Month: September 2021

by Bruce

'Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures', by Merlin Sheldrake, Penguin Books Australia, 2020, also available as an e-Book and Audio Book

I recently stumbled across this wonderful, and award-winning book via ABC Radio National’s ‘Conversations’ podcast and a fascinating interview with the author (52 minutes listen).

PODCAST LINK HERE: Fascinating fungi - the intelligent kingdom

(from the Publisher) There is a life-form so strange and wondrous that it forces us to rethink how life works ... Neither plant nor animal, it is found throughout the earth, the air and our bodies. It can be microscopic, yet also accounts for the largest organisms ever recorded, living for millennia and weighing tens of thousands of tonnes. Its ability to digest rock enabled the first life on land, it can survive unprotected in space and it thrives amidst nuclear radiation.

In this captivating adventure, Merlin Sheldrake explores the spectacular and neglected world of fungi: endlessly surprising organisms that sustain nearly all living systems. They can solve problems without a brain, stretching traditional definitions of ‘intelligence’, and can manipulate animal behaviour with devastating precision.

In giving us bread, alcohol and life-saving medicines, fungi have shaped human history, and their psychedelic properties, which have influenced societies since antiquity, have recently been shown to alleviate a number of mental illnesses. The ability of fungi to digest plastic, explosives, pesticides and crude oil is being harnessed in break-through technologies, and the discovery that they connect plants in underground networks, the ‘Wood Wide Web’, is transforming the way we understand ecosystems. Yet they live their lives largely out of sight, and more than 90 percent of their species remain undocumented.

Entangled Life is a mind-altering journey into this hidden kingdom of life and shows that fungi are key to understanding the planet on which we live and the ways we think, feel and behave. The more we learn about fungi, the less makes sense without them.

Watch Merlin Sheldrake eat the oyster mushrooms that ate his book! 

Some of the glowing reviews

 

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“Entangled Life is a dazzling, vibrant, vision-changing book. Sentence after sentence stopped me short. I ended it wonderstruck at the fungal world and the earth-shaking, hierarchy-breaking implications of Sheldrake's argument. This is a remarkable work by a remarkable writer, which succeeds in springing life into strangeness again.”

— Robert Macfarlane, author of Underland

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“Few books blew my mind like Entangled Life. The research, passion, writing, insights... Not sure if I've ever learned so much from ONE book. Here is to another scientist who celebrates imagination. Essential reading. Go and get swept up in a new world.”

— Andrea Wulf, author of The Invention of Nature: The Adventures of Alexander von Humboldt

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“Entangled Life is a revelation. It is a radical, hopeful and important book and I couldn’t put it down. With elegance, wit and clarity Sheldrake engages us in the hidden world of fungi, a miraculous web of connections, interactions and communication that changes the way we need to look at life, the planet and ourselves.”

— Isabella Tree, author of Wilding

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“Unbelievably amazing”
— Tim Flannery, THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD

For further insights into Entangled Life, read The Understory by fellow writer Robert Macfarlane, in which Merlin & Robert go for a walk in the Epping Forest near London.

For more reviews of Entangled Life, go here.

Find out how to get a copy here.

Tips for upcycling takeaway containers by Greta

When the rainy days come, and it's cold outside, we're in no mood to cook. It's takeaway to the rescue. But it’s not without a cost, and not just to your bank account. We're all well aware of the detrimental effects of plastic to the environment and wildlife.

Here are some nifty ideas to consider for upcycling takeaway containers.

1. Tupperware alternatives – takeaway boxes make the perfect food storage containers in the fridge (ask a chef!). They may not be as durable as Tupperware but can last between 3-10 uses depending on what you store.
2. Garden equipment storage – think fertilizer, garden gloves, and seed packets.
3. Loose tea storage – I'm a huge tea lover and storing different teas in takeaway boxes keeps my drawer neat and organised.
4. Herb pot plants! Did you know that you can save the root end of spring onions, replant them and grow them again? The same goes for bok choy. Next time you buy some, consider starting your own windowsill garden, as per this simple project below.

DIY takeaway planter box

 

This isn't limited to just spring onions. Any small herb or plant will work, but I've used Spring Onions because they're very easy to regrow, and delicious in miso soups, noodle dishes, and rice bowls!

Materials

• Takeaway box
• Small crafting drill
• A thin and pointy object (skewer, toothpick, pencil, etc.) for making a well for your herbs or plants of choice
• Small shovel
• Potting mix
• Spray bottle
• 6 Spring Onions (cut 3cm from the root)

Method

• Gently drill 10 holes into the base of the takeaway container. Thoughtfully discard the plastic residue from the drilled holes.
• Using your shovel, scoop potting mix into the container leaving approx. 1cm space at the top.
• Using your pointy object, make 6 wells in the soil approx. 2cm deep, 3-4cm apart from each other.
• Plant each Spring Onion in a well, and cover.
• Spray the plants thoroughly until the soil is damp, but not saturated.
• Keep your planter box in a sunny spot. Water them once or twice daily (three times in a hot and dry weather) – they love water very much.

In a few days, you'll start to see new shoots emerging from the base of the Spring Onions. These will be ready to harvest in 1-2 weeks. Free Spring Onions forever!

by Caroline~

Wake: one of the many things we pride ourselves on at Alfalfa is our selection of delicious and soothing teas. From brands such as Organic Merchant to Chai Walli, we have dozens of varieties to choose from, including our very own delicious house blends.

Morning cleanse: we can’t think of a better way to get your mind and body off to a great start than with our Antioxidant tea. Steep the beautifully coloured loose leaves for a couple of minutes then add a slice or lemon for a tasty liver cleanse.

Treat: customers travel from across Sydney to stock up on our famous Earl Grey, a favourite of our stock coordinator, Yue:

“I’ve had this ritual for many years now, where I steep a good teaspoon of Earl Grey in my ball strainer in my favourite cup for a few minutes, then add a splash of Bonsoy and a teaspoon of our incredible Malfroy's Gold honey.

It’s important that the water isn’t boiling hot so that the honey maintains some nutritional properties.”

Grind: if coffee is more your thing, we have a great range: from Australian grown to organic, in compostable packaging. There's a coffee bean to suit every Alfalfa member. Plus we stock every milk you can think of, including our very own package-free fresh almond, cashew and oat mylks.

Cleanse: there’s never been a more important time for self care! Our best-selling shower and bathing products are our soap and shampoo bars from Clover Fields. And for good reason, they’re eco-sustainable, natural and harm-free and are made using Australian-sourced ingredients. They are not tested on animals, are 100% Australian made, and don't contain any harsh chemicals, making them better for you and the environment. The natural scents will add a new dimension to shower time.

Bathe: we also have some wonderful and natural ingredients in stock so you can make your own bathing treats. Try this! Add a large handful of our Epsom bath salts to your running bath water, sprinkle in some lavender flowers, rose petals and calendula flowers, all available in bulk at Alfalfa. Steep and relaaaax.

Nourish: we stock some of the finest ingredients and produce available, so you know that whatever dish you’re treating yourself, family or friends to, it’ll be a with love from us and our planet

Spring is all about fennel, and thanks to Jamie Oliver, we think we’ve found a fennel recipe for everyone .

Share your dishes with us on Instagram by tagging @alfalfahousesyd

Handy tip

Alfalfa House will continue to offer our Personal Shopper service throughout the Covid lockdown. A great option for a contact-free shop. You send us your shopping list, we do the shopping, and then you collect! Easy.

You can place your order online

Or just give us a call on (02) 9519 3374.