These slides were presented at the 30th Annual Carolina Farm Stewardship Association by Jillian and Ross Mickens from Open Door Farm . Please do not reproduce without the express consent of the authors. CFSA SAC 2015

1. Microgreen Production for
Year-round Harvest
Jillian and Ross Mickens
Open Door Farm
Cedar Grove, NC
www.opendoorfarmnc.com

2. About us

3. Where we sell micros
● Majority via Farmers Markets
○ Western Wake Farmers Market
○ Chapel Hill Farmers Market
● Restaurants in Chapel Hill
● Small bit of wholesale

4. What are microgreens?
● Seedlings of plants that are harvested at
at 7 to 20 days after planting
○ Harvested at cotyledon stage
○ Or harvested once first true leaves have
appeared
● Crops that make good micros include:
○ Brassicas including Arugula, Asian
Greens, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cress,
Kohlrabi, Mustards and Radish
○ Beets and Chard
○ Herbs including Basil, Cilantro, Chervil,
Dill, Fennel, Lemon Balm, Scallions, Shiso
and Sorrel
○ Amaranth, Carrot, Orach and Purslane

5. What are shoots?
● Just bigger microgreens
● They are grown the same as microgreens
the end product is just larger because of
larger seed size
● Crops the make good shoots include:
○ Sunflowers
○ Field Peas
○ Tendril Peas
○ Hard Red Winter Wheat (wheatgrass)
○ Popcorn
○ Nasturtium
● Different nomenclature confusions people,
save yourself some trouble and just call
them microgreens!

6. When we started growing micros
● 2012
● Will Allen, Growing
Powers Urban
Farm Training
● Needed a crop to
make us stand out
from the
competition
● Needed a crop we
could grow year-
round

7. Why microgreens?
● Damn delicious!
● Veggie crack!
● Super food
○ Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
found that microgreens were 4-6 times
more nutrient dense than their adult
counterparts
○ High in vitamins like vitamin C, vitamin E,
vitamin K and beta-carotene
● Quick turn around and return on
investment
● Can be produced year round for year
round income $$$

8. Sprouts vs Microgreens
● MICROGREENS ARE NOT SPOUTS!!!
● Sprouts are grown in sprouting jars or
germination chambers without soil
● Sprouts require daily rinsing with water
and a moist environment to grow with
limited light exposure
● When you eat a sprout you are eating the
root, stem, leaves and possibly seed hulls
● When you eat a microgreen you are only
eating the stem and leaves
● To us, sprouts having a more watery flavor
and spoil quickly
● Microgreens are grown in soil and have
plenty air circulation and sunshine

9. Marketing Microgreens - Don’t grow them if you can’t
sell them!● Direct to Consumer Farmers Market
○ Customers at market can be more price
sensitive than others
○ We have been able to build a loyal
following around our micro products
○ Is there room for more than one micro
grower at your market?
● Restaurants/Chefs
○ Quality and reliability are key
○ Can command a better price
○ Often chefs desire more difficult crops
○ Smaller orders, worth your time?
○ Standing orders are the best
● Retail/Wholesale
○ Lowest price point
○ How will your product stand out in a
produce section at grocery store?
○ Must be of the highest quality with the best
shelf life

10. Pricing - End product and cost of production?
● How you sell your micros will help
determine your pricing
○ Cut, washed and packaged
○ Cut, unwashed and packaged
○ Cut for customers on site at FM
○ Sold as “cut your own” trays
(small and large)
● Cut, washed and packed micros
go anywhere from $20-$98 a
pound
● We charge $5 for 2-2.5 ounces of
microgreens which is $32/pound
and $4 for 0.25# of shoots which is
$16/pound
● We sell a Rainbow Blend and
Spicy Blend and Pea and
Sunflower Shoots every week
● Pay attention to the cost of production
because you can lose big if you can’t sell
them!
● Need to know the price of your growing
medium, seed, packaging and LABOR

11. Growing Site: options
● Greenhouse
○ They can be grown in heated or unheated
greenhouse
○ Microgreens can tolerate some shade so
you can take advantage unused vertical
space in your greenhouse
○ Consider how much free space you have
in your greenhouse, is there enough
space for micros and transplants
● Indoor
○ Growing indoors requires more
investment in appropriate infrastructure
including racks, lighting and increase
electrical needs
○ Need more sophisticated water
management systems
● Shipping Container
○ Potential of being mobile
○ Low cost in terms of infrastructure

12. Growing Site: Greenhouse

13. Growing Site: Indoors
Shoot Boss, Ontario Canada https://instagram.
com/p/8MVWMgSqw3/?taken-by=shoot_boss
Good Water Farms, New York https://instagram.
com/p/uQGRQWgOkl/?taken-
by=goodwaterfarms
Endless Sun Produce, North Carolina https:
//instagram.com/p/4HcahiBDiD/?taken-
by=endlesssunfarms
Food Pedalers Cooperative, Vancouver Canada
https://www.facebook.
com/localfoodpedalers/photos/a.
244693038956966.55996.104515516308053
/634997119926554/?type=3&theater

14. Growing Site: Lighting &
Temperature
● Light considerations
○ Micros can tolerate some shade so you can use vertical
space in your greenhouse that you couldn’t use otherwise
○ Micros growth changes with changes in day length so your
planting schedule will need to be adjusted, we see slower
growth in mid-October and more speedy growth during the
spring and summer months
○ Shade cloth is necessary in the summer to keep
greenhouse cool and prevent the micros from being cooked
● Temperature considerations
○ We successfully grow micros year-round with outside temps
ranging from 0 to 100 degrees
○ In summer, shade cloth and lots of fans are needed to
prevent rotting
○ In winter, air temps need to be maintained at 40 degrees to
get proper germination and growth
○ Heated tables would be very helpful in the winter months to
speed up growth

15. Growing Site: Water
● Access
○ Freezeproof waterline for winter time are a must
○ You will want to use potable water that is free
from pathogens
○ If you’re using city water, chlorine may be a
problem
● Management
○ Drainage is important because you don’t want
water pooling in your greenhouse or indoor
growing areas
○ You can hand water with a watering wand/water
hose or use overhead sprinkler system
○ Watering micros is an art form! The water needs
of micro trays are unique and it takes time to get
the hang of it
○ Is the pH of the water a problem?

16. Growing Site: Airflow
● Good air flow is a crucial part of growing
good microgreens
● Poor airflow leads to disease and rot
issues
● In a greenhouse situation, a combination
of natural airflow and additional fans is
best
● Microclimates form around the plant
canopy in the trays, constant airflow can
help avoid depleting the CO2 supply in the
plant canopy
● Good air flow can also help with the
overall cooling of air temperature in the
greenhouse

17. ● Two schools of thought on the best
growing mediums
○ Medium doesn’t need to be nutrient dense
○ Medium does need to be nutrient dense
● Growing medium is one of the largest
expenses in growing micros
● Many different options
○ We use a sterile organic soil blend -
Sunshine (minimal nutrients)
○ Compost
○ Vermicompost
○ Coir
○ Nutrient added soil blends
○ Try them all to figure out what is best for
you!
● You could do post planting fertilization if
you wanted but we feel it’s not necessary
○ Stick with non-stinky fertilizers
Growing Method: What’s your medium?

18. Growing Method: Trays
Standard
1020
Cell packs 8 -
5X5 in shown
here
10 row tray
20 row tray

19. Growing Method: Seeds
● You’ll need a lot of seed! Seed is a big
expense in growing micros
● You can use premixed seed blends or
individual varieties
● Must be untreated and tested
● Lot code is important for record keeping
● Presoaking helps some seed germinate
better (pea, sunflower, wheatgrass,beets)
● Some seeds also need to be covered
after planting to help with germination
(pea, sunflower, beets, chard, radish,
wheatgrass)
● Best sources for seeds
○ Johnny’s Selected Seeds
○ High Mowings
○ Mountain Valley Seeds
○ Wheatgrass Kits.com
○ Mumm’s Sprouting Seed

20. Harvesting
● Prior to harvest
○ Make sure micros are
properly hydrated
○ Determine when you want
to harvest, cotyledon or
first true leaf
○ Best to harvest in the
early morning when it’s
not too hot
● Harvesting tools
○ Scissors (boo!)
○ Black & Decker Hand
Held Grass Shears
○ Farmer’s Friend - Quick
Cut Greens Harvester

21. Post Harvest: Triple-rinse and Dry
● We do a triple rinse to
remove seed hulls and
soil
● If you have a
hydroponic or water
table system, washing
may not be necessary
● We use a box fan to
dry the micros after
washing
● Drying them seems to
give them a longer
shelf life

22. Harvesting: Packaging
and cooling
● We use two different types of deli
containers for packaging
● Places to get deli containers:
○ Webstaurant
○ Eco Products
○ Uline
● You can also use plastic bags or takeout
boxes
● Any vegetables benefit from proper
cooling and handling but none more so
than cut greens

23. Food Safety
● We do not know of any scientific research
on microgreens and food safety
● Follow food safety precautions the same
as you would for any raw farm product
● Make sure that workers wash their hands
before harvesting and packing
microgreens
● Water tests should be done to test for the
presence of pathogens
● Wash and sanitize microgreens trays after
each use, bleach or Sanidate work well
but do cause the trays to breakdown over
time
● Purchase the best quality seeds possible
● Prevent animals from getting into your
greenhouse, frogs and birds are an issue
in open greenhouses

24. Disease/Pest Issues
● Most problem can be short lived because
of the quick turnover rate
● Be on the lookout and adjust quickly
● Mind the weather - high humidity leads to
rot in the greenhouse
● We get occasional pest damage from flea
beetles and aphids

25. Let’s plant!
Step 1. Fill out weekly Microgreen Planting
worksheet
-Plant every week
-Two microgreen blends - Rainbow and Spicy
-Always plant pea and sunflower shoots
-Will occasionally plant micro herbs and
wheatgrass
Step 2. Plant trays according to worksheet
-Do not plant too densely or thinly
-Usually the larger the seed the more you will
need per tray
-Mountain Valley Seed has suggested seeding
rates in their seed catalog

26. Step 3. Water trays and cover
Step 4. Once seeds germinate, remove cover
That’s not
mold! It’s tiny
root hairs on
the germinated
seedlings

27. Microgreens will be blanched and yellowed
when the cover is removed
Within a few days they will begin to turn green
and gain more color

28. Step 5: Harvest, Wash and Pack Step 6: Sell them, make money and/or enjoy the
leftovers!

29. Questions?
Favorite Youtube Videos
Westhaven Farms - Growing Microgreens:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JA8p5IT91H8
Commercial Microgreens Operation - Curtis Stone w/ Chris Thoreau:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uVL-PvzQxU
Microgreens Correct Seeding Density and Yields:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPBEF_UcsUM
Good Water Farms: Providing Big Organic Nutrition in Small Plants:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ak0U9a4BKBo
Made in NC: Microgreens
http://myfox8.com/2012/05/02/made-in-nc-microgreens/
PLEASE FOLLOW US ON
INSTAGRAM AND
FACEBOOK!
Thanks! Jillian and Ross Mickens
opendoorfarmnc@gmail.com
www.opendoorfarmnc.com