While we have tried new things on our farm each year, it is still easy to fall into a pattern of “the same old way you’ve always done it.” Watching a kazillion farming videos on the internet until 3am can be a fun way to spend a Tuesday night, but we’ve found it much more productive to get hands-on experience under the guidance of professional farmers. Working for other farmers can be a great way to develop new skills, build your network of professional support, and gain exposure to ideas you might not have explored on your own. Also, getting paid to learn is better than working double shifts to pay down student loans for your underwater basket weaving degree.

This year I’ve been lucky to have the opportunity to work at Hop Frog Farm under the tutelage of master microgreens farmer Jordan Cohen. The rapid growth of his operation created the need for part-time support, so two days a week I join Jordan and Hans (a Boistfort neighbor of ours and active contributor to local agriculture) at Hop Frog to harvest, pack, and reseed microgreens for distribution to the Seattle area, as well as a few local restaurants. The work is faced-paced, but unlike many types of farming, not particularly hard on the body. While microgreens are the current focus for production, Hop Frog Farm has a comprehensive conservation plan for an important watershed in our region. Jordan has been very generous with his time and ideas in helping me to wrap my head around how we can implement more conservation components on our own farm. Good food, good times, and good work — this job checks all the right boxes. 

Now, before you go thinking that these tasty plants are just a new marketing spin on the same old sprouts you’ve been putting on your roast beef and pepperoni sub sandwiches since the 90s, allow me to clarify: Microgreens are very young vegetables harvested after the development of cotyledon leaves but just before or at the emergence of the first true leaves. While sprouts are usually grown only in water and include the root, these microgreens are grown in soil and cut above the root, including the stem on some varieties or just the leafy tops on others. Microgreens are in high demand due to research suggesting a number of benefits, such as concentrated levels of vitamins and minerals, high levels of bioaccessibility (nutrient absorption), and sustainable methods of cultivation. But let’s face it, there are lots of foods that are really good for us that many of us are reluctant to eat. The real magic of microgreens is that they taste great on tacos! 

Actually, they taste great on almost everything: soup salad sandwiches pizza avocado toast ramen taters watermelon corned beef hash and roasted anything. Maybe not so good on ice cream or donuts, but eating them definitely cuts down on the guilt factor when you reach for dessert.