Pure Leafology - Investment

Here is a quick into to our Microgreens Business plan. 

We already have most of the lights and racking to get started immediately. Need trays, seeds, clean soil or maybe the mushroom substrate once its spent. 

PRODUCTION AND BEST PRACTICES

Commercial Microgreens:

Commercial microgreens are a high value crop for human consumption. These plants offer healthy, high nutrition options for consumers and strong potential returns for producers. A “microgreen” is a general term used to describe an edible plant in its juvenile growth stage.

It is important to note that a microgreen has been harvested (removed) from the plant’s seed and root system prior to consumption, unlike a “sprout,” which is consumed as the entire plant including seed and root system. A microgreen typically consists of the plant stem, cotyledons (initial leaves present in the seed) and the first “true leaves” of that plant.

Based on the grower and customer’s preference, microgreens may be harvested before or directly after the first true leaves have appeared. Around 5 to 7.5 cm (2 to 3 in.) in size, microgreens are sought after for various characteristics including, but not limited to, nutrition, flavour, colour, form, and texture.

Microgreens have received a substantial amount of exposure over the last few years because of their potential profitability thanks to a relatively short production cycle, low input costs and small footprint (do not take large amounts of space or resources to produce).

However, this profitability is ultimately related to the ability to sell such a product, so care and attention should be paid to the market you plan to sell into. As with all crops, producing the crop is one endeavour, but selling it is another one altogether.

Producers need to connect with target markets and clients early in business development to make sure they can sell their crops. Another solution is to add value to the microgreen before it expires. The Bee-linked – hyper link advantage is to freeze dry all crops that don’t sell in a timely fashion so to create a shelf stable product that preserves maximum nutrition without continued refrigeration up to 25 years. A appreciated product esp. in the prepper communities both online and real world.

We are currently working on several preparatory blends including microgreen melodies and other freeze-dried fruit crystal infusions. Freeze drying maximizes productivity by ensuring almost a zero-waste cofactor with an efficiency of nearly 99%.

Varieties of microgreens varieties can be grown, but the most important factor for producers to consider is that the specific plant must be fit and safe for human consumption and can also be grown for higher-end animal feed, especially for cattle, chickens and goats.

Within the context of this important factor, well over a hundred different species of plants are commonly grown and sold as microgreens (e.g. mustard). This figure does not include the hundreds of cultivar varieties of these plants (e.g. Golden Frills mustard, Ruby Streaks mustard, or Green Wave Mustard).

Microgreens have a quick crop cycle, but there are differences in growth rates between different species and varieties. Vegetables grown as microgreens are ready for harvest in about 7 to 14 days, but herbs grown as microgreens tend to be comparatively slow growing, maturing in 16 to 25 days.

METHODS OF PRODUCTION

Growers will need to decide how they wish to produce their crops. Each type of production has its benefits, maintenance requirements and difficulties.

The following methods of production have been utilized on a commercial scale to produce microgreens:

  • Soil-based
  • Garden beds
  • Raised planters
  • Various forms of hydroponic crop production ◦ substrate culture where the roots grow within a pH neutral media ◦ solution culture where the roots grow within nutrient solutions ◦ Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) where the roots are grown in a constant flow of nutrient rich water (nutrient solution) ◦ aeroponics where the root systems are suspended and misted with a nutrient solution

COMMON SPECIES:

  • Fast growing vegetables (7 to 14 days) ◦ cabbage ◦ corn ◦ cress ◦ kale ◦ kohlrabi ◦ mustard ◦ radish
  • Slow growing vegetables (15 to 25 days) ◦ amaranth ◦ arugula ◦ beet ◦ carrot ◦ Swiss chard ◦ scallion
  • Slow growing herbs (15 to 30 days ◦ anise ◦ basil ◦ cilantro ◦ dill ◦ fennel ◦ parsley ◦ saltwort ◦ shisho ◦ sorrel

COMMON SEEDING DENSITIES

  • 100 g to 120 g ◦ sunflower ◦ peas ◦ corn
  • 60 g to 70 g ◦ mustard ◦ broccoli ◦ radish ◦ Swiss chard ◦ red cabbage
  • 50 g to 60 g ◦ dill ◦ basil ◦ arugula

Germination and growth To produce microgreens, a grower must become a master at reproducing the environment and requirements that seeds need to germinate.

This approach could mean utilizing heating mats, extra lighting or complete darkness, less watering or more, depending on the species. Environment: The optimal environment for microgreen production can be variety-specific, but a favourable temperature range of 18 to 24°C and relative humidity (RH) of 40 to 60 per cent would meet the needs of most plants.

Increasing the temperature and humidity may raise the risk of pest and disease issues.

Within any growing environment, good air circulation (mixing, exchanging and circulation) is a must. Air circulation assists in producing a uniform temperature and humidity throughout the growing area. Growers need to use horizontal air flow fans along with forced air or natural air vents to mix and exchange air within the growing space. If plants are produced in a vertical rack system, attention must be paid to air flow between each layer; otherwise, air trapped between layers can quickly become stagnant, increasing the risk of disease. Air flow for these systems can be managed with multiple smaller fans fastened at each level of growth on the rack systems. Lighting: Many plants respond to artificial light differently than they do to natural light. Be aware of light duration, intensity and distance from the crop.

Light systems, like some fluorescent lights, emit heat during their operation. When a facility has 150+ fluorescent lights, this effect could drastically influence the air temperature. In recent years, lightemitting diodes (LED) light fixtures have become more prevalent in enclosed production facilities (such as warehouses) because of the decreased heat emissions and ability to tailor the light spectrum to specific crops in production.

  • Operating lights for 12 to 18 hours per day to replace natural sunlight and 4 to 6 hours per day for supplemental lighting in a greenhouse environment will substantially increase the cost of microgreens production.
  • The energy required for LED lighting systems has been found to be much less than for fluorescent and halogen counterparts. However, the initial cost of LED lighting systems can still be prohibitively high despite substantial decreases in cost over the last few years. To ensure a viable business, growers and potential growers should have a good understanding of the expected capital and operating costs of growing microgreens before producing. Watering: Microgreen production requires consistent and calculated plant watering.
  • The use of misting nozzles is recommended for the initial seed watering during germination to avoid displacing the seeds. Shower head nozzles can be introduced to the growth stage of watering to meet the increased water demands of the plants. Regardless of the facility, proper floor drainage should be in place to deal with any excess water from crop watering. Standing water on the floor can be a breeding ground for insects and diseases as well as a potential work safety hazard.

HARVESTING

Whether you are marketing your microgreens as living trays of plants or you are harvesting them yourself, you may be required to have a food handling permit and operate within an approved food facility. Be sure to check your local and provincial regulations and requirements prior to production. The finished product form of microgreens varies, but the most common are as follows:

  • fresh cut produce/harvested microgreens
  • living tray microgreens/live plant sales
  • mixed microgreen combinations
  • value-added/processed products that include microgreens

PROCESSING/VALUE ADDING MICRO GREENS

The Bee-linked – hyper link advantage is to freeze dry all crops that don’t sell in a timely fashion so to create a shelf stable product that preserves maximum nutrition without continued refrigeration up to 25 years. An appreciated international easy and light product transport esp. in the prepper communities both online and retail/wholesale markets.

We are currently working on several preparatory blends including microgreen melodies and other freeze-dried fruit crystal infusions. Freeze drying maximizes productivity by ensuring almost a zero-waste cofactor with an efficiency of nearly 99%.

Packaging can vary depending on the market and who the end consumer will be. The packaging will also assist in product quantity, pricing and marketing decisions.

The packaging should protect the final product from contamination and damage as well as be capable of fitting the required product labeling regulations.

Here are the most common forms of packaging:

  • Sarious sizes of clear plastic bags
  • Small plastic cups with lids
  • Various shapes and sizes of plastic clamshells Growers often have differing opinions on what types of packaging maintain or extend microgreens shelf life.
  • Vacuum packed bags for freeze dried powders & crystals.

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