On a typical cold March day, we had the pleasure of joining farmer and entrepreneur Sam Lensmire, at his family farm, where he is growing greens all year round in arctic CLEVELAND, WISCONSIN!
The Lensmire family farm has been operating for 25 years, mostly as a dairy farm. These lucky bovine creatures (and people) benefit from having their own amazing Artesian well right there on the property. The cattle are fed Lensmire’s hydroponically grown Barley or Wheat greens that are so brilliantly green they make your eyes pop out on a cold gray Wisconsin day! This family is dedicated to running a hormone free and natural, pesticide free farm, and all the plants, animals, and people are nourished by the amazing water.
Twenty-one year old Sam was studying agriculture at LTC, but for health reasons he needed to return home and find another way to make a living. In February of 2014, Sam decided to start growing Micro greens for people, using this special water. Seeds he uses are GMO free, and some are Organic.
Micro greens are certain vegetables and herbs that are harvested when quite young. These greens are used for salads, garnishes, omelettes,or sprinkled over entrees. They can be grown throughout the year - even in the winter if a green house is supplemented with heat and lights.
At Artesian Fresh the micro greens are grown hydroponically with only fresh artesian water and light. According to research done by the University of Maryland Department of Nutrition and Food Science (2012), Micro greens have about 5 times more nutrients than mature plants.
Sam is often asked, “What is the difference between sprouts & micro greens?”
His answer is that “sprouts are grown in dark, high humidity containers which can breed bacteria, and the seed root and sprout are consumed. In contrast, micro greens are grown in open trays with light and harvested when the plant reaches 1-3” and you consume the plant only - not the seed or roots. Micro greens are healthier.”
We learned that Micro greens are tiny plants grown from seed to a height of 2-3 inches and include the stem and first leaves.
Pea Micro greens have 4 times more Vitamin A than tomatoes & 7 times more Vitamin C than Blueberries - (Vitacress)
Sunflower Micro greens - high in fiber, protein, essential fatty acids, Vitamins A, B complex, C, D, and E. They also contain calcium, phosphorus, iron, iodine, potassium, magnesium, and the trace elements zinc, manganese, copper, and chromium. (Living Whole Foods, Inc.)
Radish Micro greens - high in Vitamin C, E, K and they taste like a radish. - (Good Water farms)
Sam is selling his Micro greens to a few restaurants, such as the Court House Pub in Manitowoc, and the Field to Fork Restaurant in Sheboygan. He also sells to some private parties and groups, and at Winter and Farmer’s markets.
I took home samples of four types of greens which I used in salads and added to a stir fry (at the very end of the cooking time to maintain all those vitamins!). I also sprinkled them on omeletes and tacos. They were amazingly fresh looking and tasting - exactly what my family needed on these cold Wisconsin days.
You can call Sam at 920-646-0036 if you are interested in purchasing Micro greens, or email him at artesianfresh@gmail.com for more information.
No comments:
Post a Comment