Eat Your Greenz brings home-grown microgreens to Farmer’s Market

Greens, such as lettuces, broccoli, and such, that are packed with vitamins, minerals and fiber—while being low in calories—are essential to a healthy diet. Now, because of a new vendor at the Goshen Farmers’ Market, including greens in your diet is easier than ever.

Eat Your Greenz, a locally owned business, brings home-grown microgreens every Friday to the market, located at the Orange County Government Center on Main Street, 255 Main Street.

Microgreens is the product of seeds, grown in soil for about two weeks until they are harvested, usually reaching a height of about two inches when harvested. Microgreens are a healthy addition to salads, wraps and sandwiches, smoothies, and tossed on top of any lunch or dinner plate for extra nutrition

“The high nutrient density of microgreens is what makes them a healthy food source,” said Tracy Robinson who with his partner, Tom Giordano, are growers and owners of the Goshen based company, Eat Your Greenz.

Using broccoli as an example, Robinson said that one ounce of broccoli microgreens has a nutrient density 40-times higher than broccoli that’s full-grown. Although this high ratio of density is more with broccoli, other seedlings also have a higher nutrient density then their full-grown counterparts.

Eat Your Greenz offers broccoli, buckwheat, pea, radish, salad mix, and sunflower microgreens. Each microgreen has its own distinct flavor, some are mild, whereas, others, like radish has a spicy flavor. Sunflower is a top favorite with consumers, Robinson noted.

How did Robinson get started growing microgreens? He kept coming across microgreens while preparing his garden.

“I found them fascinating, so I started researching and learning all about them. I experimented with growing, learning a step-by-step process, and what grows in our environment. Science supports this gardening with health benefits, and that caught my eye, especially since this is the direction the country is heading—eating healthy.” Robinson started growing microgreens in November 2020, officially launching the company in March 2021.

Helping and supporting the company’s efforts is Robinson’s wife Maria, who does most of the organizational work, helping at the markets, as well as harvesting and packaging greens.

Right now Robinson and Giordano’s focus is on doing farmers’ markets and creating a weekly home delivery service.

“With our free home delivery service, we want to make healthy eating a habit,” said Robinson. On delivery day, he suggests leaving a cooler with an ice pack outside to keep the greens cool, since if left in the sun, they will wilt. Remove them from the cooler and refrigerate them when you return home.

“Our microgreens are fresh harvested and delivered within hours,” said Robinson.

“We’re not actively seeking restaurants, but we will eventually. If they seek us out, that’s okay,” said Robinson.

To be safe, wash greens before use; however, keep in mind, they never touch soil, and no fertilizers or pesticides are used on the product. Robinson noted that his greens are just soil, water, seeds—that’s it. . .and some light.

Robinson said that he’s gotten “a good, positive response” from his customers.

Starting Saturday, June 12, Eat Your Greenz will be available at the Tuxedo Farmers Market and by Tuesday, June 22 at the Florida Farmers Market.

Growers Robinson and Giordano are enthusiastic about their product and the health benefits that it brings to people.

“The beauty of growing inside is that we control the environment: the humidity, heat, and how long it’s exposed to light and dark,” Robinson said. “And 52-weeks a year, even in winter, we can have fresh, healthy microgreens on our tables.”

For more information about Eat Your Greenz: info@eatyourgreenz.com or www.eatyourgreenz.com.