Harvesting Rainwater
At Rainbow OMG this Monday we received a very heavy deluge of rain, the heaviest being 12 mm in about 10 minutes. The result was a lot of run off, most of which we have directed to an infiltration basin planted with an Oak Tree. William is inspecting the basin in today’s photo in between rain events. we have a three-fold strategy for harvesting and storing rainwater:
- We are increasing the organic matter in our soils with deep aeration and topdressing with compost. A 1% increase in soil organic carbon to a depth of 30 cm (Broadfork Depth) increases the water holding capacity of soils by 354,000 litres a hectare. A drought proof farm must have high soil organic matter levels. Chemical fertilisers, herbicides and other common poisons used in Agriculture all destroy soil organic matter over time.
- Earthworks and earth shaping, we have intentionally altered the texture of our land to allow rainwater runoff to slow, spread and sink before it leaves our property. The main technique we utilise for this is to plant our long term trees in basins that have been dug below grade, allowing them to fill and overflow from one to other as we move downhill. Here is a great YouTube video demonstrating water infiltration basins for those interested.
- Rainwater Tanks, we need to buy far more of these and all the overflow will continue to be directed to infiltration basins rather than Storm Water. We want every drop that falls on or crosses our land to infiltration into the ground once our tanks are full.
Notes From The Garden
This week is a Leaf week in the Lunar Calendar we have been waiting for the ground to dry out a little before we plant but will be Transplanting Lettuce, Spinach, Rainbow Chard and Red Russian Kale as well as Direct Seeding Coriander. In the Nursery we will sow trays of Lettuce, Spinach and Bok Choi.
The latest Sunshine Salve is ready! Our new jars are 2.5 x the size of our previous jars so we have raised the price but increased the value for money. There are less than 20 available this time around as we are reserving quite a bit for our growing family. The larger jars will last a very long time, likely more than a year for most people.
We have new packaging for our Herbal Supplements. Our new jars contain a 3 month supply of 100 capsules compared to 50 and offer better value for money.
We have changed over from Beef Liver Capsules to Beef Organ Capsules. These contain Beef Liver, Heart and Kidneys blended together and provide an even more beneficial nutritional profile than just Liver alone.
A reminder that some of our range is limited so please get your orders in quickly to secure your desired organic vegetables.
This week the Garden is providing Butterhead Lettuce, Rainbow Chard, Spinach, Celery (Limited) Red Russian Kale, Broccoli (limited), Carrots, Beetroots, Coriander and Parsley.
Crops currently growing but not ready this week are Sugar Snap Peas, Capsicum, Bok Choi, and Red Cabbage.
Rainbow OMG Buyers Hubs
Jeparit, Warracknabeal, Hopetoun, Beulah, Nhill, Dimboola etc
Are you interested in our delicious vegetables but live just that little bit too far away to be worth the drive to Rainbow just to pick up one order?
We are looking for Rainbow OMG supporters from other towns in the region who are interested in working with us to increase the distribution of our organic vegetables and healthy lifestyle products. Buyers Hub organisers will be rewarded for their efforts.
If you would like a Rainbow OMG Buyers Hub in your town, please email “evan@rainbowomg.com” with your name and town and we will be in contact ASAP to kick start the process.
Some of our products may be a little different to what customers are used to so we will be providing Product Profiles in our Weekly Post and in a dedicated page on our website. This will provide recipe ideas and nutritional information for all of the vegetables and products we offer.
Product Focus: Kale
Most people are at least familiar with Kale these days it comes in many varieties and we have chosen to grow Red Russian Kale due to its superior flavour and visual appeal. Kale is leafy-green vegetable from the Brassica family which also includes, Bok Choi, Broccoli, Cauliflower and Cabbage amongst many others.
We can sound like a broken record but Kale is yet another nutritional superstar containing the following nutritional and health benefits:
- Vitamin’s A, K, C and B6
- Manganese, Copper, Calcium, Potassium, Iron, Magnesium and Phosphorous
- Thiamine, Riboflavin and Folate
- Smaller amounts of niacin, zinc, pantothenic acid and selenium
- Fights Inflammation
- Rich in Antioxidants
- Aids in Detoxification
- Supports Heart Health
- Promotes Healthy Fetal Development
- Decreases Cancer Cell Growth
- Enhances Eye Health
While not commonly available in all Supermarkets, this mildly bitter vegetable can be used in many different dishes including:
- Combine with Bok Choi to bulk out the greens in your Stir Fry or Curry
- Add to your favourite Soup, Stew or Pasta Sauce
- Make Kale Chips. Cut Kale into small slices, drizzle on some olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and massage into leaves. Spread out on a baking tray and bake at 180 degrees for 10 minutes until crisp but not burnt
- Thinly shred into a salad
- Saute’ with Garlic in olive or coconut oil and serve as a side dish with steak and mash potatoes.
Kale grows and tastes best in cooler weather and as such is a seasonal vegetable in our Market Garden. Order you Kale today
This Week’s Available Produce and Supplements
Spinach $7.50
Kale $7.50
Celery $7.50
Broccoli $10.00
Butterhead Lettuce $7.50
Beetroots $7.50
Carrots $7.50
Rainbow Chard $7.50
Coriander – $5.00
Parsley – $5.00
Bovine Collagen Powder $10
Reishi Mushroom Capsules $35
Turmeric Capsules $35
Beef Organ Capsules $55 (NEW)
Moringa Capsules $55
Sunshine Salve $100
All items listed for $7.50 are discounted at 3 for $20 when paying with cash or cryptocurrency i.e. 1 x Rainbow Chard, 1 x Capsicum and 1 x Carrots = $20.
Please head to www.rainbowomg.com to finalise your orders by 5:00 am Friday morning. All Rainbow orders will be delivered from the new time of 1:00 pm Friday. For all clients who do not live in Rainbow, Local Pickup times can be arranged by contacting us.
We look forward to serving you,
Evan and Jill Young
