Sunday 18 June 2017

Lambs, Winter Skin Fixes and Permaculture

I have been to two workshops this past week. The first one was at Racheal and Rick's Birdsong Market Garden where we put together some winter skin fixes which was a lot of fun. I will show you the photos later. Firstly though I had to show you the little lambs that we had a look at after the workshop.


Racheal's children took a couple of us through the gate to get a close up photo which was quite difficult as they don't tend to stay still for long.



However, one of the boys managed to keep this cutie still long enough to take a photo...


...but I don't think Mamma Sheep was too happy with me being so close...



...so she led them away from the pesky lady with the camera. On the way back to the house one of the other sheep came up close, looked me in the eye and took a step forward and I hightailed it through the gate at the speed of lightning. Obviously I live in the 'city' and am not used to sheep and I know that Sally from Jembella Farm will be laughing herself silly if she is reading this.

Himalayan Salt Scrub

However before that experience we all had a great time making some skin products to see us through winter when the skin gets dry and so on. Racheal is a 'rep' for doTerra so had plenty of essential oils available for us to use.




I was hoping we didn't stain the lovely wooden table. 




Racheal showed us the fractionated coconut oil she purchased recently. I think it was from Woolworths from memory. This was added to the facial moisturiser we made.



Racheal had given us four recipes to make up but I didn't bother with the bicarb bath soak as I always have a shower so I came home with facial moisturiser, Himalayan salt scrub and whipped coconut body butter.

The recipe for the Himalayan Salt Scrub is:

1 cup        granular Himalayan pink salt
1/2 cup     rice bran oil (deeply hydrating)
1/2 tsp      Moroccan Argan oil
10 drops   essential oil (optional) lots of options but oils like grapefruit, tangerine and peppermint are                  lovely

Mix all your ingredients in a bowl and then pour/scoop into your jar.

To use: Scoop out about the volume of a couple of grapes worth of the scrub and massage into your skin. This is especially good for arms and legs. Don't use this scrub on your face. The salt will exfoliate and remove dead skin while the oils will hydrate and protect your skin from the low humidity of winter. 

This was a great workshop and next month Racheal is having a soapmaking class.



Yesterday our Simple Living Toowoomba group met for a presentation on permaculture by Michael Wardle from Savour Soil Permaculture in the Lockyer Valley.


This was most informative and I learned so much.



This is not the best photo as it was taken of a screen but Michael explained the 12 Principles of Permaculture which are:


1.  Observe and Interact
2.  Catch and Store Energy
3.  Obtain a yield
4.  Apply self regulation and accept feedback
5.  Use and value renewable resources and services
6.  Produce no waste
7.  Design from patterns to details
8.  Integrate rather than segregate
9.  Use small and slow solutions
10. Use and value diversity
11. Use edges and value the marginal
12. Creatively use and respond to change

Michael runs courses during the year so if you are interested in attending one just check out his website. 

There will be some more interesting workshops coming up for our Simple Living Toowoomba group and if you would like to be notified of them just fill out the contact form on the website. Racheal has recently written a very interesting post there about Palagonite: The unusual local mineral for conditioning soil so check it out.  

Have a great week everyone!

 

14 comments:

  1. Chel, you're quite right, I was having a good chuckle at your sheep story. :) Two fantastic workshops you attended, thanks for sharing the recipe for the salt scrub. I've often wondered how to make it, but will have a go now. It's fantastic stuff for getting sheep farmer's hands clean! ;)

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  2. Nanna Chel,
    They look like interesting workshops. I haven't been able to attend as my health has been rubbish this month. Hopefully next month I can catch up with a few Simple living workshops. Racheal's workshop seemed interesting too.
    -Shiralee.

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    Replies
    1. Sorry to hear you have been unwell, Shiralee. Hopefully you will get to the next one.

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  3. I'm picturing you running away from that sheep back through the gate. I think my heart would have been pounding.
    The permaculture workshop sounds great.
    I use Rosehip oil on my skin which keeps it lovely and soft especially during winter. Exfoliating with the salt scrub would be a great addition. Thanks for sharing.. I also find coconut oil is wonderful for treating mouth ulcers.
    That permaculture workshop sounds amazing and the 12 principles of permaculture would be handy to have printed and in sight.
    Kylie

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    Replies
    1. Kylie, I think the kids thought it was so funny that I got a fright. Ha ha!

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  4. The workshops sound wonderful and interesting. I love making body products. I don't do it enough. Those lambs...sweet!!!

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    Replies
    1. Yes, the lambs were very sweet, Chrissy. Next time I might take a photo of them from the other side of the fence.

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  5. Sounds like you had a great time, and learned a great deal. I tried making a new moisturizer, out of coconut oil too. Recipe here.

    I found it really slick to use at first, and shiny! But after about a week of using it, I tried going back to regular sorbolene cream. But it felt like I was rubbing a plastic mask over my skin. I never knew that's what cream felt like, until I tried using a natural oil as a moisturiser.

    Do you find you have to adjust to the new coconut oil, based moisturiser?

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    Replies
    1. Chris, Racheal said to use an amount about the size of a 5c and to work it into your skin. I have only used it once so can't tell what it will be like long term. I normally use sorbolene cream too.

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    2. Chris I just looked at the ingredients for Racheal's facial moisturiser and it was just 25 drops essential oil and 1T fractionated coconut oil. She uses doTerra essential oils.

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  6. Haha Chel your sheep story made me laugh. :) I had a similar experience, but with a cow (or a bull , I didn't care to find out).
    Lambs are so cute though.

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  7. You've certainly been busy! Love the sheep story.

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  8. Sounds like a lot of fun Nanna Chel. I had a chuckle at your little sheep encounter.

    Goes to show all mummies are protective of their young, just like us humans. They want to keep them safe.

    Glad to hear you learned a lot at the permaculture course. I hope you put it all into practice and share here on your blog...you know I would love that, right?

    xTania

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