SSFS Farm Blog April 2026: Microgreen Econ

Microgreens have been around for long enough now that I don’t think you can call them a trend anymore.  They are basically the first few leaves of several different plants- like kale, carrots, broccoli, radish, peas, sunflowers, and more.  As the plant begins to grow, all of its energy at first goes to the sprouts, so it turns out they are higher in nutrients than when fully grown.  Plus they are easy to grow, and taste really good.  They can be grown outside or inside and are harvested normally within two weeks of planting.  

What’s more alluring at SSFS is that PKers and Kindergartners absolutely love to plant them.  We have been planting and harvesting about 12 trays of microgreen each week and they have been a staple in our cafeteria. CulinArt has been mixing them in with other leafy greens, having them stand alone on the salad bar, or using them as a garnish for their main dishes.     

The economics of microgreens are fascinating. 12 trays produce roughly $75.00 worth of harvestable plants if everything goes correctly.  Those 12 trays take approx $25.00 worth of potting soil. But, we can reuse the soil 4-5 times since they are harvested so quickly.  We buy the seeds in bulk so that each tray holds approx 50 cents worth of seeds.  The trays are roughly 2.00 apiece when bought in bulk but can be used at least a dozen times, more if the students are gentle with them.  So, when you break it all down it costs something like 10 dollars each time we plant a round of microgreens.  And while we don’t get “paid” for our produce, the farm does get a credit back from our cafeteria.  So, essentially our youngest farm hands are turning a 700 percent profit!!!!  That’s not too bad coming from a 4 year old playing in the dirt!