Rainbow OMG Weekly Post 25/9/24

Frugal vs Cheap

As a small scale producer of vegetables I am regularly asked why our vegetables are priced the way they are. What makes them so special and why, given that we sell direct don’t they cost less? If there is no distribution chain taking their cut, shouldn’t our vegetables be cheaper? The short answer is a solid NO, the long answer lies in the concept of being Frugal vs being Cheap. 

A Frugal mindset analyses spending via the lens of quality, longevity, benefit to the purchaser’s life and value for money. A Cheap mindset simply evaluates the price and will tend to settle on the lowest cost, regardless of any other factor. While it is understandable, especially in the post-Covid economy to be careful with your spending, being Cheap always puts you further behind in the long run. Frugality takes a long term view of wealth, health and quality of life and balances them against the cost of an item.

Our farm is managed with hand tools not machinery. Our plants are tended to with love, high level knowledge of plant and soil health, wisdom and a passion to serve our local region with food that nourishes and heals the body. For example our is aerated with a broadfork rather than tillage and our Spinach is harvested with scissors and washed by hand.

Commodity vegetables are produced with tractors, a workforce that is indifferent to the end product and consumer, packed onto trucks and driven all over the country to wait in warehouses before going back onto a truck and driven to a supermarket or green grocer. A bag Spinach or a head of Lettuce could be 4 weeks old before you even see it on the shelf. Have you ever bought a bag of Spinach then taken it home only to have it go off in a few days before you even get through the meagre amount contained within?

Our Spinach is $10 for 250g minimum, has excellent flavour and a crunch when you bite into it, lasts weeks and weeks after harvesting and the quality far exceeds everything else available.

Coles Organic Spinach is $4.80 for 100g (more expensive than us) and in the same time span as consuming one of our bags, you could buy 4 or more bags of flimsy Spinach with no mouth feel, limited nutritional value, end up discarding up to half of it and have a miserable experience consuming it as it rapidly goes off in front of you.  No wonder people “don’t like salad” they are consuming garbage.

Our produce is for people looking to improve their culinary experiences, health and quality of life all the while supporting a local, family run business that is improving their local environment.

Always be Frugal, Never be Cheap.

Our produce is now featured on the menu at the Nelson Hotel and is stocked and available at Food For Thought and Limestone Coast Pantry in Mount Gambier. Orders can also be placed through our online store for local pickup and customers are welcome to come and visit the farm 7 days a week between 11:00 am and 6:00 pm. Weekly home deliveries to Mount Gambier will begin in a few months when we have a fully planted farm and more production.

 This Week’s Available Produce

Carrots 750g $10
Beetroots 750g $10
Butterhead Lettuce $10
Spinach 250g $10
Rainbow Chard $10
Coriander $5
Parsley $5
Sugar Snap Peas $10 (1-2 weeks)
Bok Choi $10 (1-2 weeks)
Celery $10 (1-2 weeks)

Coming Soon
Tomatoes
Cherry Tomatoes
Capsicum
Cucumber
Zucchini
Green Beans
Basil
Thai Basil

Notes From The Garden

At Rainbow OMG we recognise the centuries long tradition of Moon Planting. In short the different phases of the Moon correspond to growth in in different parts of plants with about 7 days for each phase. The order is Leaf, Fruit/Flower, Root and Stop. We find this cycle an excellent tool for planning and scheduling of all the regular tasks needed for a functional farm.

We are currently in a Stop Week, which is ideally a bit of a rest period however in this phase of our development it means digging out our final market beds, hand weeding the inevitable initial flush of weeds that come with a new garden, flame weeding the bare spots until the are planted and mulched and continuing to refine our overall operation. Next week is Leaf Week which is our busiest week in the cycle.

Of the Summer varieties Zucchini’s will come first, closely followed by Beans, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Basil and Capsicums.

Product Focus – Butterhead Lettuce

Butterhead Lettuce is crisp and delicious. If you have previously only eaten Iceberg Lettuce we promise you will be delighted with this nutritionally superior alternative. Lettuce contains the following nutrition and health benefits:

• Vitamin’s A, K and C
• Manganese, Iron, Potassium
• Folate
• Source of Antioxidants
• Helps Prevent Bone Loss
• Boosts Heart Health
• Promotes Healthy Eyesight
• Helps Prevent Aging Skin
• Boosts Immunity
• Assists in Treating Cancer
• Helps Maintain Healthy Pregnancy
• Helps Weight Loss
• Assists Digestive Health

Here are ideas to get incorporate more Butterhead Lettuce into your diet:

• Lettuce Tacos replace your taco shell with 1 large Butterhead Lettuce leaf for a low-carb alternative
• Prepare a large rainbow salad for the week. Slice up Lettuce into a container and toss in shredded carrot and beetroot, store with the lid on in the fridge. This can be served out in portions throughout the week either in sandwiches, as a side for a meal or BBQ or even the base for a chicken salad
• Chop Lettuce, Spinach and Sugar Snap Peas and mix them up. This surprising combination is quite sweet and can be used to replace pasta or rice as the base for a meat sauce or curry.
• Make yourself a good old fashioned Bacon and Egg Roll

Order your Butterhead Lettuce today.

Instagram Reel of the Week

Our Home is For Sale

Step into a Self Sufficient Oasis

We are selling our home in Rainbow. Please share this listing with anyone you think might be interested in escaping the rat race for a great life in a small town.

Our Land is for Sale

Large Vacant Land on 2 Titles

We have shut down the Rainbow farm site and are selling the land. Set on a quiet side street and withing walking distance of the School, IGA, Post Ofiice, Bakery and other retail outlets this vacant land is the perfect site to develop your new home or rental properties.

We look forward to serving you,

Evan and Jill Young