Politico reports that "The Agriculture Department has axed two programs that gave schools and food banks money to buy food from local farms and ranchers, halting more than $1 billion in federal spending. Roughly $660 million that schools and child care facilities were counting on to purchase food from nearby farms through the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program in 2025 has been canceled, according to the School Nutrition Association.

"Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, a Democrat, castigated the administration for the decision, noting that her state would lose $12 million it planned to dole out to school districts.

“'Donald Trump and Elon Musk have declared that feeding children and supporting local farmers are no longer priorities, and it’s just the latest terrible cut with real impact on families across Massachusetts,' Healey said in a statement."

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Indoor gardening projects can bring benefits to retirement communities of all sizes. The projects proposed herein can assist residential and social communities with active engagement in a combination of social and business activity that provides both satisfaction and achievement.

As the world’s population becomes older, more urban and more atomized, social engagement becomes ever more important. Indoor gardening can be a key to active living with purpose. It can provide nutrition, often a serious problem for seniors, and it can provide meaningful work without adding stress to daily life.

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Microgreens are young seedlings of edible plants that are harvested at an early stage, usually between 7 and 21 days after germination. They have gained popularity in recent years due to their unique flavors, textures, and potential health benefits. While microgreens are generally considered to be more nutrient-dense than their mature counterparts, it's important to note that specific nutrient content can vary depending on factors like the type of plant, growing conditions, and harvesting methods.

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Why should a household consider starting a microgreens operation, and can they make a living at it? Households should consider starting a microgreens business for several compelling reasons, and with the right approach, it is possible to make a living from it. Here's why microgreens can be an attractive business venture:

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A 2022 report debunks fringe claims that seed oils are toxic or otherwise a health risk.

Guy Crosby and others from Harvard University's Chan School of Public Health were quoted in a May 31, 2022 Consumer Reports article that denied the idea that these oils cause health ills ranging from headaches to heart disease.

Read the article at the following link.

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In case you are wondering why we are concerned about the relationship between food and community, you may find the article linked below instructive. The authors connect the dots between industrial farming and both economic and physical health.

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Video tracks impact of historic high fat, high calorie diet, especially on African Americans, with especial reference to traditional church celebrations.

Numerous companies are experimenting with portable farm environments. Here is an example.

For thousands of King County, Washington, residents, having enough food to feed themselves and their families is a worry. The number of people seeking food assistance increased over the last year, according to a report by Public Health echoed by King County councillor Jeanne Kohl-Welles. This increase is happening while food costs are higher than ever before.

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We've had mixed success with tomatoes in our Seattle project, but others have had better outcomes. Here's one 2014 story from Southern California..

Well-known Tacoma educator Maxine Mimms recently visited the IFC Garden in Tukwila, Washington. The garden, established in 2021, is currently teaching indoor growing of microgreens and various leafy greens using multiple technologies. Teaching is coordinated by GOE president Michael Twiggs in associating with Maxine Mimms Academy (MMA).

MMA's indoor gardening program was established in 2013 and has trained indoor gardeners in Seattle, Tacoma and other cities. In addition to indoor growing, the program explores business aspects of gardening and the potential role of urban gardening as an economic engine that can innovatively create opportunities based on addressing the "urban food desert" observed in many cities around the world.

Dr. Mimms founded Maxine Mimms Academy in 2004, initially to address concerns about re-engagement of secondary school students who had experienced conflict with conventional education, often due to family and social issues. The Academy has since expanded into other areas of community based education.

Indoor Farm Collaborative (IFC) is a joint venture of several Seattle-area organizations and firms.

Maxine Mimms Biography

In case you're old school and growing outdoors, here are some succesful planting groups. Where your lead "crop" is in the left column, pair with those in the center. We can't attest to the results, but it sounds reasonable. Sign up to share your own experience.

Go to any health food store and you’ll be sure to find microgreens lining the produce section. They have been all the craze in the food sphere for the past couple of years but don’t let all of the hype confuse you–microgreens are a simple way to bring nutritional variety to your diet and can easily be grown in your own home!

Microgreens are a class of vegetable greens, in between a sprout and mature vegetable plant, (typically grown indoors and harvested 10-14 days after planting) and are especially conducive adaptable to an urban agriculture environment.

Microgreens require minimal space, materials and time making them extremely versatile and something you can do at home. They can be produced from a wide variety of plant seeds–sunflower, pea shoots and radish being most common but micro-herbs, -grains, and even -beans too. The possibilities are truly endless.

What they lack in size, they make up for in flavor and nutritional content. Fresh microgreens can contain up to 40X the nutrient content as compared to a mature plant leaf. Due to their high nutritional content, simplicity to grow and delicious bold flavors, microgreens serve as the perfect complement to a healthy diet and lifestyle.

Tune in next week to get the scoop on what you’ll need to get started in growing your own and even one of my favorite recipes for using these delicious and nutritious greens.

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