What’s a “Microgreen”?
A young vegetable or herb plant grown just to its “true leaf” stage, then harvested to produce a concentrated nutrient and highly flavorful food product used to enhance food. Used by high-end restaurants and health food enthusiasts, this clean food is grown with non-GMO seeds and without fertilizers or pesticides. Depending on the product, these plants provide various concentrated vitamins, minerals or antioxidants.
Our story and Why We Grow Microgreens
Started in August 2023 by a few Reach staff and volunteers, the microgreens project was pursued because of its potential to serve as another on-campus job program for Reach members and the IDD population. The growth and marketing of microgreens is easily divided into discrete steps that match the variable skill levels of our client population. We follow the successful model of other businesses in the U.S. that find jobs that match a client’s strengths, including Bitty and Beau’s Coffee shop, HUGS Café’ and Rising Tide Car Wash.
Reach Unlimited clients grow and offer this healthy food for sale to our local Cypress community, presenting opportunities for new and meaningful connections between Cypress area residents and Reach members.
Gratefully, several Reach parents, community members, CyFair Women’s Club and the Just One More Foundation provided the necessary seed money for this project, eliminating the need to use Reach Unlimited’s committed budget dollars. We purchased a custom building for a designated grow space in June 2023 and follow food service rules for a clean growth! Our coordinator is Texas Food Handler certified.
To date we employ 10 Reach members on a part-time basis, growing crops and enhancing lives. We plan to expand employment opportunities, and to train current employees to train new ones.
How to Purchase Microgreens
Individual microgreen product purchases are delivered curbside on our campus on Friday afternoons, from 11:00 am-3:30 pm approximately every 3 weeks. Generally the smallest container is grown for all sales, with a few 9 inch x 12 containers as well.
For information about upcoming sales, enroll here.
Larger microgreen product containers are grown for restaurants and caterers as requested. Currently, we offer broccoli, brussels sprouts, cilantro, salad mixes, radishes, red cabbage, arugula, and occasionally expand the menus to spicy mustard, purple kohlrabi and beets.
Our price list is as follows:
5 inch x 5 inch container: $4.00
9 inch x 12 inch container: $10.00
11 inch x 17 inch container: $20.00
Help Us Grow
Buy our products!
We post sale dates on Facebook, and send notices to all customers who signed up for our emails. We would love to produce bigger crops and employ more members! Tell your healthy-eating friends and family members to sign up with the link above for sales notices.
Approach known caterers or small restaurants who may desire special orders on an intermittent basis.
We offer delivery and free samples. Contact the Coordinator Lyn Hardouin for more information: microgreensmasters@reachunlimited.org.
Have the heart of a teacher?
Volunteer to help us seed or water the microgreens in various parts of the grow cycle or assist on sale days! Students seeking service hours are welcome to inquire. Contact the Reach Volunteer Coordinator or Microgreens Coordinator for more info.
Watch online for Wish List items for our project.
Several specialized items are needed for Microgreens process.
