Rhiannon - Mountains Gourmet
Rhiannon from Mountains Gourmet. Image credit @samdessen.
Who are you?
I am Rhiannon, owner and manger of Mountains Gourmet based in the Dharug and Gundungurra County also known as the Blue Mountains.
Where and what do you farm?
Mountains Gourmet is 18 months old and was started very quickly whilst the floods of 2021 were hitting the Hawkesbury region hard. Mountains Gourmet focuses on growing healthy organic produce for local customers as well as educating home growers on how they can better support themselves to grow their own organic produce and live a more self-sufficient lifestyle, while looking after the environment to the best of their ability.
How did you get into farming/what led you to it?
I originally studied a Ba of Animal and Veterinary Bioscience at the University of Sydney and was interested in animal production systems. I completed my Honours in a project based in food security in developing countries. This project later enlightened me to see that much of the western and developed world is extremely disconnected from food systems. Learning more and more about conventional agriculture after my studies I was led into the world of regenerative farming which sparked my interest in securing food systems on a smaller scale and reintroducing the grow your own movement. While working on a range of conventional farms while I travelled Australia, I learnt about the system that I didn't want to be a part of and knew that when I settled into a full time role I wanted it to be meaningful. I started a management role at a small mixed enterprise farm in 2020 and grew my knowledge fast. Although we had a diversity of cell grazed livestock I fell in love with market gardening and the diversity it brought. After my time in the Hawkesbury and many floods I moved back home, up the hill to the Blue Mountains to start my own peri-urban organic market garden in Lawson.
Kids waiting on the tractor at a You Pick day at Rhiannon’s farm. Image credit @samdessen.
Favourite job on the farm?
I really enjoy harvest at the farm! It's really rewarding, especially though out Spring and summer when things are growing quickly and there's great diversity.
Biggest learning curve or milestone so far?
My biggest learning curve is how much the soil temperature affects plant growth. I thought I would have a pretty similar growing season to that of the Hawkesbury but boy was I wrong. Because the days don't get nearly as hot up here, the soil temperature stays much colder through winter and this really slowed everything down. Learning and observing with time and being patient with myself and the landscape has taken some getting used to. I am focused on small scale, no till production. I have no cool room or storage facilities so produce is always harvested and delivered on the same day!
What is a tool that you could not live without?
Mulch fork! I love it. For mulch or mushroom compost it really is the best most efficient tool I have for moving all of the mulch for the paths and compost for the beds! I also love my phone, all of my orders, invoicing, communications, notes, photo, social media and website things are done from my phone, the business would be very different without it.
To follow along with Rhiannon’s journey, follow @mountainsgourmet.
Rhiannon and a customer pick veggies at one of the market gardens, as part of a ‘You Pick’ day . Image credit @samdessen.
If you’re enjoying this series and are a grower yourself, feel free to submit a story of your own! You can send through your farming story through the Stories Form.