We are now going to start beta testing the desirability of purchasing 5″ x 5″ microgreen live plant packages up against the 4 ounce compostable clamshell packaging.  Earlier in the blog we shared what the compostable plastic clamshell packaging looked like (4 ounce package of radish microgreens) and below you see the 5″ x 5″ trays seeded for delicious microgreen growth below.  Eight of these 5×5 trays will fit perfectly in out 10×20 bottom trays.  Here we have three sunflower microgreen squares, three broccoli microgreen squares and two of the radish microgreen squares.  In a week or two we will be able to share what the finished product looks like.

One pound and nearly one and half ounces of daikon radish microgreens were harvested from a single 10×20 tray in about a week and a half of growing time.

Piled gingerly inside a compostable plastic clamshell container are 4 ounces of some of the finest handcrafted Diakon radish microgreens this side of the Mississippi.  Sustainable Roots has sourced a special container made from plastic derived from plants, and is certified as a compostable product (meaning it is biodegradable and will more quickly break down and return to soil) to house its fresh microgreens.  Not only can you feel good about taking care of your body with these nutrient dense microgreens, but you can feel good about taking care of your environment, too!

They will probably all get eaten in most cases, unless you simply overproduced.  Then what?  Well yesterday I packaged some up and handed it off to a neighbor.  That’s a great way to put your excess microgreens to good use before they go bad.  Yes, the other neighbors want some now too.

If you still have left over microgreens, then maybe a microgreen cocktail is right up your alley.  Here is what I tried:

Excess Punch

• 6 ounces of lentil microgreens
• 5 ounces of radish microgreens
• 4 ounces of sunflower microgreens
• 3 stalks of celery
• 2 large romaine lettuce leaves
• 1/4 lemon

Wash and put everything into a juicer (even if a few sunflower seeds slip in there, it’ll get pulverized and juiced, so no worries).  With a cup under the spout, get ready to collect this green beverage chock full of nutrients and vitamins.  Then taste.

It is simply vile.  If you had to imagine the worst tasting vegetable concoction, multiply that by four and you’re probably close to what this recipe is like.  The lentil greens give it a woody, grassy over the top bitter vegetable flavor. Next the heat from the radish microgreens develop and you wonder if this will turn into a Bloody Mary, but it won’t.  The slight sourness the lemon adds an illusion of an oasis of flavor.

But this was just at room temperature.  Perhaps this will taste better cold.  So I drop several ice cubes into my proud microgreen beverage and wait patiently for the drink to cool.  Then I try again.  The initial taste is now milder and hints of refreshment, but then the vileness comes roaring back to take center stage.  As I take several gulps to get this nutrient goodness into my body, I am running the calculus in my head to determine if the beneficial nutrients outweigh the vileness of the flavor.  It’s still too close to call.

In conclusion, if you have excess microgreens that you cannot use before they turn, your best bet is to be kind and share with your neighbors.   We will try again to perfect a veggie microgreen beverage that is palatable.  Maybe we will succeed.  In all fairness the above recipe was developed as our first ever attempt to use our new juicer, and there may be a microgreen smoothie that we can handle.  But until then, we encourage you to use up your microgreens in salads, sandwiches, soups, stir fries, omelets, and if you still have more, give them away to people you like and love.

Luke 3:11 John replied, “If you have two shirts, give one to the poor. If you have food, share it with those who are hungry.”

A pile of mung bean sprouts now await to be eaten.  I’m thinking stir fry!

These were jar sprouted mung beans.  Next I want to try sprouting them in a colander with the soaked mung beans layered in between wet cotton cloths.  Rumor is this way will cause them to finish sprouting in just 3 days and I won’t need to water them every day.  We’ll see.  The experimenting is a good chunk of the fun.  Eating is the other chunk of fun!

Wow!  This harvest of sunflower microgreens and radish microgreens is just from 2/3rds of a tray of each (yesterday I harvested some to give to a friend to taste test)!  We have already been adding these to salads and they are amazing.  They add a variety of textures to an otherwise boring salad, and the flavor is fantastic.

Before getting into this, I was ignorant about people eating sunflower shoots, but can now understand why these are some of the most popular microgreen available.  They have a great texture.  There is volume to each shoot.  And their mild flavor goes well in a salad or on a sandwich while lending it a satisfying crunch.

I’m even more impressed with the radish microgreens.  These are smaller and more tender, but pack a big punch!  I’m not kidding.  That distinctive radish flavor and heat really come through.  I haven’t tried this yet, but I’m really looking forward to a ham and swiss cheese sandwich with these piled high in it.

Matthew 9:37

Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.

We used up all of our older radish seed in this radish microgreen experiment, and by all counts we would count this experiment a success!  Five pounds of radish seed are making its way to Humbleville right now so we can step up production of this tasty and nutritious treat.

The radish microgreen has a nice crunch with a slow to develop radish heat after-taste that is quite nice and would be an excellent addition to our salads or on a sandwich.  Take a look below at our first “harvest” of this homegrown microgreen.

Another day or three and these sunflower microgreens should be ready to go under the lights to green up.  Then it is eatin’ time!  This 10 x 20 tray of sunflower microgreens was seeded with 2 cups of black oil sunflower seeds sprouted over several days.  The next batch in the sprouting process right now was reduced to a touch over a cup and a half as I believe this first tray is a bit overfilled.  The sunflower shoots are are looking strong and tall.

Probably one or two more days of greening up, and we’ll be enjoying these radish sprouts!  Sampling one, they do have that spicy radish flavor.  I’ve yet to find a good source for bulk radish seeds, but I’m confident I’ll find something soon.  And then we’re off to the races!  For now, we will just enjoy this first radish sprout experiment of ours using up our old seed from the last two seasons.