Our fascination with pea shoots is further expanding and a new product being offered. We have gone way beyond what we thought possible with our farms by multiple harvests of wonderful pea shoots. We are working with a special pea that is bred to grow multiple shoots with wispy tendrils and tasty leaves and stems. 

The plants are yielding 5+ cuttings and still growing, pictured below is a tray that is starting to regrow after the third cut so you can see what we mean. The strategy though would be to cut a a handful everyday and the regrowth will give you a constant supply of these wonderful shoots.

We are introducing our larger Pea Shoot MicroFarm featuring our 50% larger 7"x7" growing tray that has supplies to grow out 4 complete crops of shoots. This particular tray should give you about 100 shoots per grow so you can see this will give you a tremendous amount of the shoots in this one kit.

Pea shoots are all over the internet as far as recipes. They are prominent in asian and european cuisine. Take a look at this UK based grower, PeaShoots.com who espouses the goodness of the shoots and so many recipes to use them. We will be introducing in the coming days other specialty peas and some exotics to give you unique items with arrangements with custom breeders.

We have been fascinated to discover a wonderful source of pea shoots that is incredibly productive. Our pea shoot kits feature a variety of peas that have been bred for their prolific production of shoots with beautiful frilly tendrils and temptingly crisp and pea tasting flavor. This really productive plant has yielded multiple cuts of shoots.

The photos below highlight our ongoing harvest of the tray that was photographed last week, this tray was completely cut to first leaf area and has since regrown. The numbers are amazing as the kit contains packets of approximately 100 seeds. Germination and growth numbers gave us 80+ shoots in the first cut. Take a close look at this second tray as some of the growth is actually yielding more that one shoot per plant. We have a customer that has plants now that has harvested at least 5 shoots per plant with more growth.

By our simple calculation we could expect upwards 400 pea shoots per tray over a 4-6 week period. By harvesting 10+ shoots each day you would have a daily source of wonderful live pea shoots for your consumption. You will not believe the taste and freshness of these great little shoots! Get our Pea Shoot kits now, each kit contains 2 packets of seeds so double the amount of shoots for you!

KAMUT® khorasan wheat is an ancient wheat, guaranteed under the KAMUT® brand to be always grown certified organic, never hybridized or genetically modified and is prized for its nutrition, ease of digestibility, sweet nutty-buttery taste and firm texture. Compared to most modern wheat it has more protein, amino acids, vitamins and many minerals, especially selenium, zinc and magnesium.

KAMUT® khorasan wheat is grown on certified organic farms primarily in Montana, Alberta, and Saskatchewan in North America where the best quality is consistently obtained. Khorasan wheat is distinctive. It is about three times larger than most modern wheat, is elongated with a pronounced “hump” and is uniquely vitreous, with a rich golden color.

KAMUT® khorasan wheat has some exciting and game changing effects as an article from Whole Foods Magazine most recently shows. "The researchers determined that Kamut improved the metabolic profiles of individuals in several ways: total and LDL cholesterol were reduced (mean reduction: −3.7 and −3.4%, respectively), insulin levels dropped (−16.3%) and blood glucose went down (−9.1%). Meanwhile, Kamut also was found to have a higher antioxidant content, and eating this wheat reduced circulating levels of reactive oxygen species.

Quinn says the anti-inflammatory properties of Kamut are some of the most interesting of all its qualities, given that modern wheat has inflammatory properties. He says research teams recently published data showing the benefits of Kamut on individuals with irritable bowel syndrome and heart disease. He feels that areas ripe for more research include the effect of Kamut on the microbiome and gut; the role of Kamut in healthy weight management and brain health; the potential gene-switching pathways for new metabolic functions turned on by ancient grains; and Kamut’s antioxidant levels and capacities."

We are excited to offer both traditional wheatgrass growing kits and also a sprouted wheat kit to allow you to experience and taste this most splendid of all wheats. Super nutrition for your diet today from wheat unchanged from ancient times.

​Our new KAMUT® khorasan wheatgrass kits will work for growing your own wheatgrass to juice or grass for your pets. Super nutrition grows quickly (6-10 days, pictured at 6 days) and is grown using trace mineral fertilizer to deliver the best nutrition available. Trays are appoximately 9"x9" and includes seeds and reusable grow mat. This super wheatgrass can grow 6+ crops as you can cut and regrow the trays at least once. Our wheatgrass with the trace minerals is superior to anything you have ever tasted or used. Try some out today with this great starter kit.

We are also offering KAMUT® khorasan sprouted wheat kits to make your own sprouted KAMUT® khorasan wheat. This incredible sprout can be eaten as is as a crunchy and nutty addition to any dish or added to our favorite morning oatmeal to kickstart your day. The kit provides a reusable sprouting bag along with 2 packages of KAMUT® khorasan wheat berries that transform into incredible sprouted wheat in 2-3 days!

Little confusing but true, let me start with the Become Two part. I am going to unveil a new product based on an old design and give you a sneak peek into new concepts soon to be products. 

Here are photos of the SIP2 system of bottom watered microgreen systems that make watering fool proof and plants thrive in. A while back we introduced the SIP system that used soil mix. Today we introduce the second generation that we are calling the SIP2. The photo is our second crop of Rambo radishes in our reused system that already grew out the radish crop pictured below,

​Below are photos of the system, notice that the black tray is now our watering tank that wicks water to our natural kenaf fiber grow mat that is continuously watered as the plants take up and use more water as they grow. Watering now is accomplished by simply checking the water tank and adding liquid as necessary. We have successfully reused the mat multiple times by carefully picking out remaining roots and organics after harvesting the tray. 

This second sneak peak is of several new growing containers. This container is utilizing a lot more soil depth in order to grow out larger plants. We are now prototyping a windowsill garden container to hold three grow units on your kitchen window. We are also experimenting with a robust soil mix to more fully grow out the nutritious crops in our new MicroFarms. 

Our SIP2 bottom watered system will be rolling out in the next few days while our window farms are slated to be ready by month end.

I recently read a thought provoking posting by Maria Rukavina entitled "A Micro Proposal". In it she highlights a wider use of microgreens in programs to help adults and children obtain nutrition from live sources. Here are a few excerpts from this post.

"Though “fresh” produce is available in supermarkets all year long, nutritional density decreases the more time has passed from when fruits and vegetables are harvested to when they end up on your plate... Until recently, I was skeptical of the microgreen trend, viewing it as primarily a culinary fad in upscale restaurants. However, after talking with the horticulture specialist for Volunteers of America, Cilia Bell, I began to see how microgreens could be utilized in a way that promotes accessible nutrition for people living in small spaces and as a way to easily incorporate nutritionally dense food on a limited budget. Cilia works with clients from the Volunteers of America Adult Detox Center teaching gardening, and by extension, nutrition. During the winter, the only place to grow food is in the 15’ X 20’ heated greenhouse where residents collectively grow microgreens to use in their kitchens. For some individuals, trying a microgreen for the first time is a startling experience. Because microgreens are a young version of standard vegetable (broccoli, cabbage, beets) their flavor and nutrition is highly concentrated. This flavor concentration had been sought after in the culinary community, but what has equal, if not more, significance is their nutritional density.

Cilia explained to me that recent studies have shown microgreens have anywhere from 4-40 times the nutrients present in a fully grown vegetable, especially if the full grown vegetables were harvested several days from when they will be consumed. In this respect, microgreens provide greater nutrient density at a lower cost than a head of broccoli or cabbage. This discovery is significant when considering the high instances of food deserts in low-income neighborhoods; impacting nutritional access for marginalized populations—particularly in regards to children. Schools could invest in growing microgreens as both a science or biology lesson as well as a way to increase students’ access to nutrient dense foods. Just a handful of microgreens could supply students with a healthy dose of bio nutrients, as well as a curiosity for growing plants. "

Isn't it wonderful that nutrition delivery is highlighted here as the prime function of microgreens rather than the visual function most people think of when given the term. Changing perceptions will take programs like the Volunteers of America to deliver on the promises of food as medicine. Incorporating microgreens in school programs and lunches could go a long way to not only changing perceptions but also creating a new generation micro farmers.

In keeping with our concept of bringing live foods to your living spaces we are developing a line of windowsill and home MicroFarms for growing herbs and leafy greens. This is an evolutionary step from our microgreens to allow larger plants with root systems to flourish in small spaces.

We have taken our custom blended WonderSoil growing media (coir with worm castings and kelp) and created a deeper bed to allow for much larger plants vs our thin layer microgreen systems. Unveiled recently is our first kit containing Italian basil for a windowsill herb garden. Pictured below are both an example of growing basil at two weeks and a transplanted start obtained from a local store. Both plants show robust root growth extending down into the drainage area of the jar.

Starter kits are available now in our store for this first basil unit and contains enought organic and Non GMO seed to plant several times and even some for your garden. Presently under testing are citrus basils and cilantro which will be available soon. Visit our store to order and take advantage of our introductory sale pricing!