Healthy angle to gardening

Cath Manuel will present at the next Slow Food Noosa breakfast on 30 October.

SLOW Food Noosa invites you to join them for an insightful and informative session with Cath Manuel from Soil to Supper, at Outrigger Little Hastings Street on Thursday 30 October.
Cath is an experienced horticulturist, organic gardener, horticultural therapist, consultant and educator. Her life’s mission is to educate and inspire everyone, locally and globally, to care for themselves and the earth and grow healthy fresh food to enjoy and share with others.
Cath has many years’ experience in the gardening and horticulture industry and has a great passion for growing fresh, organic food and sharing it with her family and friends.
“It can be hard to have a constant supply of home-grown food in your garden when many plants are grown seasonally,” Cath said.
“Caring for the soil, using crop rotation and plant staggering can all assist with creating a year-round supply of fresh food in gardens of any size and I look forward to sharing some tricks of the trade.”
Cath is focused and zealous about living a sustainable and healthy lifestyle and helps others to improve their wellbeing through growing healthy organic food and connecting with the earth.
As a keen gardener, Cath knows the value of spending time connecting to the earth, planting seedlings and harvesting fresh food.
“For many people facing the pressures of daily living, studies have shown that time spent in the garden greatly lessens stress and improves health and well-being,” Cath said.
“In many studies, people with low energy, low self-esteem, negative thoughts and other forms of mental illness have shown great improvements from spending up to an hour a day in the garden.
“Gardening calms nerves, reduces blood pressure, reduces stress and decreases stress hormone, cortisol and many doctors are prescribing gardening and other outdoor activities to help patients overcome depression as time spent gardening can reduce the need for prescription drugs.”
Cath conducts the ‘Sowing Serenity’ social and therapeutic horticulture program at NoosaCare Carramar within the dementia unit and community centre, sponsored by Slow Food Noosa and supported by Tewantin Community Bank branch of Bendigo Bank.
“Social and therapeutic horticulture is a process of using plants and garden-related activities to promote well-being of people’s minds, body and spirit,” she said.
The Slow Food Breakfast will be held at Outrigger Little Hastings Street, on 30 October, from 7.45am.
Bookings are essential with members at $24 per person and non-members for $29 per person, with a full buffet breakfast included.
Phone Sharyn on 5474 3711 or email info@slowfoodnoosa.com to book.