Verissima is changing. Watch this space!

We Don’t Need All The Fancy Stuff

We Don’t Need All The Fancy Stuff

If there’s one main message I want to get across to people, it would be that we don’t need all the fancy stuff to get by in life, we can make our own products if we so wish.

We don’t need all the “organic” this and “organic” that, we can source pure ingredients without the price tag.

The truth is, I get so sick of people jumping on the ‘organic’ bandwagon just for sales. Because for me, it’s about the people taking the time to farm ethically — those who actually give a crap. You don’t need all those synthetic inputs, so why use them in your products? Get back to basics; cook with real ingredients.

Now I don’t want to come across as a purist. I’m just little ol’ me who drinks loads of beer, and it’s not organic! I too grab whatever I can from the local store, I don’t always buy organic, but I prefer to when I can.

But I like buying from the person who has done the back breaking work. There’s something nice about that. I just think people need to know that they can have fantastic natural products at an affordable price, and that it is made by me — a human who cares.

Time to lighten up and have a bit of fun!

Healthy Travel Tips To Enjoy Your Holidays and Avoid Sickness

Travelling is a heap of fun and something I do a lot, in Australia. I have never had the desire to broaden my wings and fly over the seas to another country, until now. To be honest it freaked me out, what did I need to do, could I get clean water, fresh food, how was...

9 Phenomenal Benefits Of A Juice Fast

There’s a whole plethora of information and disinformation out there about juice fasting. So how does one know whether it’s good for you or not? I always encourage people to do their own research, collate the information and make up their own minds. Go onto reputed...

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Do you have those days where there seems like an endless noise of crap in your head? Am I doing the right thing? Should I be doing this? In 2021 I decided to listen to the loudest noise, share all I’ve learned about natural health, how we can become our own...

Why Is Change Necessary

This is a bit of a different blog. Not particularly about anything other than to keep you informed. As you will see from our social media posts on Instagram and Facebook we’re on a manufacturing break. You can not buy anything from our website. I know right, wtf! WHY?...

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Quite a few years back our daughter caught Hand Foot & Mouth from kindy or day care. I freaked out, it sounded too much like the highly contagious disease Foot & Mouth that affected cloven-hoofed animals! What the heck was my daughter doing with it? But it’s a...

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There is so much going on in the world at the moment that it is very easy to get caught up in the hype of it all, feel powerless, start to stress, and just succumb to the fact that we are all going to get sick, very sick.Well guess what, every day, people do get ill,...

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One of the most common questions I get asked is whether I have a natural skin rash cream. Which I do, but I rarely go straight to that. Why, because all it will do is put out the fire so to speak, it won’t fix the underlying inflammation issue forever. Neither will,...

Sustainable Living Starts At Home

Have you ever thought about living off the land, getting away from it all and seeing if you can make it without all the stuff? In 2009 we moved into our home that I affectionately call, Booka Farm, I had a dream of creating a sustainable living back then,...

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It’s not what we intended in the beginning, heck I hadn’t even noticed it until a friend, who happened to be vegan, asked the question - Nat, do you create vegan skin care products? I'll admit I was a little taken aback, I had not given any thought to it. You see,...

Read More

How to Get Rid of a Cold Fast

How to Get Rid of a Cold Fast

Do you want to know how to rid of a cold fast? Of course you do. No-one likes feeling darn miserable with a thumping head, nose running like a tap and a blimme annoying cough for too long.

It’s once again that time of year when the cold air wraps around us, we hunt the back of the wardrobe for our long wooly jackets, our ugg boots and beanies (well, I do). The sniffles begin.. our sinuses can become sooo sore that our head hurts and we feel cold and miserable.

Wouldn’t it be nice to know how to get rid of a cold fast, to take it on, and concur it with a vengeance.

Well I believe you can, I believe the natural remedies for cold and flu are the best go-to’s. At least initially, before you’re in that much of a mess that you can’t even get out of bed. Let’s avoid that shall we.

So when this happens to me and I want to know to get rid of a cold fast I whip up a yummy hot health-giving tea,

Mum used to make us one as kids. I have varied it and thanks to a friend of mine I have been adding awesome quality certified organic cayenne (so super powerful for sore throats).

Here it is!

  • Boiling water
  • add some lemon juice (from a fresh spray-free lemon, if possible)
  • grate your ginger and add the juice or leave the sliced ginger in to brew
  • same as garlic (about a clove)
  • some gorgeous raw honey
  • some cayenne, enough to feel the heat but not BLOW YOUR HEAD OFF!

I have given this to my kids, adjusting the sweetness and heat as needed. Give it a go!
I do try and use all organic ingredients but when it’s not on hand, use what you have.

And, for those of us who got brought up with the good ‘ol Vicks Vapor Rub, we are also accustomed to having something rubbed on our chests and even under (or up) our noses that will magically get rid of our chesty coughs, try our Chest Rub. for a non toxic, natural home remedy instead. Without the petrolatum found in a lot of over the rubs for this, it’s worth a try. It works even better when coupled with our Inhale & Heal, pure plant based essential oil synergistic blend. Pop a few drops of this in your vaporiser, or your kids and throughout the night you will be inhaling and benefiting from the ancient principles of aromatherapy. Perfect!

What’s your favourite winter recipe? Share it with me below!

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Booka Farm

Booka Farm

Booka Farm – Home to Verissima Natural Skincare / Ridgey Didge Roofing oh and us!

I would like to introduce you all to our Farm. We lived here for some time before it found its name.

The name Booka originates from a special place that both Brad and I hold close to our hearts.

It’s even the place that Brad and I met when youngins. I have photos of me on the beach as a wee baby.

Nothing fancy, tin shacks, pit toilet, push out windows, no air con, no tv, no phones, hot water from a “donky set-up” comprising of 44 gallon drums or hot water boiled on a wood stove and poured into a tin bath. Yep nothing fancy but everything about Booka Valley was fun – spotlighting with friends, catching occy/crays and fish galore, spending time with other family and friends (if there at the same time), dancing, seals, bonfires, motorbikes, roo & rabbit shooting (it was one way to get food) and adding on extra rooms if needed.

 

Every Chrissy holidays we would jump in the car and drive down from Hedland up in the Pilbara – that was part of the excitement.

We gave this name to our home because we intend it to be all things “back to basics” and “back to the good times”,

life does not need to be complicated.

I would love to be as self-sufficient as possible and to help others learn about farming naturally whether in your back yard or on acreage. I don’t know much yet myself, but I’m learning….. hands on style.

So we have started without even knowing it really. We brought the farm with a few sheep and pigs and then we brought some chooks (for eggs, as a bonus its fun to watch them and hatch little chicks) then I brought Verissima home. Oh and birthed our little girl Jessie here as well. WOW.

So far we can create our health products, we can grow our veg, breed sheep/pigs and chooks. Now to grow stock feed so we don’t have to buy it in, and remineralise the paddocks so we can do this without the input of synthetic chemicals. Oh and get some solar panels ASAP.. .whilst we catch a bit of rain we need more tanks so we rely on bore water a fair bit and the pump drains power like you wouldn’t believe.

I’m being guided by the books written by Pat Coleby – lots and lots to learn when it comes to soil health and regeneration, my study days are coming back to me, best I dig out my notes.

But it is fun, and this is where I will share our triumphs and challenges and photos along with me popping bits and pieces on our blog too.

Does your property have a name? What did you name it for? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below.

Healthy Travel Tips To Enjoy Your Holidays and Avoid Sickness

Travelling is a heap of fun and something I do a lot, in Australia. I have never had the desire to broaden my wings and fly over the seas to another country, until now. To be honest it freaked me out, what did I need to do, could I get clean water, fresh food, how was...

9 Phenomenal Benefits Of A Juice Fast

There’s a whole plethora of information and disinformation out there about juice fasting. So how does one know whether it’s good for you or not? I always encourage people to do their own research, collate the information and make up their own minds. Go onto reputed...

Verissima Health – Learn How To Heal Yourself

Do you have those days where there seems like an endless noise of crap in your head? Am I doing the right thing? Should I be doing this? In 2021 I decided to listen to the loudest noise, share all I’ve learned about natural health, how we can become our own...

Why Is Change Necessary

This is a bit of a different blog. Not particularly about anything other than to keep you informed. As you will see from our social media posts on Instagram and Facebook we’re on a manufacturing break. You can not buy anything from our website. I know right, wtf! WHY?...

The Power Is In Your Hands

Quite a few years back our daughter caught Hand Foot & Mouth from kindy or day care. I freaked out, it sounded too much like the highly contagious disease Foot & Mouth that affected cloven-hoofed animals! What the heck was my daughter doing with it? But it’s a...

We’re Helping Rebuild The Australian Bush

One of the major issues I have with running my business is being acutely aware of the impact we as individuals have on the planet, let alone the impact of a business. We do what we can to tread lightly but I'm not perfect and it's darn hard to be, especially when you...

How To Easily Boost Your Bodies Defence Against Illness

There is so much going on in the world at the moment that it is very easy to get caught up in the hype of it all, feel powerless, start to stress, and just succumb to the fact that we are all going to get sick, very sick.Well guess what, every day, people do get ill,...

Whole-life Ways To Help You With That Annoying Rash

One of the most common questions I get asked is whether I have a natural skin rash cream. Which I do, but I rarely go straight to that. Why, because all it will do is put out the fire so to speak, it won’t fix the underlying inflammation issue forever. Neither will,...

Sustainable Living Starts At Home

Have you ever thought about living off the land, getting away from it all and seeing if you can make it without all the stuff? In 2009 we moved into our home that I affectionately call, Booka Farm, I had a dream of creating a sustainable living back then,...

Is Verissima Vegan Skin Care?

It’s not what we intended in the beginning, heck I hadn’t even noticed it until a friend, who happened to be vegan, asked the question - Nat, do you create vegan skin care products? I'll admit I was a little taken aback, I had not given any thought to it. You see,...

Read More