Saffron is widely used as a spice in Iranian, Arab, Central Asian, European, Pakistani, Indian, and Turkish cuisines. Saffron is harvested from the autumn flowering plant Crocus sativus, a member of the Iris family. It is native to Asia Minor, where it has been cultivated for thousands of years being used in medicines, perfumes, dyes, and as a flavouring for foods and beverages.
Medical research into saffron has found it helps in Alzheimer's disease, has potential as an anti-tumor agent and inhibits DMBA-induced skin carcinoma when treated early. Both saffron stigmas and petals are said to be helpful for depression, are effective in relieving symptoms of PMS and it may also have a protective effect on the heart. Saffron, crocins and crocetin have been found to inhibit breast cancer cell proliferation. Research is currently being done using saffron to inhibit macular degeneration and allergic disorders.
Our Premium Quality Saffron is organically grown in Canterbury, New Zealand using biodynamic methods.
Trevor & Lyndsay Courtney have been active in organic growing for over 30 years in Australia and New Zealand. Since settling in Canterbury NZ they have embraced biodynamics and started on the road to certification in 2010.
Lyndsay has a certificate in Animal and Plant Care with Agribusiness and is studying Sustainable Horticulture with Otago Polytech. Trevor has a certificate in Animal and Plant Care, Plant Propagation and Pasture Production with Agribusiness and is studying Sustainable Horticulture with Otago Polytech
Our animals consist of a breeding herd of Wiltshire sheep, 2 Red Devons and a Fresian cow, a West Highland white dog and a black cat.
We have a half hectacre of fruit trees consisting of heritage apples and pears along with nectarines, peaches, plums and prunes. Half are grown festooned and half using the french espalier method
We currently have a quarter hectare of organic saffron and a similar area prepared for further expansion.
The organic method is ecologically oriented. It tries to understand how nature does things and formulates methods that are most natural. Insects and diseases are combated by the use of nature's own remedies, with parasites and herbal sprays. Its main aim is to create healthy soil for healthy plants and maintain productivity.
Biodynamic agriculture is a method of organic farming that treats farms as unified and individual organisms, emphasizing an interrelationship of the soil, plants and animals as a self-nourishing system without external inputs insofar as this is possible. As in other forms of organic agriculture, artificial fertilizers and toxic pesticides and herbicides are avoided. Regarded by some as the first modern ecological & sustainable farming system, biodynamic farming has much in common with other organic approaches. Methods unique to the biodynamics include the use of fermented herbal and mineral preparations as compost additives and field sprays and the use of an astronomical sowing and planting calendar. Biodynamics originated out of the work of Rudolf Steiner.
