The GreenplanetFM Podcast with Tim Lynch

New Zealand was once a country of many backyard gardens. Janice talks about how NZ used to be a very localised, cooperative community-orientated country that used to grow a lot of its own food. That many people had gardens and orchards and that today with urbanised living and houses squeezed on to small sections - farmers markets have become more common as urban people still want to purchase fresh food that is preferably organic as well. She said that up until 1996 NZ was self sufficient in growing its own wheat, a good healthy wheat, like you would find in Italy as they as a pasta making country grow good quality wheat. However in 1996, Fonterra the NZ dairy giant took over the wheat fields and turned them into dairy and instead NZ now imports a more unhealthy wheat into the country as to fill our bread eating needs. This is when 'gluten free' started to really emerge. She says if we go to Italy they have a very clear understanding of wheat as they are a spaghetti, lasagne and pizza eating country and she sa