September 2021 Parenta magazine

Organic September
“In the face of climate change, diet-related ill-health, and widespread decline in wildlife, the need to
change our food systems has never been greater.”
Last month, the UN Climate Report made
sobering reading for everyone, and it is
clear that we need to act now to avert
a catastrophe on a worldwide scale. In
this magazine article, you can read some
ideas to help with sustainability on page
28, which links into this article on Organic
September too, a month-long campaign
by The Soil Association to encourage
everyone to be more organic.
The September campaign is run every year
and it has never been more important
for each of us to do our bit to help. You
can sign up to a newsletter on the official
website and also get some practical
tips on how to make small changes to
live in a more sustainable way. If one
nursery setting makes a few changes and
encourages their parents to do the same,
think how much could be achieved if all
nurseries did a little bit? It’s how change
really happens.
The Soil Association
Did you know?
There are 2,500 billion tonnes of carbon stored in the world’s soils - more than in the
plants, trees and the atmosphere combined.
Organic farming creates healthy, living soils and organic farmland is, on average,
around 25% more effective at storing carbon in the long-term than non-organic land.
Why organic?
Farming organically, growing food
organically yourself, and eating more
organic food have many benefits to people
and the planet, and if we want to live more
sustainably on the earth to prevent climate
change, it has to be at least one weapon
in our arsenal. Some of the benefits
include:
• Increased biodiversity
• More wildlife habitats
• Higher standards of animal welfare
• Reduction of pesticides and exposure
to pesticides
• Reduced reliance on artificial fertilisers
• Increased storage of carbon in soil
• Cleaner water systems
• No genetically-modified (GM) foods
• Reduced use of antibiotics in animals
• Better tasting food
• Reduced waste
• Nutritionally better food
• Better farming for the planet as a
whole
Did you know?
Organic farms have around 50% more
bees, butterflies and other pollinators.
What does organic mean?
According to The Soil Association,
‘organic’ is “a system of farming and food
production where organic farmers aim to
produce high-quality food, using methods
that benefit our whole food system, from
people to planet, plant health to animal
welfare”.
In order to be classed as organic and
gain the organic kitemark, farmers must
work to a strict set of food-production
standards, which must legally comply with
strict EU regulations. Farms are inspected
at least once a year by an authorised
certification body, and need to show that
they sustain the health of:
• Soils
• Ecosystems
• Animals
• People
These standards are built on the key
principles of organic agriculture:
• Health
• Ecology
• Care
• Fairness
In practice, this means that instead of
relying on chemicals designed to destroy
weeds (weedkillers) and insects/other
pests (pesticides), organic farmers aim to
create a natural balance between plants
and animals to prevent pests, and grow
crops in rotation or in complimentary
plantings to support the natural fertilisation
and sustainability of the soil. Organic
farmers also encourage birds, beetles and
other ‘beneficial insects’ such as ladybirds
on their farms to eat pests such as aphids,
slugs and caterpillars.
Did you know?
How to support Organic
September in your nursery
On the Soil Association website, they have
listed at least 30 ways in which people can
get involved in Organic September in small
ways, so you won’t be short of ideas to run
in your nursery to join the campaign.
We’ve listed some of our favourite ones
here to help you make a small difference
that can contribute to a greater whole.
1. Swap your normal hot drink for an
organic version. In the UK, we drink
90 million cups of coffee and 100
million cups of tea a day! That’s a lot
of teabags! And a lot of differences
that we could make if we all swapped
to an organic version of our favourite
cuppa!
2. Release some ladybirds into your
environment. You can purchase
ladybirds and other organic products
from www.organiccatalogue.com,
teach the children about their lifecycle
and beneficial effects, and make a big
difference to the insect population of
your local area.
3. Set up a ‘nectar café’ in your garden
space or even just in pots around
your front door. Visit the Wildlife
Trust’s website here for ideas
on the best plants to encourage
bees and butterflies including
Adult ladybirds can eat about 5,000 aphids (greenfly and blackfly) and will
lay 20-50 eggs a day, quickly building a large beneficial population.
buddleia, honeysuckle and grape
hyacinth. Many of these plants also
have heavenly scents so you can
incorporate them into a sensory
planting area too.
4. If you have space, why not grow some
organic vegetables with the children?
Potatoes and carrots are easy to grow,
even in pots, and you can use them
to make some easy, tasty treats when
they’re ready such as jacket potatoes,
potato salad or a hearty winter
vegetable and carrot soup. You can
get carrots in a whole host of colours
other than orange too, which could be
a great way to introduce the topic of
diversity and inclusion into your setting
as well.
5. Link Organic September to a healthy
eating session in your setting. You can
use organic eggs to make omelettes
or use other organic ingredients
to create some organic cakes and
biscuits. Why not shape them into
ladybirds and decorate them with
organic chocolate buttons or coloured
icing too?
6. Bake some organic bread. Baking
bread is a fun thing to do with
children and you can use a traditional
sourdough recipe from Vanessa
Kimbell with wild yeast, or there are
other delicious recipes on the Soil
Association site or via an internet
search too.
7. Finally, make your own organic beauty
products. It’s not just our food that
uses organic products. Much of the
beauty industry still use ingredients
that are either not organic or are not
farmed sustainably. Check out how
to make a natural organic face mask
here, which you can use on the hands
of your little ones instead of their faces
if preferred to make them lovely and
soft!
Whatever you do to celebrate Organic
September, we’d love to hear about it, so
remember to send your stories and photos
to us at hello@parenta.com.
20 September 2021 | parenta.com
parenta.com | September 2021 21