A new opportunity for an old business: microgreens at Grass Roots Nursery

Business profile submitted by Sam Bates of Grass Roots Nursery

Grass Roots is a name that has been in Huron Township for almost half a century. Starting off a
new decade has really put some things into perspective, and we would really like to share these
thoughts with whoever may be reading. We have survived off almost all word of mouth advertising since conception in 1973 and we are truly blessed to have such a loyal and passionate customer base and community. 2020 will be our 47th year in business and we have never been this excited and grateful. Thank you to anyone and everyone from the past, present and future who has kept this small family business alive. It quite literally means the world to us.

Starting as a tree and shrub nursery, we evolved into something else entirely over the years.
Our focus, as I am sure some of you may know, is waterfalls, koi ponds, landscaping, etc. Don’t worry, none of that is changing or going away. However, the seasonality of the current business doesn’t leave enough room for growth for our 2nd and now 3rd generation, so we are starting a new endeavor and would like to make our community and current customer base aware of this micro evolution to our company.

What’s new?

We are now growing microgreens! For those of you who may be familiar, these are different
than sprouts. As you read this, we have delicious, nutritious and beautiful microgreens growing
hydroponically. Our goal with growing these is to educate and supply as many people as we can with these tiny wonders of the world. Most are exponentially more dense in nutrition than their adult counterparts and have an insane amount of vitamins comparatively to most other foods in general.

What kinds are there and how are they used?

Just like other veggies, there seems to be an infinite amount of microgreen varieties as well.
We are currently growing sunflower and pea shoots along with broccoli, radishes, tatsoi, kale and our own blends that we call spring mix and spicy mix. Just like each of the greens having their own nutrient and vitamin profile, they each have very distinct tastes that make them different. The versatility of microgreens is incredible, however I will share how we use them on a daily basis.

No need for hot sauce on your eggs in the morning when you have daikon or red Rambo
radish greens to add a bit of spice to kick off your morning. Broccoli and sunflower are both great additions to smoothies to add flavor and bunches of vitamins and minerals. Tatsoi has a mild taste with a bit of a peppery finish and makes for a great green crunch to sandwiches. Many people use these as garnishes to dishes for a bit of flavor, but our favorite way to use them is in higher quantities so we can obtain more benefits from the nutrition as well as their lovely flavors.

Questions, Comments or Concerns?

Like we said earlier, we appreciate our community, customers and everyone in between. The
least we can do for you, is answer anything you feel is left unsaid here.

Here is a link to the Grass Roots microgreens website.

Also visit the Grass Roots Pond & Garden website here, as well as on our Facebook and Instagram pages.

You can also call 734-753-9200 or email us at info@grassrootspondandgarden.com. We look forward to hearing from you and we wish you a great start to the new year.

Grass Roots Nursery is located at 24765 Bell Road in New Boston.

Article posted Jan. 6, 2020