More about us!

Are you curious about our operation?

This post is aimed to help you, the consumer, understand us! We are an organic operation and are focused on hands-on time with our plants. Let's jump right in:

Fertilizing:

We have currently stuck with a pre-plant application of organic fertilizer.

Weed/Pest/Disease control:

We are hand weeding the plot and are organically mulching with hay as needed. We have been monitoring for pests and diseases.

Watering:

Our plot is on an automated watering system controlled by those in charge of our teaching garden. However, we are responsible for watering transplants in the greenhouse.

Harvesting:

Since this is a very small scale operation and primarily vegetable crops (which are mostly picked by hand), all harvesting will be done by us, the Growfers.

Hope to see you back next week,

What's going on out there?

We know, we know! You're due for an update on our plot. Read below to find out what's going on with the Growfers:

The cucumber and spinach transplants are experiencing much more pillowing than our pepper and tomatoes in the past three weeks:

We have tried to combat this by watering more evenly! This is the result after two weeks of correcting the problem:

 As you can tell, there is much more even distribution.

In the field, we have been fighting weeds like they're the plague. Growfers team members Salina and Stephen have spent a lot of time attempting to weed by hand and organically mulch the area around our crops. 

This is the most recent update of pictures from the last round of weeding:

There is still more to be done, but thanks to our dedicated team members it isn't a jungle!

We will be coming back with more recipes and facts about these crops in the coming weeks. 

Thanks for stopping by,

Why bother with veggies?

Hey there!

We are here to tell you more about why you should want the Growfers product. We all know that our parents have told us since we were children to eat our vegetables and fruit so we can grow and be strong. How important are fruits and vegetables though?

Today, we will show you some pictures of crops we are currently growing, and give you a few benefits of each!

Spinach:

Spinach is

"Low in fat and even lower in cholesterol, spinach is high in niacin and zinc, as well as protein, fiber, vitamins A, C, E and K, thiamin, vitamin B6, folate, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper, and manganese. " (http://foodfacts.mercola.com/spinach.html)

It can protect your eyesight, help those with a low meat diet to eat enough iron and protein, and help consumers get enough fiber in their diet.

Tomatoes:

Tomatoes contain important factors like:

Lycopene
Vitamin C
Antioxidants

They can reduce risk of cancer, help even blood glucose levels for those with diabetes, and help those who consume it have healthier hair, nails and skin.

(https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/273031.php)

Kale:

Kale has been touted as a superfood in the U.S. for a few years now. Why? What's so great about kale? Well, kale has a variety of health benefits like beta-carotene, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, and many more.

So what does all of that do for our bodies? It can reduce the risk of cancer, lower cholesterol, reduce obesity rates, protect eyesight, and help those who consume it reach their vitamin intake needs. 

(https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-proven-benefits-of-kale#section10)

Peppers:

Peppers include nutrients like Vitamin A, Vitamin E, and antioxidants.

They can boost your immune system, help prevent cancer, boost eyesight, among other benefits.

(http://www.healthfitnessrevolution.com/top-10-health-benefits-of-bell-peppers/)

Thanks for reading,