Slater Farms [Supplier Spotlight]

When you’ve grown up on the land and seen how farming practices can impact the environment, it makes sense to follow your instincts and create a business that generates amazing organic products and follows traditional farming methods.

Brett Slater has been farming all his life, starting off with cattle farming and eventually cropping. He and his wife Karen moved into organics in the 1980s and progressed into biodynamic farming in the early 2000’s, growing biodynamic rain-fed rice and soybeans in the warmer months and wheat in the cooler months.

“Biodynamic farming principles just make sense,” says Brett. “Principles such as crop rotation, caring for the long-term integrity of the soil and producing quality products people enjoy without the use of pesticides and fertilisers, resonates with who we are as farmers.”

Their 1,200-acre farm, Slater Farms, is located near Casino in the Northern Rivers area of NSW. They work with the weather and the land to ensure superior crops of biodynamic rice and soy beans meet the increasing demand from health-conscious consumers. Just recently, their son returned to the farm full time to learn all of the biodynamic principles Brett and Karen live by, ensuring another generation of biodynamic farming principles will continue.

WHAT IS BIODYNAMIC FARMING?

Biodynamic farming is an enhanced form of organic farming that emphasises the interrelationship between soil, plants, and animals. It excludes artificial chemicals, and focuses on creating a self-nourishing system without external inputs.

BIODYNAMIC RICE

At Slater Farms, no flood irrigation is used to grow their rice, it is 100% rainfed and their Northern Rivers farm in NSW is an ideal location to enjoy regular rainfall. With water being such a precious commodity in Australia today, that's a huge plus for the environment.

Brett and Karen grow and also process their 100% rainfed rice onsite, eliminating additional food miles – another big tick for environmentally conscious consumers.Their Biodynamic rice, a Medium Grain Brown Rice, is packed with essential nutrients, vitamins, and antioxidants. This rice variety has a shorter, wider kernel and a moist, tender texture. Compared to long-grain rice, this medium grain brown rice delivers a nuttier flavour and a higher concentration of fibre, magnesium, and zinc.

INCORPORATING BIODYNAMIC RICE INTO YOUR DIET

Biodynamic rice is an incredibly versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of dishes. Serve it as a side dish, use it to create homemade rice milk, or mill it into flour for gluten-free baking. Its nutty flavour and chewy texture make it a perfect addition to curries, stir-fries, salads, even desserts.

Biodynamic Rain-Fed Brown Rice Risotto

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 small brown onion, chopped
• 2 tsp Organic Garlic Paste 200g
• 5 cups Urban Forager Vegetable Stock, (as per instructions on label)
• 1 ½ cups Biodynamic Rain-Fed Brown Rice
• 200g-300g brown mushrooms, washed & sliced
• 1 cup Nutritional Yeast Flakes
• 3 tbsp vegan butter
• 2 tbsp Organic Coconut Milk
• 2 tsp Organic Tamari Soy Sauce
• 1 tsp salt + more to taste
• Freshly cracked organic black pepper, to taste
• Small handful of fresh oregano leaves

METHOD:

1.Set the oven rack to the middle and preheat to 190°C.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and a pinch of salt and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 2-4 minutes until the onions are browned.

3. Add 4 cups of stock to the saucepan, cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

4. Remove from heat and pour mixture into an oven-proof baking dish (with a lid). Stir in the rice.

5. Cover the dish and bake until rice is tender and cooked through - approximately 65 to 70 minutes.

6. During the last 20 minutes of baking time, prepare the mushrooms. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan. Add the sliced mushrooms with a dash of sea salt. Cook for approximately 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are softened, fragrant and have soaked up most of their own juices. Set aside until rice is ready.

7. Remove the rice dish from the oven. Pour in the remaining cup of stock along with nutritional yeast, vegan butter, coconut milk and tamari. Stir vigorously for 2 to 3 minutes, until the rice is thick and creamy.

8. Stir in the cooked mushrooms and season to taste with salt and pepper.

9. Divide into bowls and top with a generous sprinkling of torn, fresh oregano leaves. Enjoy!