And now for some Flower Tree Health

Can you give us a little bit of background about Flower Tree Health and how it came to be an integral part of your lives

We started making superfood power smoothies, eating organic wholefoods a couple of years ago because we anted to become healthier and lead a healthier lifestyle.

We were startled with our results physically and mentally and began to tell our friends and work colleagues about the benefits of superfoods and healthy eating.  Before long, we became known as the "health food people" amongst family and friends. 

Then we realised that there were very little options available for organic superfoods and wholefoods that were packaged in glass and also in an attractive package that 'did superfood justice'.  We could only find superfoods and wholefoods packaged in paper or plastic which we found inconvenient: the packaging never seemed to retain the freshness and quality of the product and was wasteful.

The name "flower tree" came to be when we asked our 1.5 year old son what we should name the company.  He replied with the only two words he knew at the time which was "flower, tree"....and the rest is history!

Your products speak for themselves in a stunning marriage of branding, packaging and product.  How long of a process was it to get to "that" point: the juncture where all converge to convey that one single message and are you specific about which products you stock and sell or do you let your customers guide you

The "flower of life" logo was born out of an intent to not attempt to brand the products with our personal mark, because quite honestly they are not our products: 99.9% of the work that goes in to our products happens on the farm where the foods are grown.

We want to be as honest as possible and try not to sell or convince a customer that our product is the best: we simply "know" that if we present honestly, the customer will resonate with us and know that we are dispensing things that are good for them.

The "activated nut" has gone from being a "what on earth is an activated nut" to a growing awareness of not just the name but the beneficial health properties it brings. For those who may not fully understand what they are, can you give us a easy-speak summary of these creatures and why we should incorporate them in to our daily nutritional intake

Almonds have a particularly high concentration of vitamins and minerals that can only be released easily into the body by soaking them in water before consumption.

Basically nuts and seeds are a tiny packet of nutrients that are designed to provide the growing plant with the nutrients it needs in its early stages of life (much like an egg yolk is to a chicken).

We can harness those nutrients and energy with a little bit of human ingenuity.  The body requires vitamins, minerals and base load energy to operate without disease (dis-ease): the reason so many people are facing dis-ease is because they have low levels of organic vitamins and minerals.

By far, your hot chocolate would have to be one of the singularly most deliciously decadent yet incredibly healthy and full of superfood qualities there is to be had around. What is the secret to creating not just a ridiculously healthy drink that really boosts you physically and mentally and really wants you to keep going back for more

The ingredients are pure, organic and healthy and are in their concentrated form.  The body knows when it has taken something into it that is really, really good for it and it responds with feel-good chemicals into the brain instantaneously to reward the consciousness telling it a resounding YES!

We know that part of the reason our hot chocolate tastes so good is because good healthy food is so rare to find.  People are surprised that something healthy can taste and feel so good!

How would you sum up with the world of Flower Tree Health in 5 words

With much love flower tree

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And on that note (and because Buddha is smiling so beautifully and warmly...a bit like the hot chocolate you read about above) we thank Bel & Bob for not only bringing their goodness to Frenchs Forest Market every week, but for sharing a little bit of their world with us and you!

5 minutes with Aimee

When did you first discover Frenchs Forest Market and what is it that keeps you coming back

I first discovered Frenchs Forest Market when I moved over from Perth.  As a Health Coach it is important for both myself and my clients to have access to fresh, high quality organic produce and to follow the pathway from farm to market.

I especially love the atmosphere, the community spirit and the coming together of people who truly care about what they are putting into their bodies.  

I also appreciate the time, effort and love that all the stallholders express each week. Their smiles, knowledge and eagerness to share their produce with customers is awesome.

Can you describe in layman's terms the definitions of "super food", "living food" and "super herbs" and how they can play a pivotal role in our overall wellbeing

Superfoods are foods that pack an extra nutritional punch.  They have a dozen or more distinguishing qualities that give them magical qualities and an ability to nourish us at a deeper level.  These are foods that supercharge our health.

Living foods are foods in their natural unprocessed, unheated from.  Foods of the Earth, that are not cooked,  modified or nutritionally deficient through processing.

Living (or raw) foods are foods the way nature intended.  When we increase our intake of these foods, we too become more alive - our ability to digest and process our foods is enhanced, because we're eating our food the way nature intended.  Living food include fruits, vegetables, grasses, seeds, sea vegetables, nuts and sprouts.

Superherbs are plants that are safe to take as a tonic, to help us maintain and prevent disease.  No longer do we need to wait until we get ill to "fix" the problem.  By incorporating Superherbs into our daily diet, by taking medicine as food, we are able to ensure we never get sick.

If you had to choose a particular stall that you simply can't not go by without purchasing something, which would it be and why

My favourite stall is Superfeast.  It is the one stop Superfood shop!

Mason Tyler has a wealth of knowledge in regards to Superfoods, Superherbs and Living Foods and is always happy to answer any questions related to health and wellbeing.

From your point of view, why is it essential for markets such as Frenchs Forest to keep on keeping on

Markets such as Frenchs Forest help consumers maintain a true connection to the land. They allow children to see where food comes from, how it's grown and how it should look, with the absence of artificial lighting, bright packaging and fancy marketing.

Markets also help farmers to discover what their customers are looking for and provide them with cheaper prices as they are dealing without the middle man.

It's a win/win.  It also keeps large industries from being able to monopolise our food supply.

If you could sum up the overall experience of not only shopping at Frenchs Forest but also making it a constant in our lives in on paragraph, what would it be

A day spent at Frenchs Forest Market is the best Sunday ever.  With such a variety of produce to experiment with, amazing people to visit and friendly faces to chat with, it is one of the best ways I like to spend my weekend.  I always come home with my staples: biodynamic berries, raw honey, superfoods, kombucha, freshly picked mushrooms, fresh organic produce and something else I didn't expect to buy!

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And with that we say thank you to Aimee for not only sharing some of her love, but also explaining the "mystery" behind the Superfood, Living Food, Superherbs.  Keep your eyes open cause we will be doing a feature with Aimee very soon which will go in to more detail about these and so much more!