I fell into organics; I did not seek it out.
A couple of weeks of work experience at Highgrove led to me working there on and off for the next decade.
It started as a fun summer job. A way to earn money and be outside in a beautiful setting. I was much more into the aesthetics of gardening. I was studying Fine Art and hadn't even considered horticulture as a career.
My fun summer job has gradually become my vocation.
I have never practiced conventional horticulture. Organic horticulture is all I know. It would have been all any gardener would have known until the 20th century.
I have always aimed to buy as much organic food as we can afford as a family and, of course, I grow quite a lot of tasty produce too.
Instagram has encouraged me to widen my organic journey. The Soil Association - please look at their website for more about what they do - www.soilassociation.org - award Organic status to farms, growers, producers and makers who meet their high standards so I enjoy following their work on my preferred form of social media.
My attention has been captured by the Soil Association Beauty blog. I have always been aware that what I put on my skin and the skin of my children is as equally important as the food we consume but I always considered it to be financially unattainable.
Researching the different brands was a bit baffling. I prefer to try before I buy and was reluctant to commit to a product that may have not been right for me so I was thrilled when the Soil Association announced a limited edition Beauty Box to coincide with their #organicseptember and Organic Beauty Week (19th-25th September 2016).
The box is a revelation. Packed full of treats from some of the leading Organic Beauty brands e.g. Neal's Yard, Botanicals, NatraCare, Skin and Tonic, Terre Verde, Odylique, Kiki Health and Essential Care.
Botanicals 'Radiance Facial Serum' is an instant hit and I will be a future customer, of that I am in no doubt. I also love the clensing wipes from NatraCare and the 'Rose Mist' from Skin and Tonic ~ I have been using it to fix my make-up in place and it works a treat (yes, I am a make-up wearing gardener......well, I have blonde eyelashes, what am I supposed to do, go without mascara? Not a chance).
The verdict: I will continue to follow the excellent work of The Soil Association and look to them for guidance as I continue on my organic journey.
