ordered produce boxes.

Partnering with Food Connect, Ground Grocer sources produce from carefully chosen sustainable organic farms between North NSW and Currumbin Valley and Tweed, with some goods on consignment and others bought wholesale.

Of particular interest are local deli items from Local Fusion Foods in the Eco Village, dried foods from Nutra Organics in Currumbin Creek Road, and trays of baked goods from Burleigh Baker.

“It’s all about limiting our global footprint and limiting the chemical content we put into our bodies,” Kylie tells us.

So, how do we start?

“Eat as much organic food as possible. Eat as wide a variety of food as possible. Especially, eat all the colours,” Andrew McElhone says.

With more information available and healthy options all around us, there’s lots of incentive to move towards a greener lifestyle. It is simply a way of living, eating and being that’s better both for us and for the planet.

Ground Grocer, Eco Village, 4 Village Way, Currumbin Valley, Open each Saturday 7am – 2pm.

Every Saturday 7am – 2pm
      
4 Village Way, Currumbin Valley QLD, Australia