It’s a well-known fact that mini food is cuter. Mini cupcakes? Adorable. Tiny sliders? Scrumptious. Small salads? Umm…ok not really that one.
So microgreens, which are technically the early leaves and stems of plants, might not be as cute as petite pastries, but they are significantly more nutritious. According to MedlinePlus and the U.S. National Library of Medicine, the bitty plants are older than sprouts (which take only a few days to grow), but younger than baby vegetables like lettuce and kale. As far as nutrition goes, microgreens hide a surprising number of vitamins for their small stature. On the whole, they can contain anywhere from four to six times as many nutrients as their fully grown counterparts.
So where can you get your hands on the superfood greens locally? These Hudson Valley farms stock all the microgreens you could need for omelets, sandwiches, soups, and even cocktails.
Deep Roots Farm NY
Copake
Located in Copake, this 20-acre farm uses organic methodology to harvest its selection of microgreens, root vegetables, and produce. The greens are available wholesale in 8 oz. clamshells and by the ounce or pound, so contact the farm if you’re interested in scoring a pack of arugula, purple radish, kohlrabi, or pea shoots for your home or restaurant. P.S. If you’re wondering about shelf life, most greens last for 10 days, although pea shoots can survive two weeks to one month in a fridge or cooler.
Fable: From Farm to Table
Ossining
At Westchester County’s Fable: From Farm to Table, eating green isn’t a fad, but a way of life. The farm embraces the slow food movement, growing high quality produce sans the harmful pesticides. As far as microgreens go, Fable’s spicy radish shoots wind up on tables at The Whitlock in Katonah, while its shiso shoots make appearances at The Horse and House Inn in South Salem. Want some green goodness for yourself? Stop by the farm’s onsite market on Saturdays or Sundays for microgreens, free-range eggs, and fresh fruits and vegetables.
Hudson Valley Organic
Wawarsing
Since 1981, Hudson Valley Organic founder John A. Adams has been farming the local land to produce the NOFA-NY certified organic microgreens for which his brand is known. If you want to pick up your own greens and spouts from Hudson Valley Organic, however, you’ll have to go to the Union Square Greenmarket in New York City on Saturdays to score your favorite sprouts and shoots.
Indoor Organic Gardens of Poughkeepsie
Poughkeepsie
Set quietly on Main Street in Poughkeepsie, Indoor Organic Gardens is a mainstay at Adams Fairacre Farms and Nature’s Pantry locations throughout the Hudson Valley. The greens themselves run the gamut from mild to spicy and incorporate herbs and sprouts like arugula, basil, red cabbage, mustard, and radish. Try them on top of your morning B.E.C. or add them as a final touch to a cheeseburger that’s hot off the grill.
Tongore Brook Farm
Stone Ridge
Family-owned Tongore Brook Farm is so serious about its microgreens that it revamped an 18th century hay and barley farm to create the perfect greenhouse space. Located in Stone Ridge, the greenhouse uses solar and geothermal energy to produce practically every microgreen under the sun (literally). The peas shoots in particular are a favorite among local chefs throughout the Hudson Valley and New York City, who use them as colorful accents on rainbow-hued dishes. If you want to try something new, the Rainbow Radish Mix and the broccoli microgreens offer just enough crunch to spruce up you next afternoon panini.
Grow Your Own: Hudson Valley Seed Company
Accord
If you’re on the hunt for the freshest microgreens in town, why not grow your own? Hudson Valley Seed Company, based out of Accord, offers beginners a self-watering microgreens kit, which comes with a handmade terracotta pot, four types of organic microgreens seeds, organic soil that lasts four rounds of planting, and illustrated instructions on how to get growing. Not only does the pot fit well in kitchens and porches, but it’s also designed to be reused season after season.
