Student |
Microgreens |
2025 |
Microgreens: Enterprise
2025
Revised February 23, 2025
Course Overview
Microgreens are young seedlings of edible vegetables and herbs typically harvested less than 14 days after germination. They are usually about 1-3 inches tall and come in a rainbow of colors, which has made them popular with chefs in recent years as garnishes and flavor enhancers, and with nutritionists as "superfoods" that improve dietary variety and potency. Microgreens are available in many individual varieties and mixtures. The course covers home gardening, commercial potential, careers and support services.
Approximately 20 hours plus laboratory. Actual elapsed time per institutional schedule or age and prior preparation of students. Can be presented in compact or extended schedules. Modules and topics may not be taught in the precise sequence shown, and the estimated hours per module may be differently distributed.
This 20-hour course provides a structured approach to creating and operating a microgreens business as a home or small commercial endeavor, covering all aspects from crop selection to distribution. It incorporates technological solutions suitable for various scales of operation with options for all-in or phased startup and growth, ensuring relevance for hobbyists, small business owners, and large-scale producers alike.
Outcomes
At the end of the course, the student will have
- studied the range of organizations producing microgrees locally, nationally and internationally
- assessed the need for fresh, locally grown food in his/her community along with any issues of food security and local economic condition
- created a business startup plan with revenue and expense estimates and a phased startup design
Practicum
The culmination of the course includes creation of a comprehensive business plan for a microgreens venture.
Module 1: Microgreens Business Concepts (2)
- Review of food insecurity, food equity and sustainability
- Definition and characteristics of microgreens
- Nutritional benefits and culinary applications
- Review of cultivation options and practices
- Student experience and goal setting
- Market demand and business opportunities
Module 2: Marketing & Distribution (4)
- General marketing principles
- Cleaning and sorting harvested microgreens
- Packaging options for different market segments
- Labeling and branding considerations
- Direct-to-consumer sales strategies
- Online marketing and e-commerce solutions
- Special considerations for microgreens
- consumer education & acceptance
- cleaning and sorting harvested microgreens
- packaging options for different market segments
- labeling and branding considerations
- wholesale and restaurant partnerships
- institutional sales, schools, food banks, group housing...
Module 3: Basic Microgreens Business Model (4)
- Financial planning and budgeting
- Record-keeping and data analysis
- Labor management and training
Module 4: Scaling Operations (2)
- Designing efficient production layouts
- Implementing automation for larger-scale production
- Crop planning software for inventory management
Module 5: Sustainable Practices (1)
- Organic certification process
- Waste reduction and composting
- Energy-efficient growing systems
Module 6: Advanced Growing Techniques (1)
- Hydroponic and aeroponic systems for microgreens
- Vertical farming solutions for space optimization
- LED lighting technology for enhanced growth
Module 7: Food Safety and Regulations (1)
Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certification
Food safety regulations for microgreen production
Traceability and recall procedures
Food safety regulations for microgreen production
Traceability and recall procedures
Module 8: Future Trends and Innovations (1)
Emerging technologies in microgreens cultivation
Market trends and consumer preferences
Research and development opportunities
Market trends and consumer preferences
Research and development opportunities
Final Project (4)
In consultation with instructor, students will develop a comprehensive plan for a microgreens operation, tailored to their chosen scale (hobby, small business, or enterprise), incorporating appropriate technologies and management strategies learned throughout the course. The plan will include a written executive summary, spreadsheet analysis of revenue, expenses and profitability, and alternative financing options.
Ignore following experimental content.
Module 4
- Community gardening: microgreens — duration two weeks approx.
- Requires two six-shelf growing racks, running water, one container tray, one permeable tray, watering can, spray-mist water dispenser, paper towels, disposable rubber gloves...,
- Lesson: Students form two-person teams.
- Lesson: Team reviews orders from "buyers" supplied by instructor and makes crop-selection decision.
- Lesson: Each team "purchases" two types of seed from classroom seed store.
- Lesson: Each team prepares two trays with selected growth medium in lieu soil.
- Lesson: Each team plants half-tray of each crop.
- Lesson: Seeds go into germination in covered trays. Approx. 3-4 days.
- Lesson: Team checks its tray daily. When seedlings reach appropriate stage (determined by comparison to printed or online sources), trays are transferred to lighted space. Note this may be a compromise where crops develop at different rates.
- Lesson: Team checks tray daily and notes status of each crop.
- Lesson: Measurement exercise: height yesterday, height today, plot on graph, calculate growth rate daily and since exposure to light
- Lesson: By consensus team decides on harvest date; may vary by team.
- Lesson: Team notifies buyer of delvery schedule.
- Lesson: Using best food-handling procedures, team harvests and packages crop(s).
- Lesson: Team delivers product and receives receipt from "buyer."
- Lesson: Team collaboratively writes report on crop success, issues, sales, implications for next "season," etc., as defined by instructor.
- Lesson: Students form two-person teams.
Module 5. Now what?
- Now that I can grow microgreens, what's next?
- Lesson: Home gardening
- Lesson: Commercial potential
- Lesson: Marketing
- Lesson: Community impact
- Lesson: The New Economic Engine
- Lesson: Risk and reward
- Lesson: Commercial potential
Module 3
- Individual "gardens" — duration one week approx.
- Lesson: Each student receives a randomly selected micro-garden kit.
- Lesson: Each student completes a quiz on steps to start the growing cycle.
- Lesson: Student follows instructions and (a) awaits emergence of seedlings; (b) follows watering and observation module.
- Lesson: Keeps a daily record of growth (paper or online).
- Lesson: Prepares for harvest (approximately 7 days).
- Lesson: Students receive instruction on proper food handling and ideally rubber gloves.
- Lesson: Harvests microgreens and places in storage.
- Lesson: Students consider whether to barter with individuals or to engage in a marketplace.
- Lesson: Contacts "buyer" to schedule delivery ("buyer" can be the teacher or another student; students growing different varieties can barter).
- Lesson: If marketplace is chosen, students evaluate produce and negotiate-assign prices.
- Lesson: Students write a report on their (a) crop success; (b) market choices; (c) overall experience.
- Lesson: Each student completes a quiz on steps to start the growing cycle.
Module 2
- Laboratory familiarization
- Lesson: Students review food-handling skills.
- Lesson: Students review safety skills.
- Lesson: Student is exposed to the equipment in the laboratory and learns the function of each element.
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OUTCOME: Students acquire safety and food-handling skills prior to contact with crops.
- Lesson: Students review safety skills.
Module 1
- Introduction: About microgreens
- Lesson: Reprise of general introductory course
- Lesson: The what, when, why and how of microgreens
- What are microgreens?
- Nutrition
- Applications
- Production
- Lesson: The what, when, why and how of microgreens