This week we meet a couple of people who were so inspired by our columnist Lydia Harvey's journey to become supermarket and mass consumerism free that they joined her.
Pauline Tiraha
Lydia: Meet my dear friend Pauline who not only shares her excess baking and bottling with me, but she feeds the homeless and gives away meals to those in the community.
How did you hear about Lydia's supermarket-free challenge?
Pauline: I have known Lydia a very long time and have seen her journey unfold before she even knew what her journey would be.
What was it about Lydia's story that inspired you to do the same?
Pauline: It's inspired me to change the way I eat and establish multiple gardens for not only feeding myself but for those in need around me. I'm part of a community that grows produce together to help feed each other. It's amazing what we are all achieving by working together.
How are you finding your new lifestyle?
Pauline: I am now eating a high plant based diet which has done wonders for my health and energy levels. As the community comes together I'm finding there is no me and mine - everything really is shared and we’re all doing better because of it.
Karah Gray
Lydia: My friend Karah and I have bonded over bottling and bartering together. We also love to make handmade gifts for other together.
How did you hear about Lydia's supermarket-free challenge?
Karah: It was when I found out I was pregnant with my daughter that I came across Lydia's story. I was trying to work out how we were we going to survive on just one income and what we could we do to work on minimalizing our waste and save money. I could relate to Lydia's story.
What was it about Lydia's story that inspired you to do the same?
Karah: We knew if Lydia could do it with four children we could definitely do it with our one.
How are you finding your new lifestyle?
Karah: My daughter is now three months old and we have never been kinder to our environment and pockets. Following Lydia's journey has made me more aware of wastage, plastic usage, gifting handmade goods and investing in reusable items.
Everything we now purchase is a conscience choice and has changed our way of spending. We were pleasantly surprised with how much easier it was to do than it sounded.
Phillip Holden
Lydia: My friend Philip has been a massive help to us redistributing plants he grows himself within the community.
How did you hear about Lydia's supermarket-free challenge?
Phillip: I heard about it through community dinners where we discussed how to grow our local economy.
What was it about Lydia's story that inspired you to do the same?
Phillip: Lydia's story showed if one person can make a difference imagine the difference we can create if we all come together.
How are you finding your new lifestyle?
Phillip: I'm finding the new lifestyle is bringing people in the community together and has us working towards mutual goals. Our current goal is to produce 5,000 fruit trees and to educate people on how they can feed themselves without having to partake in mass consumerism.
From Lydia's Garden - Garden spiralizer salad
In a large bowl throw through the spiralizer machine
1/2 peeled beetroot
1 cored Apple
1/2 peeled red onion
1 carrot
1 cucumber
Once spiralizer add
1 handful of parsley
Crushed walnuts
Thin sliced capsicum
Sunflower seeds
Top with balsamic vinaigrette before serving.
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