What it takes to grow these mighty little greens (overly simplified)

Growing microgreens is very space and resource-efficient way to produce very nutrient-dense foods.

To give you an idea about how this works, right now, my growing setup is only a little over 120 cubic feet. This space currently produces more than 20 pounds of microgreens every two weeks. Along with using a very limited physical space, the growing cycles are very short.

It only takes about 2 weeks to go from seed to finished product. This shorter growing cycle ensures that a comparably small amount of water is needed to produce the final greens. Only a handful of high-efficiency LED grow lights are used as the light source for the plants.

The grow cycle takes place entirely within a controlled environment, which allows for a much higher overall success rate since there is less time for crop failure and little to no concern about pests. This, in turn, means that the overall process is much more efficient and stable than growing in a more traditional outdoor environment.

A benefit of not having to contend with pests is that there is no need to use any pesticide or any other pest mitigation solutions, which keeps the process much cleaner and more streamlined. Being in an indoor environment also allows me to choose what growing media is used, and so I’ve opted to use organic coco coir as the growing media for all the greens. This product is made from the fibrous outer layers of a coconut after the milk and flesh have been harvested for consumption. As this media isn’t nutrient-rich like soil would be, I supplement it with specific nutrients. I’ve chosen to use an organic liquid fertilizer that contains readily available naturally occurring nutrients from ocean water. All the greens are grown in reusable recycled plastic trays, which are washed and sterilized between each growing cycle.

As the final step, I hand-harvest the greens and inspect and remove any less than desirable bits such as seed hull, root material, or less than perfect plants, and any growing media that has come along for the ride. Everything is then packaged into fully compostable packaging, all the way down to the labels. Unfortunately, I need to include non-compostable moisture-wicking pads to insure a reasonable shelf life for the packed greens. However, I’m still on the hunt for more ecologically friendly alternatives (very much open to any suggestion).

Basically, this is all a very longed-winded way of saying that I was attracted to this style of farming as a way to generate a lot of nutrient-dense, flavorful foods that can be grown very efficiently in an economical space with minimal inputs.

I believe that this is a starting point to begin shifting focus onto new and innovative ways of providing fresh food to local consumers. I would like to share this change in perspective with as many people as will listen.

My hope is that we can begin to change our collective attitudes about the ways that delicious fresh foods can be grown.