Saying that the microgreen industry is a sham is similar to me calling you a sham. I sell some of my microgreens for $22.00/lb retail and some that yield less $32.00/lb retail. I live in a rural community that is less expensive than most urban areas. If I lived in these areas I would likely charge more, but still doubt that I would reach the 50.00/lb. You are also lacking knowledge of why they call microgreens a super food. It is a well known fact that seeds are much more nutritious than the grown plant pound for pound. When you take a plant that is just starting from the seeds it slowly disperses its nutrition throughout the plant as it grows making the nutrition less dense as it grows. I provide a wonderful service to my customers who do not wish to spend the time growing them for themselves. The biggest thing I dislike about your title is that it belittles those who grow microgreens and puts them in the category of a charlatan. I hope this was not your intention,.
Best video ever on microgreens. Here in my rural part of Germany there is no market for microgreens and we have extremely high costs for electricity. Also the media publish horror stories about contaminated microgreens and sprouts. Hygienic and business regulations are tough overhere. Am just growing microgreens for private use in Winter. Love and greetings from a professional gardner and graduated biologist.
Started growing them a few years back in Mason Jars on the windowsill as a consolation prize when I lost an entire growing year recuperating from fracture surgery and 3 months of intensive physical therapy. It was a little tedious but worth it I think. I missed the spring air & sweet scent of flowering, but I also dodged the weeds and oppressive heat of summer. I guess we'll only really know for sure when science based nutritionists get the math right about how nutritionally dense they are, and how much you'd have to consume to gain the benefits. Seniors are known for having poor nutrition. One of the causes being their ability to absorb nutrients, or the intrinsic bioavailability of the food in question. The nutrition of a potato cooked al dente as a potato salad has what nutritional value versus a fast food french fry? Nutritional counseling told me fresh is best, frozen or freeze dried is second best, third best is canned because nutrition goes down the drain with the liquid. My guesses are based on hearsay and ever changing government standards (remember when they claimed butter was a heart attack, the food pyramid was best, load up on carbs avoid protein?). The closer we can keep things to raw food and the further we can stay away from processed food the healthier we ought to be. I admit this is a guess, but it's the same hypothesis present tense nutrition counselors & my own great grandma operated on and longevity in my family is present. Science backs up the Mediterranean diet too. The best part about microgreens is that even shut ins & apartment dwellers can year round boost their nutrition no matter what inflation is doing in the market. You don't need a degree in agriculture, land, tools, greenhouse or amendments that may give you a perfect tomato at starting cost of $500. I could easily spend $20 on bottled vitamins, use that same $20 for greens seed, buy them both and save $460. I'm experimenting with wire hangars to rig up a growing zone for the whole window with baby food jars. I find growing too much (1 tbs broccoli seed) in a huge jar the sprouts tend to go bad quickly after harvest and delayed harvests are even worse. If I grow a micro crop of micro greens staggered in harvest dates like you would with outdoor lettuce I suspect consuming greens daily would be as simple as opening the next jar and refilling it for next week. It won't make you thousands but it could save you thousands you'd spend in the market. Latest prices for a 1 lb clamshell of mixed greens or baby spinach= $8.
Das einzige Micogreen das ich gekauft habe war Kresse. Alle Anderen baue ich seit 3 Jahren ganzjährig Zuhause an. Inzwischen gibt es nicht mal mehr Kresse im Supermarkt zu kaufen. Das ist wohl zu gesund! Erbsen, Berglinsen u. Leinsamen gibt es überall günstig in BioQualität zu kaufen und wachsen prima, finde ich. Bei den Gewürzen verwende ich z.B. Senfsamen, die gehen noch schneller als Kresse auf.
I love broccoli and red cabbage and onion sprouts. Also crispy sunflower microgreens. I grow them all, mainly to add to salads for the taste and health benefits (especially the broccoli sprouts-lots of videos and research on those). Glad to find out your video isn’t denying the heath benefits or ease of growing your own!
Thank you, Mike, for your inspiring education on the so called "superfood" of microgreens. Let's teach everyone to grow sustainably at their own home. I love your videos--they help so much to encourage us to Keep on Growin' !
The whole point of growing microgreens is to have some greens you can harvest as needed, so they are absolutely fresh and vibrant! Once you get set up, they are easy enough to grow at home for yourself. I've been growing microgreens for a few years now, on and off, and I use coconut coir as a cheap and easy substrate. The biggest expense is for the seeds themselves - even though seeds sold as "microgreen seeds" are cheaper than the same seeds sold for growing plants, they can still be quite expensive. Especially if you have a high failure rate of germination (happens sometimes because of the heat and humidity where I live, and sometimes because the seeds themselves are past their best use date).
I've done hydroponics for over 50 years and I've come full circle to again growing using aerated DWC (deep water culture). I'm in North Texas, grow only herbs & tomatoes and I have a greenhouse. My homestead has several windmills, all compressing air, so I have a constant supply for the bubble stones below the root zone in each bucket. I use both 2-gallon as well as 5-gallon food-grade buckets. DWC is as close to "set it and forget it" as it gets. Believe me, I've tried every other method out there including Kratky. I replenish with pre-mixed nutrients in rain water, checking water levels daily and just hang around until fruit ripens. It doesn't get much easier than that. I'm 75.
Do you have a YT channel? I have tried all kinds of hydroponic setups and I would love to try another method. I have used mostly kracky tubs. I’m handicapped but I have help from my nephew. 😊
would love more info on this! I like the vertical nature of hydroponic microgreens and soil-less options but DWC has interested me esp with the use of fish in it sometimes?
You need to pass on your acquired knowledge! As with many your age! We can't afford to lose your work! Find someone to come document! Please!! The world needs you, we need you❤
How funny 1 of those pictures you showed is 1 of my classmates from the expensive online course I bought t I started a microgreens business & I added all my cost of seeds - dirt - containers - labels & insurance breaking all cost down to per ounce so I could set a reasonable price 😞 selling them for 6.00 an ounce didn't even give me minimum wage = I made log sheets tracking each item & my time So I do agree it doesn't cost 50.00 per ounce PLUS I didn't make the big bucks others say they make IN FACT I went broke because most people don't know what microgreens are so I gave mostly free samples = over 1/2 of the free sample people did like them but didn't come to the market each week Therefore I needed to try home delivery by using the market to grow an email list SO allot more labor plus delivery gas bill with a really old junky car I could not afford to keep trying The Good News Is I still have 3 growing shelves in my living room with lights on timers LMAO even tho all my friends & family put me down for an ugly living room with super bright lights i do like my microgreens However I don't sell them without a way to afford business liability insurance Now I'm going to look up the science testing to see if I can find the per ounce nutrition of microgreens VS full grown 🙋 Thank you for a good video topic
You are totally correct, there has to be a market for it. Sorry it did not work out. $6 an ounce actually comes out to $96/lb. Good luck on the experiment, keep me updated.
Not more labor, just time spent differently. Instead of taking the time to work at the market, start by marketing by posting your ad in local Facebook groups a "local drop off" where you take orders throughout the week and drop off to a central location where customers meet you. Deliver to as many drop offs as you can, once a week (I suggest friday, Saturday or Sunday as people will have more time to meet you then, than during the week). This way you don't have to pay to rent a spot and you won't be using any of your time sitting there not making sales. You could cross market home delivery if people want it but it doesn't sound like there's a huge market wherever you are. This will reach more people and be more worth your time.
Thank you for sharing your insights. I want to learn to grow them well, because groceries are too expensive and it seems like a good way to add nutrition to a meal. I live in a small town in Montana and by the time the produce arrives here, it looks awful, sometimes already moldy. I received a bunch of seeds free from work at the end of last season and want to put them to good use. Hopefully I can use them for micro greens or baby greens eventhough they aren't specifically microgreen seeds.
Thank you Mike for clarifying the confusion. I just need to start to grow for myself and get the system down if I choose to offer the product to people. God bless you and your families. Hope you all have a Merry Christmas.
Sprouts are highly regulated by the fda because they are grown in a specific way in which harbors bacteria that can be harmful. Microgreens as not grown in any different way than regular plants with the exception no fertilizer is needed. They are harvested as a regular green would be just early. This eliminates the strict regulations that are put on sprouts. While neither sprouts nor microgreens have a very long shelf life, the microgreens are less likely to harbor the water born bacteria that is found in sprouts. All that said, I do not disagree with your assessment of the industry, but the rising cost of every product on the shelf contributes to the cost of microgreens as well as any other green that a farmer is trying to push. What I dont think you covered is the farming families that rely on this industry that you are putting down while they are just trying to make a living. Not everyone can afford expensive things, and not everyone is broke dirt poor. But for those that are trying to make a living at farming you shouldnt be trying to dismantle them.
I believe I raised valid points and if anyone is true to their business and believes in their product, they can surely emphasize any benefit they believe is helpful without embellishing. I can make an egg, but I still go out for breakfast now and then.
Unfair assessment. Anyone trying to make a living growing only microgreens without a network of restaurants as a customer base is on a path to disaster and the cautionary tales in this thread bear that out. As the adage goes, don't put all your eggs in one basket. Successful farms these days have multiple product streams and aren't opposed to putting out value added products, joining farmers markets or even online consortiums. Whatever benefit to monoculture existed, it got eaten up wholesale by big Ag. Whatever profits there were in catering to gourmet customers, it's the first market that gets too saturated and those customers are also becoming more scarce with inflation.
100%. I ran a microgreens business about 5 years ago, and though it was successful, it was about as grueling as any other enterprise. Good seed isn’t cheap. And by far the most difficult is establishing a customer base. That takes the most work/time/energy of any element. It CAN sell well but only to very specific demographics. It’s chic modernite and hippie food, basically. And the occasional folks who’ve had a recent health scare. “Restaurants” Again how many restaurants have you been to that use microgreens? Unless you’re in a metro area your options are highly limited. We got one call back from scouting pretty much every relevant restaurant in a 25 mile radius. And we were going around back, talking directly to the head chefs, delivering free trays full of our best stuff, only asking for the tray back. Fun enterprise actually, don’t regret it at all. Worst part was having to get up at 5 am for some farmers markets, lol.
Awesome. Thank you for sharing that. There's nothing wrong with doing something you love. You are right about there being a fair amount of legwork involved too.
I love your videos and watch them faithfully. I enjoy your thoughtful reflections as much as I enjoy the technical content. I confess to only growing sprouts at this point as i work 12 or 14 hour days and that's about the amount of time i have - rinse and repeat! But one day I won't be working these hours and will put the knowledge I've gained from you to work. I admire and appreciate what you do.
In the winter in zone eight I grow seven trays of peas sprouts and I rotate them one a day and have one every day I find this gives me a great source of fighter nutrients throughout November December January February period they taste fabulous and they’re so easy and cheap to grow at home on your windowsill
I've been growing my own microgreens for a few years. There's no market for them in my rural area so I simply grow them for myself. I wish I could sell some because I could grow a lot more very easily.
Hey mike how’s it going?!?! Just slid two trays between my kitchen cabinet and the refrigerator top and forgot about them for three days. They grew so much they pushed up with such force i could not get them out! Force of nature in action. Good to hear from you last week. Just letting you know after 8 years i still do something stupid from time to time.
I got into this to grow better salad toping and greens because of my low-carb diet because of health. I am also putting together small greenhouse as soon as i figure out how to keep cats off the plastic. I want to grow food year round.
@@dawnwhitehead an essential oil book I had cites cats and ants are averse to citrus. Any version of essential oil repellents have always been met with limited success or the obligation to continuously apply. Polycarbonate greenhouse panels have insulating properties and would hold up to cats better than loose plastic. If a cat is driven to get inside pursuing something, it's going to get in. Removing what they're preying on is your best chance.
Yep. As a farmer I know that the high prices are based on marketing. Like black cows being better eating than other cows. The whole industrial farming scam is based on marketing (propaganda).
Sprouts, "microgreens", full sized plants, the only way to go is to do your own. I grow a garden, but prefer sprouting for all year production for "me and mine", but I also dabble in "microgreens". The nice byproduct to a good "microgreen" setup is if you can't service your plants for a day, or longer, you just end up with bigger plants. I see it as the further you go in the growing process, the more "waste" you have. I say waste as an average person would think of it. Everything goes through "the cycle". Me first, then the animals and what they don't eat, compost.
you don't need special lids. You need an awl to poke holes into mason jar lids. Starts getting signs of rust, toss it out, replace with a new lid with holes poked in.
@@robertmoore1215 I have the mesh type plastic lids for wide mouth jars but wouldn't a piece of cheesecloth with the ring work better, especially with tiny alfalfa seeds? Also has anyone fermented their sprouts/greens?
@@kathyalexander5709 Excellent point, the superfine seeds are a little tricky to retain, but as I recall the 'floating seeds' are mostly the lightweight hulls shed by the seeds as they were germinating. The reason I use the metal lids with holes is because they help retain light moisture and the seeds cling to the glass better. I imagine cheesecloth wicking moisture away in full sun window. Might as well experiment and share your results. Cheesecloth is going to be cheaper and may wind up being easier to work with. Hope you share those results in this thread. Fermenting- haven't tried it and I'm averse to flirting with botulism. I don't know enough or trust myself enough. The consequences for ignorance are severe. Folks with kimchi skills might try it but sprouts are so delicate I don't see how they'd hold up with cabbage strength vinegars or brines that are most closely associated with safe practices. I suggest you read the jars of minced garlic or bean curds in the fridge and see what they use to preserve. Citric acid and flavored oil might do it. Try arming yourself with a PH tester. How long you can keep it in the fridge is a question for the FDA's FAQ section of their website. I can say with certainty that spouts & microgreens get ruined by the freezer. Cell walls just explode.
@@robertmoore1215 thank you for your response, yes you are right, mesh lid or cheesecloth basically provide the same drainage or ventilation as your method. I asked if anyone had experience with fermenting spouts as I came across a recipe yesterday . No I am not afraid of of botulism per say as I've canned and preserved in many unorthodox (govt?) ways without any problems. Not to say be lax or oblivious to normal sanitation common sense, just they've overdone the hype to scare people I use ph paper to check low acid veges and meats.
I've never bought into the craze, as someone who grows their own food and gives away the surplus to friends, family n neighbors. I do my part to save people money.
We are taught that plants contain various minerals and vitamins. So how does this happen if micro greens are planted in water? How does the good stuff get to the plant in water?
I like growing sprouts too have free greens to go on fry bread with taco meat. I get all of anything I want to sprout for free from the food pantry because people refuse to eat beans ,lentils, rice or peas of any kind. Anything that takes any real talent or work to cook people don't want except me.
every single business has a huge failure rate of 90% or something insane like that, it really just comes down to timing/hustle/discipline or whatever things make entrepreneurs successful or not
True but oftentimes it also comes down to local culture. Some folks are never going to depart from the meat & taters or beans & cornbread standard they grew up in. If they don't recognize a food they call it foreign. The adventurous sort and vegetarians will happily give it a try but the rest tend to act like 5yr olds expecting comfort food they know. A reason why Chinese food had to become so Americanized to cater to what's familiar. I've met a native Italian or two lamenting what we call Italian food here in the states.
I am a meat eater. Do not like greens so much. Perhaps 1 portion on paper cup is manageable. Grow different types of seed every 2 days or 3 days so got variety. So what do I do?
Have grown microgreens for market -- and found that they are very prone to fungal infections no matter how well you ventilate them. I also found that you do need the weights.
The biggest issue is the space. The second biggest issue is critters. My kids - young and curious - and my cats - not young but still curious - are a deadly combination to any and all plants. If I ever found the space, that is 🙃
Mason jars & herb garden on window sills. What passes for a house plant in my house is cat grass/ cat greens. Helps their digestion and also helps me adjust their grooming schedule or vet visits.
Microgreens may have have come down in price. I found ad in my local FB Marketplace offering microgreens for C$15/26oz (=US$6.60/lb) and C$10/26oz (=US$4.40/lb) if ordered weekly.
When sprouts are young they are meant to have more nutritional value than that off a plant left longer and in the case of seeds like wheat they all have a inbuilt chemical that is like protection system but once sprouted it looses that so has all its potential health benefits
Gourmet bread with sprouted wheatberries is selling for $4-$5 a loaf. Good luck finding a coupon. Make your own bread with wheat germ and winter wheat berries usually found in health food shops or vendors like Bobs Red Mill. Experiment with grinding the dry seed and adding sprouted (wet) during the final kneading. You'll find a ratio that works for you. If you have no talent for manual breadmaking, bread machines do work well and you won't break the bank investing in one.
How funny 1 of those pictures is 1 of my classmates in the expensive online course I bought about starting running a microgreens business = it was helpful BUT only 1 person made big money for a short time then lost everything = we are still told we aren't making money because we don't apply ourselves well enough & we are offered another course to buy = these courses are good information BUT it is misleading about how much money can be made from microgreens alone ALSO I have long term experience with chief's & restaurants so I know they can't have crop failure They Have To Have Their Product To Match Their Menu Without Glitches = it's sad watching growers teach & think it's about their manners & not going during busy hours There's Allot More To Know About Restaurants so even the well mannered farmers are giving microgreens a bad service reputation
I had to quit growing as all my lights died and I could no longer afford to buy more yet. Apartment dweller and no balcony or patio. When I can grow outside I will grow again. I have found I really don't like the taste of most microgreens. The guinea pig passed over a year ago and the two bearded dragons dont eat enough for the electric costs when our bill dropped enough to realize that six dollar clam of organic spring mix with a few other things works great for them and us humans over running 600-800 watts of light set for summer hours every day of the week. Keep on growing if you can outside. I want to see if a solar panel can charge the bank enough to run new lights off of that but can't afford them yet.
@@911dips5 I agree, I’ve been watching videos of underground greenhouses, now called “Walipinis” . I was telling my dad about it because he had a hydroponic greenhouse inside a cattle insulage pit…I wanted to know why he decided to do that and why he stopped and where he got the idea from. He couldn’t remember…he is 89.
I was going to get peas from a supermarket to grow as microgreens. It is not recommended? I would imagine that they are cheaper than the ones specifically for microgreens growing. Thank you
I believe that is ok, it's made for consumption. I have used lentils and mung beans from the store. Peas are a pretty cheap microgreen. They check the germination rate where as peas at the store are meant to be eaten so that is not important.
@@KeepOnGrowin Thank you for getting back to me. There are split opinions on that. Some people say that they use the store seeds with no problems others say the opposite that you need specifically the microgreen seeds because of the reason you mentioned above that the germination rates are not as good for the store seeds and also apparently the store seeds might be treated with some stuff, having some pathogens, bacteria, mold etc. I do not remember the details now. Like you, I also thought of using lentils and mung from the store. So you never had issues with the store stuff? Thank you
@@Alien2799 Personally, no, but I was getting most of mine at ethnic shops. The mung beans were bigger than the ones I get online now. I also sprouted fenegreek which was cheap and really fragrant.
This is pointing more to hydroponics which have entirely missed the intent of microgreen production. Hydroponics are indeeed expensive and are not the nutrient dense, soluble fiber rich food source for humans and animals. Hydroponics feed an investment and profit model where microgreens are a rich source of nutrition available and consumable for many situations and benefit people animals and the soil enriching benefit of these activities. Where hydroponics may have short term and emergency recovery applications its certainly no model system or approach that is sustainable in any way!
@@jameshunt2905 I've seen hydroponics done with mostly recycled containers. The cost of manufacturing, transporting hydroponic fertilizer compared with transporting finished produce is a strong point for hp. Farmers markets are 5-10x more carbon intensive than mega agriculture just because it's more efficient to have 20 tonnes of produce on a truck than a few boxes. Another point for hp is accessibility for urban gardeners with no yards or not much.
Yep, my dad did hydroponics for a couple of years, he tried all kinds of stuff as a farmer. I think he would have stuck with it if it had of been profitable.
Brussel sprouts have actually become a lot tastier over time, plus instead of boiling them, people are roasting them for much better results. This is what made them good. Bad example.
@ thanks for the reply. Yes, similar, but your take is more that it is a marketing gimmick, rather than there being other tangible reason for its increased popularity, that don’t indicate consumers are simply being dooped.
...Stinkender Rosenkohl...😂 Ja, Mikrogreens kann wirklich jeder anbauen. Auch ohne zusätzliches Licht. Mache ich seit Jahren mit fast allem Samenfesten Saatgut und Dörre dann, was zu viel ist und lagere es in Gläsern. Schmeckt knusprig auch...😊 Lg
I have a form of colitis, and find that microgreens are less irritating to my gut. It's nice to be able to eat salad again. I also don't have to pay the high prices for organic greens or worry about what was sprayed on them.
Herrje was ist daran besonders, ich mache den ganzen Winter Sprossen....Weizenkeimlinge und Weizensprossen für die Hühner. Ohne meine Stromkosten zu erhöhen, die stehen einfach an der Fensterbank. Wenn ich Lust auf Kresse habe, ebenso.
Try lower ambient temperature and less humidity. A clean fan for airflow might help. I'm pretty sure microgreens require some equipment, depending on climate
Taste a whole lot better than the mature plants, higher nutrient density for SOME nutrients compared to mature plants, lower FODMAP (less bloating for some people), more variety than the supermarket offers. Those are good reasons to eat them. I don't like mature leafy greens. I don't call them "superfoods". "Superfoods" is just marketing.
While i appreciate your intention i think your ascribing wrong motives to the microgreens community. I think growing in soil is better and more natural. Youre promoting buying nutrients solutions over growing in soil. Why? You knock the product and service that microgreens growers provide while pushing your own socalled solution which itself requires effort and costs. It is misrepresenting to say microgreens growers put in very little effort. Also people pay for what they value. Its a market driven process. I dont see a big deal with the term microgreens vs sprouts, its a very useful term and a way to connect with modern times. Its actually a good name that conveys what is being grown. Its good to encourage prople to grow their own microgreens but most people cant or wont grow their own food so they're willing to pay for the convenience of someone doing it for them. Thats how the economy works bro as with any other crop. As for using blocks to weigh down seeds youre exaggerating that. Do your thing and let the microgreens greens do their part in encouraging health eating.
If you are only growing to harvest as sprouts, then you do not need soil, you do not need nutrients. All the nutrients are supplied within the seed itself, it's only when you plan to grow beyond the the true leaves that you need to worry about nutrients.
How 'bout you do your thing and let Mike and his followers do their part in encouraging healthy eating and not push your so-called solutions. Some people don't want to pay for the convenience of someone doing for them what they can easily and less expensively do for themselves. That too, is how the economy works, bro.
@@KeepOnGrowin… this statement is entirely inaccurate and only reveals your own intentions while not looking at what you are doing to an established marketplace….. marketing for ones own benefit under a banner of education and effecting a destructive measure in market culture and industry only clarifies your efforts at the expense of others, the market and confusing what is being done, why and who it benefits. The picture painted here is that is you. Who is the mess and would benefit from better experience, exposure education and some healthier boundaries. Where as if this effort is intendeded to create market confusion and misinform those who are making the efforts on all sides of this marketplace again this is you exposing your own intentions while for your own benefit at the expense of many others and their efforts. Not too spiffy kiddo……
Didnt even show how to grow it after all that talk at the end. Also don't see the general public growing there own food even if its easy, there's a large disconnect between where food comes from and the food ppl eat in western society
and that's why I have been showing how to grow in an easy and affordable way for 8 years. Everyone can cook an egg but there will still be breakfast restaurants. Just shedding light on the hype.
@radicaltrains1402 I think it's because people assume it takes alot of money. People also don't even know that some trees produce edible fruit. They also think they can't grow their own food because it's not clean or something. People would never just eat berries off of the bush nowadays or anything like when I was little. It just needs to be more education.
None of this is a mystery, not sure where you got the questions from. Here they're just a garnish, most often used in restaurants. Ive never heard of them called a 'superfood'. Perhaps this is a US issue? I'd be interested to hear from UK/Europe/Canada viewers
$50/LB is absurd. They are one of the easiest things to grow. I think it’s funny too about the superfood marketing. Literally every fruit and vegetable is a superfood.
Naw no mattsr what there are still gnna be peiple who wld mch rather jst buy microgreens and sprouts in the store. People know how easy rice is to make and yet people still buy microwave ready rice, people know how easy mashed potatoes are yet there r some who still buy already made or microwave potatos.
I have decent results sprouting the seeds from the ethnic grocery store. I'm assuming their seeds are more... heirloom. Actually growing them to microgreens has too high a failure rate, though. Main problem seems to be heat and humidity.
Thoroughly enjoy your content. But you missed the part where humans are inherently lazy. And would rather watch netflix while paying that subscription.
Stop spreading misinformation! I sell organic micro greens for the past 3 years. The USDA does states the micro greens have much more vitamins than the vegetables based on 100 grams. I hope people do their own research.
"According to various researchers (including Johns Hopkins and Ohio State University), broccoli sprouts contain 1,000% more nutrients than mature broccoli."
Yes but that means you eat less to get the same nutrients. For example, if something has 10 times more vitamin c by weight, you can eat 10 times less, by weight, to get the same amount of vitamin c. Right? Am I missing something? That seems awesome.
@@KeepOnGrowin I was actually thinking about getting into microgreen growing but i live in a small apartment. What do you suggest for a small 3ft x3ft space? a grow rack with grow lights?
@@orangehatmusic225 I use lots of different containers. I am trying to teach the world to grow so I show many options. People have different preferences.
You do the industry a great disservice and frankly misinform them from your soapbox! As a senior citizen who needs to make ends meet and has limited mobility this side has del is my saving grace.. plenty of wealthy people want them and my time and effort are appreciated and I charge according to market dictates. We are a free market not a communist country .. everyone has a chance to eat healthy and the key word is to chose to eat healthy! On the first of the month you see what people chose to put into their carts and it’s not protein and vegetables but junk food and soda, no one makes them chose that. So spare us the lecture blamimg the micro growers for the choices people make to put what they want into their bodies, it’s called freedom!
@@KeepOnGrowin Exposing the Microgreen Industry as a Sham thats your topic heading . you have called it as sham. no wonder @desertedenblooms is replying as such.
Here’s how you can grow some of your own: ruclips.net/video/C1ndcU2uuEc/видео.htmlsi=RXSYeShyNX2Wqjw1
Saying that the microgreen industry is a sham is similar to me calling you a sham. I sell some of my microgreens for $22.00/lb retail and some that yield less $32.00/lb retail. I live in a rural community that is less expensive than most urban areas. If I lived in these areas I would likely charge more, but still doubt that I would reach the 50.00/lb. You are also lacking knowledge of why they call microgreens a super food. It is a well known fact that seeds are much more nutritious than the grown plant pound for pound. When you take a plant that is just starting from the seeds it slowly disperses its nutrition throughout the plant as it grows making the nutrition less dense as it grows.
I provide a wonderful service to my customers who do not wish to spend the time growing them for themselves. The biggest thing I dislike about your title is that it belittles those who grow microgreens and puts them in the category of a charlatan. I hope this was not your intention,.
@@holisticpoet Thank you for your opinion. Speak your truth.
The leftover roots and stems after harvesting can be fed to red wriggler worms or chickens. Turning waste into a soil amendment or eggs.
You are definitely right. I can't wait till summer to order more worms. As I am producing quite a bit of food for them now.
My chickens love the leftover stems and roots.
Smart!
Best video ever on microgreens. Here in my rural part of Germany there is no market for microgreens and we have extremely high costs for electricity. Also the media publish horror stories about contaminated microgreens and sprouts. Hygienic and business regulations are tough overhere.
Am just growing microgreens for private use in Winter.
Love and greetings from a professional gardner and graduated biologist.
Thank you. That really means a lot to me. You made my day!
@katipohl2431
Was kannst du für ein Setup empfehlen für einen Neuling in dem Thema microcreens?
Started growing them a few years back in Mason Jars on the windowsill as a consolation prize when I lost an entire growing year recuperating from fracture surgery and 3 months of intensive physical therapy. It was a little tedious but worth it I think. I missed the spring air & sweet scent of flowering, but I also dodged the weeds and oppressive heat of summer.
I guess we'll only really know for sure when science based nutritionists get the math right about how nutritionally dense they are, and how much you'd have to consume to gain the benefits. Seniors are known for having poor nutrition. One of the causes being their ability to absorb nutrients, or the intrinsic bioavailability of the food in question. The nutrition of a potato cooked al dente as a potato salad has what nutritional value versus a fast food french fry? Nutritional counseling told me fresh is best, frozen or freeze dried is second best, third best is canned because nutrition goes down the drain with the liquid.
My guesses are based on hearsay and ever changing government standards (remember when they claimed butter was a heart attack, the food pyramid was best, load up on carbs avoid protein?). The closer we can keep things to raw food and the further we can stay away from processed food the healthier we ought to be. I admit this is a guess, but it's the same hypothesis present tense nutrition counselors & my own great grandma operated on and longevity in my family is present. Science backs up the Mediterranean diet too. The best part about microgreens is that even shut ins & apartment dwellers can year round boost their nutrition no matter what inflation is doing in the market. You don't need a degree in agriculture, land, tools, greenhouse or amendments that may give you a perfect tomato at starting cost of $500. I could easily spend $20 on bottled vitamins, use that same $20 for greens seed, buy them both and save $460.
I'm experimenting with wire hangars to rig up a growing zone for the whole window with baby food jars. I find growing too much (1 tbs broccoli seed) in a huge jar the sprouts tend to go bad quickly after harvest and delayed harvests are even worse. If I grow a micro crop of micro greens staggered in harvest dates like you would with outdoor lettuce I suspect consuming greens daily would be as simple as opening the next jar and refilling it for next week. It won't make you thousands but it could save you thousands you'd spend in the market. Latest prices for a 1 lb clamshell of mixed greens or baby spinach= $8.
Das einzige Micogreen das ich gekauft habe war Kresse. Alle Anderen baue ich seit 3 Jahren ganzjährig Zuhause an. Inzwischen gibt es nicht mal mehr Kresse im Supermarkt zu kaufen. Das ist wohl zu gesund! Erbsen, Berglinsen u. Leinsamen gibt es überall günstig in BioQualität zu kaufen und wachsen prima, finde ich. Bei den Gewürzen verwende ich z.B. Senfsamen, die gehen noch schneller als Kresse auf.
I love broccoli and red cabbage and onion sprouts. Also crispy sunflower microgreens. I grow them all, mainly to add to salads for the taste and health benefits (especially the broccoli sprouts-lots of videos and research on those). Glad to find out your video isn’t denying the heath benefits or ease of growing your own!
Thank you! It's an awesome and easy way to grow some of your own food.
Thank you, Mike, for your inspiring education on the so called "superfood" of microgreens. Let's teach everyone to grow sustainably at their own home. I love your videos--they help so much to encourage us to Keep on Growin' !
Thank you! Keep on Growin'!!
The whole point of growing microgreens is to have some greens you can harvest as needed, so they are absolutely fresh and vibrant!
Once you get set up, they are easy enough to grow at home for yourself. I've been growing microgreens for a few years now, on and off, and I use coconut coir as a cheap and easy substrate. The biggest expense is for the seeds themselves - even though seeds sold as "microgreen seeds" are cheaper than the same seeds sold for growing plants, they can still be quite expensive. Especially if you have a high failure rate of germination (happens sometimes because of the heat and humidity where I live, and sometimes because the seeds themselves are past their best use date).
Totally agree. I love having them around whenever you need. I save up and buy in bulk, comes out cheaper.
I've done hydroponics for over 50 years and I've come full circle to again growing using aerated DWC (deep water culture).
I'm in North Texas, grow only herbs & tomatoes and I have a greenhouse.
My homestead has several windmills, all compressing air, so I have a constant supply for the bubble stones below the root zone in each bucket.
I use both 2-gallon as well as 5-gallon food-grade buckets.
DWC is as close to "set it and forget it" as it gets. Believe me, I've tried every other method out there including Kratky.
I replenish with pre-mixed nutrients in rain water, checking water levels daily and just hang around until fruit ripens.
It doesn't get much easier than that. I'm 75.
Sounds like a great setup.
Do you have a YT channel? I have tried all kinds of hydroponic setups and I would love to try another method. I have used mostly kracky tubs. I’m handicapped but I have help from my nephew. 😊
would love more info on this! I like the vertical nature of hydroponic microgreens and soil-less options but DWC has interested me esp with the use of fish in it sometimes?
You need to pass on your acquired knowledge! As with many your age! We can't afford to lose your work! Find someone to come document! Please!! The world needs you, we need you❤
@brothernorb8586
🙄
How funny 1 of those pictures you showed is 1 of my classmates from the expensive online course I bought t
I started a microgreens business & I added all my cost of seeds - dirt - containers - labels & insurance breaking all cost down to per ounce so I could set a reasonable price 😞 selling them for 6.00 an ounce didn't even give me minimum wage = I made log sheets tracking each item & my time
So I do agree it doesn't cost 50.00 per ounce PLUS I didn't make the big bucks others say they make IN FACT I went broke because most people don't know what microgreens are so I gave mostly free samples = over 1/2 of the free sample people did like them but didn't come to the market each week Therefore I needed to try home delivery by using the market to grow an email list SO allot more labor plus delivery gas bill with a really old junky car I could not afford to keep trying
The Good News Is I still have 3 growing shelves in my living room with lights on timers LMAO even tho all my friends & family put me down for an ugly living room with super bright lights i do like my microgreens However I don't sell them without a way to afford business liability insurance
Now I'm going to look up the science testing to see if I can find the per ounce nutrition of microgreens VS full grown
🙋 Thank you for a good video topic
You are totally correct, there has to be a market for it. Sorry it did not work out. $6 an ounce actually comes out to $96/lb. Good luck on the experiment, keep me updated.
Not more labor, just time spent differently. Instead of taking the time to work at the market, start by marketing by posting your ad in local Facebook groups a "local drop off" where you take orders throughout the week and drop off to a central location where customers meet you. Deliver to as many drop offs as you can, once a week (I suggest friday, Saturday or Sunday as people will have more time to meet you then, than during the week). This way you don't have to pay to rent a spot and you won't be using any of your time sitting there not making sales. You could cross market home delivery if people want it but it doesn't sound like there's a huge market wherever you are. This will reach more people and be more worth your time.
Thank you for sharing your insights. I want to learn to grow them well, because groceries are too expensive and it seems like a good way to add nutrition to a meal. I live in a small town in Montana and by the time the produce arrives here, it looks awful, sometimes already moldy. I received a bunch of seeds free from work at the end of last season and want to put them to good use. Hopefully I can use them for micro greens or baby greens eventhough they aren't specifically microgreen seeds.
Thank you Mike for clarifying the confusion. I just need to start to grow for myself and get the system down if I choose to offer the product to people. God bless you and your families. Hope you all have a Merry Christmas.
Sprouts are highly regulated by the fda because they are grown in a specific way in which harbors bacteria that can be harmful. Microgreens as not grown in any different way than regular plants with the exception no fertilizer is needed. They are harvested as a regular green would be just early. This eliminates the strict regulations that are put on sprouts.
While neither sprouts nor microgreens have a very long shelf life, the microgreens are less likely to harbor the water born bacteria that is found in sprouts.
All that said, I do not disagree with your assessment of the industry, but the rising cost of every product on the shelf contributes to the cost of microgreens as well as any other green that a farmer is trying to push.
What I dont think you covered is the farming families that rely on this industry that you are putting down while they are just trying to make a living. Not everyone can afford expensive things, and not everyone is broke dirt poor. But for those that are trying to make a living at farming you shouldnt be trying to dismantle them.
I believe I raised valid points and if anyone is true to their business and believes in their product, they can surely emphasize any benefit they believe is helpful without embellishing. I can make an egg, but I still go out for breakfast now and then.
Unfair assessment. Anyone trying to make a living growing only microgreens without a network of restaurants as a customer base is on a path to disaster and the cautionary tales in this thread bear that out. As the adage goes, don't put all your eggs in one basket. Successful farms these days have multiple product streams and aren't opposed to putting out value added products, joining farmers markets or even online consortiums. Whatever benefit to monoculture existed, it got eaten up wholesale by big Ag. Whatever profits there were in catering to gourmet customers, it's the first market that gets too saturated and those customers are also becoming more scarce with inflation.
100%. I ran a microgreens business about 5 years ago, and though it was successful, it was about as grueling as any other enterprise. Good seed isn’t cheap. And by far the most difficult is establishing a customer base. That takes the most work/time/energy of any element. It CAN sell well but only to very specific demographics. It’s chic modernite and hippie food, basically. And the occasional folks who’ve had a recent health scare. “Restaurants” Again how many restaurants have you been to that use microgreens? Unless you’re in a metro area your options are highly limited. We got one call back from scouting pretty much every relevant restaurant in a 25 mile radius. And we were going around back, talking directly to the head chefs, delivering free trays full of our best stuff, only asking for the tray back. Fun enterprise actually, don’t regret it at all.
Worst part was having to get up at 5 am for some farmers markets, lol.
Awesome. Thank you for sharing that. There's nothing wrong with doing something you love. You are right about there being a fair amount of legwork involved too.
I love your videos and watch them faithfully. I enjoy your thoughtful reflections as much as I enjoy the technical content. I confess to only growing sprouts at this point as i work 12 or 14 hour days and that's about the amount of time i have - rinse and repeat! But one day I won't be working these hours and will put the knowledge I've gained from you to work. I admire and appreciate what you do.
Thank you, I appreciate you watching! I am glad you find it helpful.
In the winter in zone eight I grow seven trays of peas sprouts and I rotate them one a day and have one every day I find this gives me a great source of fighter nutrients throughout November December January February period they taste fabulous and they’re so easy and cheap to grow at home on your windowsill
That is awesome!
Great video! Thanks for sharing.
I've been growing my own microgreens for a few years. There's no market for them in my rural area so I simply grow them for myself. I wish I could sell some because I could grow a lot more very easily.
Warum jemand überhaupt Sprossen kauf, erschließt sich mir nicht. Die kann jeder der möchte, für ein paar Cents selbst anbauen.
@@michi641 laziness, it's very time consuming. I stand for 90 mins just to remove those empty seed hulls at end of 5 days.
Hey mike how’s it going?!?! Just slid two trays between my kitchen cabinet and the refrigerator top and forgot about them for three days. They grew so much they pushed up with such force i could not get them out! Force of nature in action. Good to hear from you last week. Just letting you know after 8 years i still do something stupid from time to time.
Good to hear from you Larry. I do stupid stuff all the time, lol. Have a great week.
I got into this to grow better salad toping and greens because of my low-carb diet because of health. I am also putting together small greenhouse as soon as i figure out how to keep cats off the plastic. I want to grow food year round.
I hear you. A neighborhood stray jumped on top of my shade house chasing a lizard, tore it to shreds.
I hear cats HATE the smell of citrus but I have never had the need to use orange peels so can’t confirm. Anyone else tried it?
@@dawnwhitehead an essential oil book I had cites cats and ants are averse to citrus. Any version of essential oil repellents have always been met with limited success or the obligation to continuously apply. Polycarbonate greenhouse panels have insulating properties and would hold up to cats better than loose plastic. If a cat is driven to get inside pursuing something, it's going to get in. Removing what they're preying on is your best chance.
Yep. As a farmer I know that the high prices are based on marketing. Like black cows being better eating than other cows. The whole industrial farming scam is based on marketing (propaganda).
Sprouts, "microgreens", full sized plants, the only way to go is to do your own. I grow a garden, but prefer sprouting for all year production for "me and mine", but I also dabble in "microgreens". The nice byproduct to a good "microgreen" setup is if you can't service your plants for a day, or longer, you just end up with bigger plants. I see it as the further you go in the growing process, the more "waste" you have. I say waste as an average person would think of it. Everything goes through "the cycle". Me first, then the animals and what they don't eat, compost.
One can dry those bigger ones & make powder. Last longer & useful in soups..👍 Blessings 🙏🕊️🌟
Thanks a lot for your generous honnesty :)
Thank you!
Thank you the truth never hurts it liberates.
Don't forget the jar method for sprout. Seen em with special lids, I think just to keep them ventilated.
Yes, you are right. I have some of those.
you don't need special lids. You need an awl to poke holes into mason jar lids. Starts getting signs of rust, toss it out, replace with a new lid with holes poked in.
@@robertmoore1215 I have the mesh type plastic lids for wide mouth jars but wouldn't a piece of cheesecloth with the ring work better, especially with tiny alfalfa seeds?
Also has anyone fermented their sprouts/greens?
@@kathyalexander5709 Excellent point, the superfine seeds are a little tricky to retain, but as I recall the 'floating seeds' are mostly the lightweight hulls shed by the seeds as they were germinating. The reason I use the metal lids with holes is because they help retain light moisture and the seeds cling to the glass better. I imagine cheesecloth wicking moisture away in full sun window. Might as well experiment and share your results. Cheesecloth is going to be cheaper and may wind up being easier to work with. Hope you share those results in this thread.
Fermenting- haven't tried it and I'm averse to flirting with botulism. I don't know enough or trust myself enough. The consequences for ignorance are severe. Folks with kimchi skills might try it but sprouts are so delicate I don't see how they'd hold up with cabbage strength vinegars or brines that are most closely associated with safe practices.
I suggest you read the jars of minced garlic or bean curds in the fridge and see what they use to preserve. Citric acid and flavored oil might do it. Try arming yourself with a PH tester. How long you can keep it in the fridge is a question for the FDA's FAQ section of their website. I can say with certainty that spouts & microgreens get ruined by the freezer. Cell walls just explode.
@@robertmoore1215 thank you for your response, yes you are right, mesh lid or cheesecloth basically provide the same drainage or ventilation as your method. I asked if anyone had experience with fermenting spouts as I came across a recipe yesterday . No I am not afraid of of botulism per say as I've canned and preserved in many unorthodox (govt?) ways without any problems. Not to say be lax or oblivious to normal sanitation common sense, just they've overdone the hype to scare people
I use ph paper to check low acid veges and meats.
I sure appreciate your videos. I have learned so many new things-starting my first passive hydroponic greens. You are a good force in the world.😊
Well said, thank you!
The pictures of full trays of tiny plants are lovely eye candy. I could hardly keep my attention on your message.
Thank you for such a great interpretation.
I've never bought into the craze, as someone who grows their own food and gives away the surplus to friends, family n neighbors. I do my part to save people money.
In order to evolve, we have to put the lies to rest. We are keeping each other stagnant. Thank you so much! God bless!
Thank you too! Keep on Growin'!
We are taught that plants contain various minerals and vitamins. So how does this happen if micro greens are planted in water? How does the good stuff get to the plant in water?
Thank you for sharing your insight and experiences with microgreens. ❤️💯👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👍🏾
Thank you too!
I like growing sprouts too have free greens to go on fry bread with taco meat. I get all of anything I want to sprout for free from the food pantry because people refuse to eat beans ,lentils, rice or peas of any kind. Anything that takes any real talent or work to cook people don't want except me.
I hear ya!
I couldn't tell if this was real or satire haha, there will always be people willing to pay for the convenience of having food delivered to them...
🔥❤🔥 love it! I'll be binge watching your videos
Thank you!
I'm just getting into this for fun but I hear some people saying that the market is already saturated and some can't sell their product!
Yep… you gotta find buyers.
every single business has a huge failure rate of 90% or something insane like that, it really just comes down to timing/hustle/discipline or whatever things make entrepreneurs successful or not
True but oftentimes it also comes down to local culture. Some folks are never going to depart from the meat & taters or beans & cornbread standard they grew up in. If they don't recognize a food they call it foreign. The adventurous sort and vegetarians will happily give it a try but the rest tend to act like 5yr olds expecting comfort food they know. A reason why Chinese food had to become so Americanized to cater to what's familiar. I've met a native Italian or two lamenting what we call Italian food here in the states.
I am a meat eater. Do not like greens so much.
Perhaps 1 portion on paper cup is manageable.
Grow different types of seed every 2 days or 3 days so got variety.
So what do I do?
You got the right idea. I treat it like food prep. Just grow what you need. I buy in bulk but some varieties will take me a year to go through a bag.
@@diva555sg Try sunflower micro green they are great look into the nutrition as well
I like the set it and forget it microgreen growing 🌱 TFS!
Have grown microgreens for market -- and found that they are very prone to fungal infections no matter how well you ventilate them. I also found that you do need the weights.
Nice expose, mike!
Thank you Mike. Cheers.
I enjoy listening to you. Very educational! Thank you 🙏🏻
You’re welcome, I’m glad you found it helpful. Keep on Growin'!
The biggest issue is the space. The second biggest issue is critters.
My kids - young and curious - and my cats - not young but still curious - are a deadly combination to any and all plants. If I ever found the space, that is 🙃
I feel ya! My kids are grown but cats are curious creatures. I have to be careful growing in sand, lol.
Mason jars & herb garden on window sills. What passes for a house plant in my house is cat grass/ cat greens. Helps their digestion and also helps me adjust their grooming schedule or vet visits.
Cheers, Mike!
Cheers Scully!
Microgreens may have have come down in price. I found ad in my local FB Marketplace offering microgreens for C$15/26oz (=US$6.60/lb) and C$10/26oz (=US$4.40/lb) if ordered weekly.
Cool. $4/lb is really cheap. Someone found a way to streamline the process.
When sprouts are young they are meant to have more nutritional value than that off a plant left longer and in the case of seeds like wheat they all have a inbuilt chemical that is like protection system but once sprouted it looses that so has all its potential health benefits
all?
Gourmet bread with sprouted wheatberries is selling for $4-$5 a loaf. Good luck finding a coupon. Make your own bread with wheat germ and winter wheat berries usually found in health food shops or vendors like Bobs Red Mill. Experiment with grinding the dry seed and adding sprouted (wet) during the final kneading. You'll find a ratio that works for you. If you have no talent for manual breadmaking, bread machines do work well and you won't break the bank investing in one.
Thank you Mike!
There is always a story behind the story, and you nailed it on this one.
Be the Change! 😜
Be the change indeed! Thanks for watching and Keep on Growin'!
Superfood is just a marketing term, as is Milk, since Real Milk comes from the mammary glands of mammals, not from a plant.
Right but if they called it nut juice, no one would buy it.
How funny 1 of those pictures is 1 of my classmates in the expensive online course I bought about starting running a microgreens business = it was helpful BUT only 1 person made big money for a short time then lost everything = we are still told we aren't making money because we don't apply ourselves well enough & we are offered another course to buy = these courses are good information BUT it is misleading about how much money can be made from microgreens alone
ALSO I have long term experience with chief's & restaurants so I know they can't have crop failure They Have To Have Their Product To Match Their Menu Without Glitches = it's sad watching growers teach & think it's about their manners & not going during busy hours There's Allot More To Know About Restaurants so even the well mannered farmers are giving microgreens a bad service reputation
Lol, right. I was a manager for several years in some restaurants. I can't imagine someone coming in to sell me stuff during peak hours.
Outstanding Information Bravo 👏 👍 🙌 👌 😀 😎
Thank you!
Thanks for the very good information.
Glad it was helpful! Thank you!
Here's what Big Microgreen doesn't want you to know
Thank you this is very interesting and informative!!
I like the humour of your content here as well!!
Andréa and Critters.🙂💞 ....XxX....
Thank you too...and the critters!
Thank you!! Please teach us to grow🌱
I had to quit growing as all my lights died and I could no longer afford to buy more yet. Apartment dweller and no balcony or patio. When I can grow outside I will grow again.
I have found I really don't like the taste of most microgreens. The guinea pig passed over a year ago and the two bearded dragons dont eat enough for the electric costs when our bill dropped enough to realize that six dollar clam of organic spring mix with a few other things works great for them and us humans over running 600-800 watts of light set for summer hours every day of the week. Keep on growing if you can outside.
I want to see if a solar panel can charge the bank enough to run new lights off of that but can't afford them yet.
I found there is a generation of people who think they have reinvented the wheel and needs to change the name of everything
@@911dips5 I agree, I’ve been watching videos of underground greenhouses, now called “Walipinis” . I was telling my dad about it because he had a hydroponic greenhouse inside a cattle insulage pit…I wanted to know why he decided to do that and why he stopped and where he got the idea from. He couldn’t remember…he is 89.
I was going to get peas from a supermarket to grow as microgreens. It is not recommended?
I would imagine that they are cheaper than the ones specifically for microgreens growing.
Thank you
I believe that is ok, it's made for consumption. I have used lentils and mung beans from the store. Peas are a pretty cheap microgreen. They check the germination rate where as peas at the store are meant to be eaten so that is not important.
@@KeepOnGrowin Thank you for getting back to me.
There are split opinions on that. Some people say that they use the store seeds with no problems others say the opposite that you need specifically the microgreen seeds because of the reason you mentioned above that the germination rates are not as good for the store seeds and also apparently the store seeds might be treated with some stuff, having some pathogens, bacteria, mold etc. I do not remember the details now.
Like you, I also thought of using lentils and mung from the store.
So you never had issues with the store stuff?
Thank you
@@Alien2799 Personally, no, but I was getting most of mine at ethnic shops. The mung beans were bigger than the ones I get online now. I also sprouted fenegreek which was cheap and really fragrant.
This is pointing more to hydroponics which have entirely missed the intent of microgreen production. Hydroponics are indeeed expensive and are not the nutrient dense, soluble fiber rich food source for humans and animals. Hydroponics feed an investment and profit model where microgreens are a rich source of nutrition available and consumable for many situations and benefit people animals and the soil enriching benefit of these activities. Where hydroponics may have short term and emergency recovery applications its certainly no model system or approach that is sustainable in any way!
I respect your opinion but disagree. Thank you for your input.
@@jameshunt2905 I've seen hydroponics done with mostly recycled containers. The cost of manufacturing, transporting hydroponic fertilizer compared with transporting finished produce is a strong point for hp. Farmers markets are 5-10x more carbon intensive than mega agriculture just because it's more efficient to have 20 tonnes of produce on a truck than a few boxes. Another point for hp is accessibility for urban gardeners with no yards or not much.
Yep, my dad did hydroponics for a couple of years, he tried all kinds of stuff as a farmer. I think he would have stuck with it if it had of been profitable.
Thank you for this!
Thank you!
Brussel sprouts have actually become a lot tastier over time, plus instead of boiling them, people are roasting them for much better results. This is what made them good. Bad example.
I appreciate your opinion but you basically said the same thing I did.
@ thanks for the reply. Yes, similar, but your take is more that it is a marketing gimmick, rather than there being other tangible reason for its increased popularity, that don’t indicate consumers are simply being dooped.
@@freckrpeckr Yes, but that's all opinion. You are free to have yours.
...Stinkender Rosenkohl...😂
Ja, Mikrogreens kann wirklich jeder anbauen. Auch ohne zusätzliches Licht. Mache ich seit Jahren mit fast allem Samenfesten Saatgut und Dörre dann, was zu viel ist und lagere es in Gläsern. Schmeckt knusprig auch...😊 Lg
4:42 ... and true!
Surprising (& confusing) that you would cite USDA as your source reference regarding superfoods...
There is no definition. It is a vague term.
Alternative trays to plastic, please . You can rename microgreens but not microplastics
I did it for almost a year for people concerned. It's on a playlist on my channel. You're welcome.
I have a form of colitis, and find that microgreens are less irritating to my gut. It's nice to be able to eat salad again. I also don't have to pay the high prices for organic greens or worry about what was sprayed on them.
I’m glad you found something that works for you! You're right, it is awesome to grow and not spray anything on them.
I buy micro green seeds but use them to grow the actual greens.
Right on!
Herrje was ist daran besonders, ich mache den ganzen Winter Sprossen....Weizenkeimlinge und Weizensprossen für die Hühner. Ohne meine Stromkosten zu erhöhen, die stehen einfach an der Fensterbank. Wenn ich Lust auf Kresse habe, ebenso.
I’ve tried growing just alfalfa sprouts for my own consumption. They always molded. Useless!
Try lower ambient temperature and less humidity. A clean fan for airflow might help. I'm pretty sure microgreens require some equipment, depending on climate
I knew the word "supper food " was bs.
Thx
Taste a whole lot better than the mature plants, higher nutrient density for SOME nutrients compared to mature plants, lower FODMAP (less bloating for some people), more variety than the supermarket offers. Those are good reasons to eat them. I don't like mature leafy greens. I don't call them "superfoods". "Superfoods" is just marketing.
Great points! Keep on Growin'!
While i appreciate your intention i think your ascribing wrong motives to the microgreens community. I think growing in soil is better and more natural. Youre promoting buying nutrients solutions over growing in soil. Why? You knock the product and service that microgreens growers provide while pushing your own socalled solution which itself requires effort and costs. It is misrepresenting to say microgreens growers put in very little effort. Also people pay for what they value. Its a market driven process. I dont see a big deal with the term microgreens vs sprouts, its a very useful term and a way to connect with modern times. Its actually a good name that conveys what is being grown. Its good to encourage prople to grow their own microgreens but most people cant or wont grow their own food so they're willing to pay for the convenience of someone doing it for them. Thats how the economy works bro as with any other crop. As for using blocks to weigh down seeds youre exaggerating that. Do your thing and let the microgreens greens do their part in encouraging health eating.
If they are any good, they can easily overcome any criticism that comes their way.
If you are only growing to harvest as sprouts, then you do not need soil, you do not need nutrients. All the nutrients are supplied within the seed itself, it's only when you plan to grow beyond the the true leaves that you need to worry about nutrients.
How 'bout you do your thing and let Mike and his followers do their part in encouraging healthy eating and not push your so-called solutions. Some people don't want to pay for the convenience of someone doing for them what they can easily and less expensively do for themselves. That too, is how the economy works, bro.
@@KeepOnGrowin… this statement is entirely inaccurate and only reveals your own intentions while not looking at what you are doing to an established marketplace….. marketing for ones own benefit under a banner of education and effecting a destructive measure in market culture and industry only clarifies your efforts at the expense of others, the market and confusing what is being done, why and who it benefits. The picture painted here is that is you. Who is the mess and would benefit from better experience, exposure education and some healthier boundaries.
Where as if this effort is intendeded to create market confusion and misinform those who are making the efforts on all sides of this marketplace again this is you exposing your own intentions while for your own benefit at the expense of many others and their efforts. Not too spiffy kiddo……
@@jameshunt2905 Well said. Agree to disagree.
Didnt even show how to grow it after all that talk at the end. Also don't see the general public growing there own food even if its easy, there's a large disconnect between where food comes from and the food ppl eat in western society
and that's why I have been showing how to grow in an easy and affordable way for 8 years. Everyone can cook an egg but there will still be breakfast restaurants. Just shedding light on the hype.
@radicaltrains1402 I think it's because people assume it takes alot of money. People also don't even know that some trees produce edible fruit. They also think they can't grow their own food because it's not clean or something. People would never just eat berries off of the bush nowadays or anything like when I was little. It just needs to be more education.
I knew it. It takes a Real Leader to change a Brain
None of this is a mystery, not sure where you got the questions from. Here they're just a garnish, most often used in restaurants. Ive never heard of them called a 'superfood'. Perhaps this is a US issue? I'd be interested to hear from UK/Europe/Canada viewers
I get the questions from making videos for 8 years. These are some that I hear over and over. The "superfood" thing may just be here in the US.
$50/LB is absurd. They are one of the easiest things to grow. I think it’s funny too about the superfood marketing. Literally every fruit and vegetable is a superfood.
Thanks, totally agree.
Naw no mattsr what there are still gnna be peiple who wld mch rather jst buy microgreens and sprouts in the store. People know how easy rice is to make and yet people still buy microwave ready rice, people know how easy mashed potatoes are yet there r some who still buy already made or microwave potatos.
That is true, so they have no reason to fear me speaking my truth.
Who is behind the microgreens marketing
Individuals, but it is the same talking points that get passed around.
I just use raw seeds from the Bulk Barn store that are sold for eating.
Great tip.
I have decent results sprouting the seeds from the ethnic grocery store. I'm assuming their seeds are more... heirloom. Actually growing them to microgreens has too high a failure rate, though. Main problem seems to be heat and humidity.
Nice...I knew it was crap from the start, hype
If the ground is contaminated, need new method that produces good food. That is the ???
Thoroughly enjoy your content.
But you missed the part where humans are inherently lazy. And would rather watch netflix while paying that subscription.
".....you can make 8 billion dollars a week selling microgreens....."
who eats all those m/g u have growing?
Stop spreading misinformation!
I sell organic micro greens for the past 3 years. The USDA does states the micro greens have much more vitamins than the vegetables based on 100 grams. I hope people do their own research.
as compared to what?
"According to various researchers (including Johns Hopkins and Ohio State University), broccoli sprouts contain 1,000% more nutrients than mature broccoli."
@@a3_a3 by weight, I stated that
Yes but that means you eat less to get the same nutrients. For example, if something has 10 times more vitamin c by weight, you can eat 10 times less, by weight, to get the same amount of vitamin c. Right? Am I missing something? That seems awesome.
@@projectoldman1971 Then that is what they should push and not make it seem they are getting 40x the nutrients, right?
Intro way too long. Got bored and gave up
But had enough time to comment, lol.
@@KeepOnGrowin If you don't want feedback, don't allow comments. You seem to have a lots of room to grow ... as a person.
@@jeremys7231 🤣🤣You're funny.
Ending the microgreen industry... ahhahahhaha no you think people care.. You are funny.
I am happy I made you laugh.
@@KeepOnGrowin I was actually thinking about getting into microgreen growing but i live in a small apartment. What do you suggest for a small 3ft x3ft space? a grow rack with grow lights?
@@orangehatmusic225 Check some of my older videos from last year. I grow indoors on a small rack in a 3' space. You can do it with minimal lights.
@@KeepOnGrowin Ok thanks. I mean i have a green thumb i was just curious what works best. You use a lot of jars?
@@orangehatmusic225 I use lots of different containers. I am trying to teach the world to grow so I show many options. People have different preferences.
A little dramatic...
I was going for very dramatic with a twist of humor.
you have to play the game to get the views
@@a3_a3 This is not a game.
@@KeepOnGrowin youtube isn't about gaming the algorithm by creating content that stirs debate, thus generating more comments to gain more exposure?
@@a3_a3 no, not for me
You do the industry a great disservice and frankly misinform them from your soapbox! As a senior citizen who needs to make ends meet and has limited mobility this side has del is my saving grace.. plenty of wealthy people want them and my time and effort are appreciated and I charge according to market dictates. We are a free market not a communist country .. everyone has a chance to eat healthy and the key word is to chose to eat healthy! On the first of the month you see what people chose to put into their carts and it’s not protein and vegetables but junk food and soda, no one makes them chose that. So spare us the lecture blamimg the micro growers for the choices people make to put what they want into their bodies, it’s called freedom!
How does this hurt you? They been selling grow kits at home Depot forever. Nothing will change.
Feel free to explain where I misinformed. I mean no disrespect, just telling the truth.
@@KeepOnGrowin Exposing the Microgreen Industry as a Sham thats your topic heading . you have called it as sham. no wonder @desertedenblooms is replying as such.
🤦☝️ Well, he used same freedom to inform people about topic HE wants❗Are You living in some d1ct@t0r country❓🤔🤷