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A group of birdwatchers arriving at a nature reserve on the New South Wales Mid North Coast has spotted one of the country's rarest birds before even leaving the car park.

The group had just got to Jolly Nose Mountain Bike Park in the Queens Lake Nature Reserve recently, when an eagle-eyed twitcher spotted a critically endangered regent honeyeater.

According to BirdLife Australia, there have only been five reports of the bird in the Port Macquarie area in the past decade.

Hastings Birdwatchers conservation officer Peter West was one of the few people among the group of about 20 who had seen the species before.

A Conservation-Bred Regent Honeyeater and Chick
(Supplied: Lachlan Hall)

"We got out of the car and the first thing someone said was, 'There's a regent honeyeater,'" Mr West said.

"To be honest I didn't believe they were telling me the truth, but it was true.

"The lady who organised the morning had a plan, which went out the window, and I don't think we got very far from the car park at all."

Mr West said they saw two regent honeyeaters in the reserve south of Port Macquarie, feeding with other types of honeyeaters in the trees.…

by Green Life Soil in WA

Companion planting is the careful placement of plants (especially vegetables and herbs) which have been shown to have beneficial effects on one another. Sometimes, this comes down to simple physical reasons – taller plants provide shelter from sun and wind for plants that need protection. Climbing plants can be trained up over taller plants to maximise production in small spaces. Some plants make good companions because their roots grow to different depths, so simply do not compete with each other for water and nutrients.

Plants in the legume family (eg. Peas and beans) promote growth in nearby plants with their nitrogen fixing ability – nodules on the roots enable plants to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a form used by plants. Also they tend to be deep rooted, which promotes aeration of the soil, thus benefiting their neighbours.

The shape of some plants and their flowers can visually confuse insect pests. Other plants, especially herbs, contain strong smelling substances released by their leaves. These scents can swamp odours emitted by other plants and confuse insects seeking out a target.

Still other plants emit chemicals from their roots which can act as growth stimulants for other plants, or can act negatively to retard germination of seeds.…

Health Benefits of Oatmeal—Explained by a Nutritionist
Plus, healthy ways to incorporate it into your diet.

By Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD 2022

Oatmeal Is Nutrient-Rich

Oats are also bundled with a variety of vitamins and minerals, including iron, magnesium, zinc, selenium, B vitamins, and smaller amounts of calcium and potassium. That's an impressive vitamin and mineral package for a relatively low-calorie food. This all makes oatmeal a nutrient-dense ingredient.

Oatmeal Provides Antioxidants
Polyphenol antioxidants found in oats possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. At the cellular level, polyphenols have been shown to help fend off aging and disease by reducing oxidative stress. (Basically, oxidative stress is an imbalance between the production of cell-damaging free radicals and the body's ability to counter their unwanted effects.

Furthermore, due to their bodyguard-like effects, polyphenols have been linked to protection against heart disease and stroke, as well as type 2 diabetes and obesity.

Oatmeal Supports Better Nutrition
If you've avoided oatmeal due to its carb content, you may be delighted to know that this healthy starch actually supports weight management. A study demonstrated that regular oatmeal consumers score higher on the USDA's Healthy Eating Index, which is a measure of overall diet quality.…

IN ADDITION TO THEIR PRINCIPLE OF PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING TOP QUALITY WINE, I HAVE DONE CONSIDERABLE RESEARCH ON THE LIKES OF MONSANTO - THEY ARE VERY SHADY, TO SAY THE LEAST. I WILL PLACE LINKS TO TWO OF MY WEBSITES IN SUPPORT TO DECISIONS LIKE THIS. THE SA GOVERNMENT DID NOT DO THEIR HOMEWORK PROPERLY CONCERNING THEIR DECISION TO ALLOW GMO CROPS INTO THE STATE. THERE ARE REAL FACTORS, I BELIEVE, THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF TO APPROVE SUCH A THING! THE MCLARENVALE WINE REGION HAS SOME SMART DECISION MAKERS - IT IS WISE TO DO DUE DILIGENCE IN SUCH MATTERS AND I WOULD LIKE TO APPLAUD THEM WHOLEHEARTEDLY.

Key SA Wine Region Leads Push To Remain GM-Free

From Indaily.Com.Au

South Australia’s largest council is poised to be the first to ask permission to ban genetically modified crops from its borders following a push from McLaren Vale’s wine industry, which says the lifting of a moratorium will cost the region millions.

Onkaparinga councillors will decide tomorrow night (Tuesday, September 15) if they will ask for the district to be given non-GM crop designation following months of public consultation.

Legislation lifting a 16 Year Ban on Genetically Modified Crops in SA was passed by state parliament in May.…