By Michelle Poirier
Riveredge Microfarm brings fresh and nutrient-dense microgreens to Georgina residents through a subscription delivery service and weekly at the Georgina Farmers’ Market.
Sean Wagner, the owner of Riveredge Microfarm, opened his business on May 21 of this year and has seen a lot of interest in microgreens while selling at the market.
Wagner said most people don’t know what microgreens are, and he explains they are the earliest stage of a vegetable’s development after the sprouting stage and often have higher nutrient and antioxidant levels than the fully grown vegetable.
He says they commit to harvesting for peak nutrition levels 12 to 24 hours before delivery.
“We don’t use any chemicals or fertilizer; our microgreens can grow to their full size with only water and light, and we source our organic seeds from Mumm’s Sprouting Seeds,” he said.
Wagner said he started this business because he has always been interested in gardening, but with the time it takes to grow an outdoor garden, the unpredictable weather, and pest control, he turned to indoor gardening.
“When you grow indoors, you can control the environment. We have systems in place that keep our humidity, temperature and airflow at perfect levels to grow microgreens, and this lets us produce a reliable and consistent crop each week,” Wagner said.
Wagner says most of his customers currently pick up their microgreens at the market, but the subscription service will be there for them when the weather turns colder.
“A lot of vegetables won’t be in season, but we grow 24-7 all year round, so our crops are always in season and available,” he said.
Wagner says microgreens aren’t only for adults but a great way to get nutrients into a picky eater’s diet, with their pea and sunflower shoots being popular choices for kid’s snacks.
Wagner said he hopes to expand into grocery stores, pet stores and a few restaurants later this year.
For more information, visit www.riveredgemicrofarm.ca or follow Riveredge Microfarm on Facebook or Instagram at riveredge.microfarm.
