Big Things Grow

What Are Microgreens?

According to Wikipedia, "Microgreens are vegetable greens harvested just after the cotyledon leaves have developed. They are grown or purchased by people focused on nutrition, or else are used as both a visual and flavour component, primarily in fine dining restaurants."

Microgreens are essentially seedlings of edible vegetables and herbs. They are sown more densely than regular garden planting and are usually harvested within 7-21 days of germination.

One big advantage of microgreens over their mature fully-grown adult versions is the contentration of nutrients within the younger plant. Some studies* have shown that microgreens are loaded with nutrients, such vitamins, C, E, and K, lutein, and beta-carotene, 40 fold than the mature leaves of the same adult plants. * Zhenlei Xiao, Gene E. Lester, Yaguang Luo, et al, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Aug 1, 2012.

Just like the concentration of nutrients, they're also packed with intense flavors, featuring complex flavour profiles. Microgreens can also provide a nice textural contrast. Add a few microgreens to that dish, and your food can go a long way.

Take purple radish for example. These tiny microgreens are ready for harvest in as little as 8 days, and they taste just like a spicy radish!

Are you convinced how good these little wonders are yet? The best way to discover the benfits for yourself is to sample a selection of our products at no cost (Part of my business model is to offer a free sample for first time customers).

Why am I asking for your pledge?

When I first got interested in growing Microgreens rather than field vegetables and herbs, I soaked up as much info as I could via youtube, google and podcasts. I became fascinated with this quirky relatively new form of vertical farming of baby vegetables and herbs. A few things really appealed to me - the speed at which you could have a harvestable and edible crop, the exceptionally high nutrient content of microgreens compared to their mature versions, the small footprint a vertical farm has, the wide range of ways microgreens can be utilised in cooking, and just how pretty the microgreens look to the eye! 

So, with a head full of info and a heart full of passion, I started growing microgreens in mid-2020 in two small greenhouses setup in my backyard in Bridgewater, in the Adeladie Hills, South Australia. I wanted to use sunlight rather than the usual indoor light systems that most microgreens growers use. I also used rainwater and after a little bit of experiemnting, I settled on organic coconut coir as a growing medium. I was surprised at how well my first crops turned out. I gave samples away to my family and friends and started to post to social media. After a few adjustments in some growing procedures and some less than ideal weather, I eventuslly had a product I was happy to try and sell to cafes and restaurants. I provided free samples to several local chefs and from that started supplying regularly to a few cafes and restaurants. I received generous feedback and compliments from everyone who consumed my microgreens and I was feeling good about how the business was starting to develop.

 Unfortuantely, just as I began to find my groove and start supplying a handful of happy customers, the Covid pandemic saw production come to an abrupt halt as the outlets I was supplying all had to close down. I kept growing for a few weeks but then realised it was impossible to plan farming tasks and delieveries with such uncertainty in the air. I then had to also pack up my home-based growing operation and move house, twice! Which brings us to today.

I'm feeling good about getting back into growing for local eateries, grocers and markets as businesses seem to be back to reliable operations again. Although, I want to grow indoors this time around, as this will mean I'm not at the mercy of the weather which can be a challenge in the Adelaide Hills. This will allow for a more consistent and high quality product. Growing indoors, however, also means there are a few more expenses like renting a suitable space and associated utilities (my new house doesn't have a suitable grow room), grow lights, additional racks and generally a more scalable operation compared to one based at my house.

I'm seeking $10,000 to establish Big Things Grow in a new grow space and embark on an exciting journey of harvesting 100 trays of fresh microgreens per week. From here I can re-establish my connections with local eateries and continue to grow my client base over the ensuing months and years. Ideally I would like to grow the business to the point of employing at least one other person. 

I totally believe in the benefits of microgreens and the eco-friendly nature of this type of vertical indoor farming. This new chapter of Big Things Grow is an exciting propositon for myself and my local community and beyond, and I'm grateful for any support you can offer at this time to make it a reality. From little things...

Who is Big Things Grow?*

Hi, I'm Todd. I've always had a veggie patch of sorts in my backyard, but during the initial COVID-19 lockdown period in South Australia, March/April 2020, I began to consider growing more varieties as a way of growing more of my own food in these uncertain times. That's when I discovered the magic of microgreens! I have a limited space to grow so the small footprint, vertical farming method meant I could grow a decent amount of produce without having to dig up the rest of my back yard. I also discovered just how much fun this type of farming is and fell in love with the process, the flavours and the  health benefits of adding microgreens to my family's daily meals... so much so that I decided to start Big Things Grow so I can share the goodness with the lovely folk of my local community - restaurants, cafes, farmer's markets and right in your own family kitchen. Enjoy!

* The business name is not only a fun name for a food growing company, but pays homage to the Kev Carmody & Paul Kelly protest song From Little Things, Big Things Grow. The well-loved song tells the story of Vincent Lingiari and the Indigenous people's struggle for land rights and reconciliation in Australia. In doing so, I also pay my respects to the Kaurna people (past, present and emerging) of the Adelaide Hills on which our crops are grown.

My pledge ask of $10,000 is the amount required to get setup to a point of regular, consistent production, approx 100 flats per week.

Budget Breakdown (initial outlay) - approximations based on current price research and taking into consideration existing materials and assets:

Rent $1,000

Bond $3,000

Cleaning $200

Lighting System $600

Seeds $750

Growing Medium $500

Flats/Trays $300

Planting Table $150

Watering Appliances $100

Racks $300

Weights $50

Fans $200

Dehumidifier $350

Refrigerator $300

Marketing $1,250

Electricity $100

Water $70

Packaging $500

Misc $150

TOTAL: $9,870

NB. I have not located a premises yet so Rent & Bond are only approximations. The hope is that these costs won't be as high as estimated here and the additonal funds can be used to directly benefit the farm's operations and logistics.