Frequently Asked Questions
The process for becoming “certified organic” in the US takes many years and costs tens of thousands of dollars. Unfortunately, that is out of reach for a small, local company like us.
We do, however, engage in organic practices. The seeds and soil that we source are organic. We NEVER use pesticides of any kind.
Our primary fertilizer, when we use any at all, is a completely organic product made from worm castings.
Beyond that, we engage in many sustainable and regenerative gardening practices that are ”beyond organic”.
We may not have the official label, but that doesn’t stop us from taking extreme care to deliver you a product that meets that the highest standards.
We guarantee that our microgreens will last a minimum of 7 days when stored properly. Depending on the variety, however, many microgreens will last 10-12 days with no problem.
The key to storing your microgreens for maximum lifespan is to keep them in a very cool and dark place from the time they are harvested until they are consumed.
Your microgreens will be refrigerated immediately after harvest as they await delivery. Once you receive your microgreens, it is important to get them into a cool environment (ideally, your refrigerator) as soon as possible.
They should be stored in the fridge until you are ready to eat them.
If it is warm outside on your delivery day and you do not intend to be home at the time of delivery, we ask that you leave a cooler on your doorstep where we can put them for you.
We deliver most of our microgreens on Monday and Wednesday evenings between 4pm and 8pm.
Once you place an order for your microgreens, you should receive an email with your exact delivery date and time range (this email will arrive within 24 hours after ordering).
If you are on a weekly or biweekly subscription, we will deliver your microgreens on the same day of the week.
The only exceptions to this would be if there is a holiday or other event that would interrupt our normal delivery schedule. If that happens, we would let you know on which alternative date to expect your order.
Microgreens are incredibly versatile and can be added to just about any meal. For ideas, please visit our recipe tab.
We do not wash your microgreens before you receive them. You’ll probably notice, however, that they’re not really dirty. Because of the way they are grown and harvested, they are inherently clean.
That being said, we recommend that you wash all produce prior to eating it.
Be careful not to drown them as they are delicate and bruise easily. A simple rinse right before you intend to eat them should do.
Yes! In fact, we recommend that you eat them raw as much as possible. That preserves their nutrition content.
Alternatively, they can also be incorporated into many different recipes.
Our family eats them at nearly every meal. They are incredibly versatile and easy to use.
Click here for some recipe ideas to get your started.
We harvest microgreens using a sharp blade and we refrigerate them within minutes of harvest. Using scissors would be easier, but we do not because it can pinch and bruise the delicate stems.
Once harvested and refrigerated, they are bagged up and delivered to your door no more than eight hours from the moment they were cut.
If you are allergic to a particular vegetable in its “adult” form, you are likely allergic to the micro version as well.
Do NOT purchase any greens for which you are allergic to the mature plant.
We harvest all types of greens on the same day, within just hours (or even minutes!) of each other.
We cannot guarantee that greens of one type have not come into contact with greens of any other type.
If you are severely allergic to any type of green that we sell, we suggest that you do not consume any of the greens we offer.
Our Commitment to Sustainable and Regenerative Farming Practices
The future of our planet, the climate, and the environment are of extreme importance to us, not just as farmers, but as regular people who have children who will grow up and inherit whatever world we leave them.
For this reason, our farm utilizes several sustainable and regenerative practices to ensure that we can continue to produce food, and the rest of the planet can too.
Our Soil
We no longer use peat moss in any of our soils. Peat moss is found in nearly every potting mix sold here in the United States, but the harvesting of peat moss is incredibly unsustainable.
By removing the peat from marshlands, we are undiong tens of thousands of years of work done by nature for our benefit. Peat moss has been banned in several countries, including the UK.
Fertilizer
We never, ever use chemical fertilizer on our soil. We have spent more than a decade carefully building up the soil on our land through regenerative practices like cover crops, composting, and no-till methods.
Our soil is fertilized with compost ONLY. We recycle nutrients back into the soil and have no need to add chemical fertilizers on our property.
Water
We use smart water practices such as drip irrigation and hand-watering to reduce our water consumption to 10% of what a typical farm our size might use.
We also collect rainwater and cycle it back to our gardens when the weather is dry.
Pesticides
We NEVER use pesticides in our gardens – indoor or outdoor. Period.
Delivery
We deliver by bicycle!
Yep!
You read that right.
When its safe to do so, we deliver our microgreens via bicycle to give ourselves some fresh air and exercise while cutting down on our carbon emissions.
There are some delivery routes (mostly along the FM 1960 and Atascocita Road) that do not allow for safe travel on a bicycle.
But if you’re on a route where its reasonable and its not pouring down rain, we’ll probably be rolling up on a bike!
Composting
Farming microgreens uses a lot of soil. Every time microgreens are harvested (by any farm that uses soil to grow them), the soil is usually too full of roots to be used for anything else.
But that doesn’t mean its trash! By composting, we’re able to turn old new again. Within a few months, that “waste” becomes brand new soil full of nutrients for the next generation of vegetables we grow.
Compostable Packaging
We are so happy to announce that we have finally found a reliable source for compostable packaging!!!! It does cost a little extra, but the reduction in plastic use is totally worth it!
For just $1 extra per order (not per product), we’ll deliver your products in 100% compostable packaging vs the typical plastic clamshell.
And then we’ll go even further!
If you leave the cardboard box and paper bag from your previous order on your doorstep when we bring your next order, we’ll collect it and bring it back to the farm.
There, we’ll shred it and use it as bedding in our worm bins. They looooove turning our “waste” into rich and valuable castings to fertilize our soil. And we love them for doing it.
Materials and Equipment
We invest heavily in the materials and equipment necessary to run our farm.
We buy for quality and not just for the price. By choosing plant trays and containers that are built to last, we spend more, but we waste a lot less.
We’re Local
Buying from local companies matters!
By not shipping in food from thousands of miles away, the amount of carbon put into the air can be dramatically reduced.
Buying from us or any other local food company makes sure that the land is taken care of and that our food supply chain remains strong. Support local companies. Buy local food.
If you have any other questions for us, don't hesitate to reach out. We love hearing from our customers and we are here to help! contact@atascocitamicrogreens.com
