The Brown Rice that’s good for you and for the environment!
In Australia, growing rice has conventionally required ‘flood’ irrigation to mimic the rice paddies of the monsoonal tropics. According to the CSIRO each kilogram of rice grown in this way necessitates a whopping 1550 litres of water.
We all know that water is a precious resource, particularly in our sunburnt land, which is why sugar cane grower Gary Woolley decided to experiment with some strains of Japanese dry-land rice that require no irrigation. He found that the Tachiminori variety proved most successful in terms of farming and processing, largely because its high drought tolerance is suited to the growing conditions of northern NSW.
This year Brett Slater delivered his first substantial crop of certified biodynamic and organic 100% rainwater fed Tachiminori rice. Grown and milled on Brett’s property near Casino, it not only minimises water consumption but its carbon imprint too.
Wholefoods House are proud retailers of Brett Slater’s rice. A medium-grain non-sticky variety, it is a versatile, gluten free pantry staple and can be served as an accompaniment to stir-fries and curries or used in salads and soup.
Cooking Instructions
- Thoroughly rinse 1 cup of biodynamic rain fed rice.
- Combine in a saucepan with 2 cups water and a pinch of salt.
- Cover and bring to the boil then simmer gently for approximately 35 minutes, or until tender and all the water is absorbed.
- Allow to sit with the lid on for 10 minutes before serving.
Patricia and Cec Churm says
WELL DONE! My husband and I look forward every week to shopping at Wholefoods. We appreciate the quality of the produce and the high standard that is constantly maintained. Always good to see new products being added and to have information available, as on Brett Slater’s rice and the Yarra Valley Salmon, which we are looking forward to having for dinner tonight! Many thanks for all your efforts, Patricia
Eliot says
Thanks Patricia for your kind words!! It’s so great to know that someone is reading this and I’m glad you find it informative- I’m also learning a lot through researching the posts. In fact after writing about the Yarra Valley Salmon I bought some for dinner too and it was delicious. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!
Sally says
Hi Eliot, I read this too! … I was just telling a friend at work that I’m eating an amazing rice dish which I made from rice purchased from your store and its the most delicious rice I’ve ever eaten! I was pleasantly surprised to see this article as its probably Brett’s rice.
I’ve supported your store since inception and appreciate your efforts in supplying top quality produce. As a wholefoods avocate I believe our health is not just about good organic produce but also produce which is grown as close to our own climate region as possible, with good intention, handled with love to contain the highest life force possible. We are what we eat after all, Sally
Alex says
Sally, thank you for your kind words! We love to hear from customers who appreciate good food as much as we do, and absolutely agree about the quality of this rice- it’s fantastic.
Valerie J Harding says
Thanks for the great biodynamic brown rice and the story of its grown.
I hope one day in the not too distant future, that many more farmers will treat our poor battered Earth with the respect it so sorely needs, (it is after all the only home we have.) So to begin a new adventure growing their crops biodynamic ally they would be rewarded tenfold: Healthier soil, fewer hassles with disease, healthier farmer and family, and healthier customers.
This is also a matter of integrity, for refining foodstuffs just to lengthen a shelf life, may be expedient but in these days of fast transport it is just one more way of destroying the health of a nations. One only need observe the fast food industry and the huge rise in obesity and that killer disease, diabetes to see our civilization is on the way out!
Case in point: the ancient Egyptian pharaohs and royalty dined on the “best” refined food, while the pyramid builders grew their own food and ate it unrefined, with plenty of garlic and onions thrown in. Thus, when the Black Plague swept down the River Nile, it was the pharaoh and his entourage who died a grisly death, while the pyramid builders ( who were not slaves, by the way,) survived to continue their sacred work, building the pharaoh’s tomb.
Wishing you all a healthy happy. Flourish and prosper. Love Valerie.