Producer Spolight: Ron's MicroGreens

Ron Cummings owns and operates Ron’s Microgreens. He has been supplying the highly nutritious microgreens customers have been enjoying these last few weeks. 

Conversing with Ron was a pleasant way to spend the afternoon . This guy has a wonderful knowledge of soil heath and maintains beautiful garden spaces. It was a real pleasure getting to chat. He and his wife, Sammi, have built a lovely home in Willow Springs. Carved out of the trees on a hilltop, they have a custom house with lots of light and designed by Ron himself. The gardens are thriving. The high tunnel is full of tomatoes and tumeric and a few other species. By the way, turmeric is a cool plant; I’d like to have one just to decorate my living room.

 I was surprised at how little space is required to grow the micro greens; his growing space requires just two shelves in the spare room. He harvests fresh greens every 7-10 days. These little plants are packed with nutrition. Microgreens, on average, have 9 times the antioxidant value of mature greens and the nutrient profiles are concentrated, providing a big dose of vitamins and phytonutrients in a small package. I could go on for days about the benefits, but instead, I will direct you to a couple of nice articles I found that detail some of the specific nutrition associated with different varieties (links in the footnote). I did not know much about microgreens before visiting with Ron; I had no idea how awesome this food is, not to mention that they add a nice flavor to dishes.  

Ron started growing microgreens when his wife, Sammi, was diagnosed with breast cancer. They were a husband and wife trucking team at the time. When they came off the road, Ron set out to do whatever he could to be sure Sammi got the best nutrition for recovery. Happy to say that she is doing well! 

Gardening is something they both love, but I was struck by Ron’s passion for contributing to regenerative farming and the local food economy. He is excited about the increased market he can access through Little Farm Store and wants to share the benefits of quality food with as many people as he can. Ron wants to contribute to the health of the community by providing highly nutritious food that is grown in rich healthy soil. He has plans to expand his microgreens growing space so he can do just that, and of course, his sales will help support their small farm, and Sammi’s flower growing habit. She has gorgeous flower beds!  

Ron’s Micro Greens are available through Little Farm Store or at the West Plains Farmers Market. Add this tasty, nutritious food to your weekly shopping cart! Support local; eat healthy!