MICRO: Thinking About Growing Microgreens as a Business - The Tedious, Detail Oriented Reality of Growing Microgreens - Episode 3

For notes related to this episode visit permaculturevoices.com/growmicrogreens.

Over the last two episodes [Episode 1, Episode 2] we looked at How Chris started and grew his microgreen business, and we have taken a look at what's possible with that business when it grows.

And if you just stand back and look at the numbers, their jaw dropping.

Let's be honest.

Grossing $200,000 growing 10 day old crops in a shipping container that takes up 320 square is jaw dropping.  It almost seems unbelievable.

But it's real, and that's where Chris is at with his business after 10 years.

Chris has show what's possible. And given that and the relatively low capital investment required to start a microgreens business, it's a business that attracts a lot of people.

People that likely focus on the high dollar value per tray, and people that dream about how much money they can make.

This is where it gets dangerous, because you can't just look at the income side of the business. You have to look at the expenses as well.

When you do that with microgreens that high dollar per tray, isn't as high as it might appear.

There are a number of cost that need to be considered - the soil, the seed, and the big one - the labor.

There's a decent amount of labor that goes into producing each tray of microgreens. Labor that needs to be priced into the product, and labor that might turn some people off from growing microgreens.

When over 60% of your time will be spent harvesting, cleaning, and sanitizing trays, some of the allure of that $50 tray goes away.

Add in the need for rigorous observations and recording keeping, and you will find yourself in a position that Chris describes as part automaton and part scientist.

No for everyone.

Especially when people enter the business looking to make a quick buck.

If you are thinking about starting a microgreens operation, there's a lot to consider, especially the negatives.

For notes related to this episode visit permaculturevoices.com/growmicrogreens.