There are twenty million acres of lawns in North America. In their current form, these unproductive expanses of grass represent a significant financial and environmental cost. However, viewed through a different lens, they can also be seen as a tremendous source of opportunity. Access to land is a major barrier for many people who want to enter the agricultural sector, and urban and suburban yards have huge potential for would-be farmers wanting to become part of this growing movement. The Urban Farmer is a comprehensive, hands-on, practical manual to help you learn the techniques and business strategies you need to make a good living growing high-yield, high-value crops right in your own backyard (or someone else's). Major benefits include: Low capital investment and overhead costs Reduced need for expensive infrastructure Easy access to markets Growing food in the city means that fresh crops may travel only a few blocks from field to table, making this innovative approach the next logical step in the local food movement. Based on a scalable, easily reproduced business model, The Urban Farmer is your complete guide to minimizing risk and maximizing profit by using intensive production in small leased or borrowed spaces. Curtis Stone is the owner/operator of Green City Acres, a commercial urban farm growing vegetables for farmers markets, restaurants, and retail outlets. During his slower months, Curtis works as a public speaker, teacher, and consultant, sharing his story to inspire a new generation of farmers.

Have you ever thought about starting a new business that doesn't require a lot of time, space, and investment? In this book, I want to tell you about this new business idea that can allow you to make a thousand dollars or more a week! Microgreens are a new category of vegetables that are harvested shortly after the first set of true leaves form. Some chefs in California have been using them since the mid-1980s, but the demand for microgreens has only recently grown exponentially. That's because microgreens are healthy foods that contain many more nutrients than plants harvested at an advanced stage of maturity. For this reason, they are recommended by nutritionists and are popular among healthy lifestyle enthusiasts and environmentally conscious people. Growing microgreens is quick and easy, with most microgreen varieties reaching a harvestable size in about two weeks, allowing for up to two dozen harvests in a year. Only some basic equipment is needed, and you don't have to worry too much about the plants. You can grow microgreens in a spare room of your house or in a small garage. Once or twice a week, you can harvest and sell your microgreens. In this book you will find: Which microgreens are best to start with, which are the easiest to grow, and which are the most difficult Step-by-step instructions for soil and hydroponic growing methods. How to solve the most common problems with microgreens. How to build a grow rack with readily available components without breaking the bank. How to set up a proper vertical farm in a small 60 square foot space. How to identify your market niche. Where to sell your products. How to build your brand. How to choose the best packaging. How to set prices. How to create labels and barcodes. How to comply with hygiene and food safety regulations. If you have no intention of selling your produce, but are curious to learn more about microgreens, I definitely recommend reading the book because this is not just a business book. Like I said, microgreens are incredible foods that are great for your health and are not easy to find on the market. By reading this volume, you will learn how to grow them yourself at home. This way you will always have a very fresh product with unique properties available for your consumption. What are you waiting for to get started? Start reading the book now. The world of microgreens will soon have no more secrets for you!

Microgreens, the young seedlings of herbs, vegetables, beans, seeds, and grains, contain four to six times the vitamins and phyto-nutrients found in mature leaves of the same plants. This comprehensive resource explains how to grow microgreens at home, both inexpensively and easily. It provides detailed instructions for selecting seeds and soil, along with guidance on proper temperature, light, and ventilation. Also covered are methods for both small- and large-scale growing of microgreens, how to extend harvests, and techniques for preventing contamination by bacteria and mold. Filled with how-to information and vibrant full-color photos by the author, the book explores every aspect of this unique form of gardening. Included is a helpful guide to 55 species of microgreens, which profiles each green according to its flavor, preferred cultivar, special handling needs, and more.

Big Profits from Small Plants Unlike most other specialty food crops, microgreens are easy to grow and can be ready to sell in about two weeks. They can be grown indoors or outdoors, so microgreens are a perfect crop for urban farmers who may not have access to a patch of dirt. Because microgreens are expensive, selling for $20 to $60 per pound, growers can produce a solid income in a very small space compared to traditional farming. For example, growing microgreens on a rack or shelving to grow vertically can produce several pounds per square foot per month. You can start a microgreens business with just a small amount of money - as little as a few hundred dollars for seeds and supplies. Here's what you'll find in this book: Best microgreens to grow - 15 varieties that are easy for beginners. Each plant listing includes growing tips and the most popular varieties. Microgreen mixes - 4 popular blends from a basic salad blend to a spicy Asian mix. Seed selection- a 10-point checklist for choosing the best seeds. 3 steps to a perfect microgreen crop - everything you need to know about planting growing and harvesting. Marketing your microgreens, including 3 best markets for getting top retail prices. Resources - videos for new growers and wholesale sources for seeds and supplies. Order Now and Start Growing!

Do you want to try a new style of healthy living? Microgreens in the store are not cheap. That's why you should consider this book as an investment and grow them yourself! Do you like growing healthy food or do you want a new business idea to start in your spare time? You have come to the right place if you want to learn how to grow these superfoods. This book is all about microgreens. Microgreens are a healthy new food option that people love today. Microgreens have a large number of nutrients so they are considered a superfood. They are a relatively new way to enjoy healthy nutrition. Microgreens are also easy to grow. You can grow them in your kitchen or on a shelf somewhere in your house. You can grow them in a greenhouse or in your garden. Microgreens don't take long to grow so you don't need to have much of a green thumb to be able to grow them. In this book, I will talk all about how to grow microgreens and we will teach you how to be successful in the process. I will teach you easy ways to have a safe and healthy crop. More specifically: Difference between sprouts, microgreens, baby greens, and mature greens Recommended equipment Soil mixes and hydroponics A detailed list of different microgreens and how to grow them A step by step process to get started A long list of troubleshooting to get the best harvest possible A few microgreen recipes which you can enjoy With how easy microgreens are to grow and how popular they are right now, they are also a great business to get into. There is a high demand for microgreens and there are not that many people growing them. In this book, we will also talk all about how to get into the business of selling microgreens. More specifically: Things you need to consider before starting your venture Deciding if there is a market for microgreens How to become certified organic How to test your seeds What should be on your label? How to decide your pricing strategy How to market your microgreens and where to sell them Whether you are looking to live a healthier lifestyle or make some money on the side, microgreens could be the answer for you. No matter what you want to use them for, all of the information that you need to know is inside of this book. Open up these pages, and you will become an expert in the field of microgreens. Click the buy now button to grow microgreens from your own home!

2nd EDITION BLACK & WHITE. This is the standard sized paperback. There is a large font 8" x 11" color version available. Do you want to grow pounds of microgreens in limited space? Do you want to learn how to grow every type of microgreen hydroponically without the use of any media such as soil, coco coir, peat, potting mix, or mats-nothing? Brent details how. Microgreens are a phenomenon. There's no question. How-to tutorials abound with tons of content out there to emulate. What makes Hydroponics - Intense Hydroponic Grows different is style. It is quite nearly set it and forget it. His unique growing method produces 3X more pristine microgreens in the same 1020 garden tray! Brent's writing style provides no-nonsense step-by-step instructions for everything he does including building the 3rd Gen Assemblies, how to maximize beet harvests, and growing the problematic mucilaginous seeds. If you're looking for detail on growing near-perfect microgreens that are simple to grow, extremely clean, and easily repeatable, with huge harvests often doubling or tripling standard fare, then this book is for you. Hydroponics - Intense Hydroponic Grows is filled with tons of information including disease prevention, fighting fungus, organic techniques, maximizing harvests, recipes, troubleshooting, packaging, and scaling for commercial. Possibly the biggest benefit of paperback book ownership is the support after purchase with member's only access to detailed YouTube videos and community support via a closed Facebook page.

“A Way to Garden prods us toward that ineffable place where we feel we belong; it’s a guide to living both in and out of the garden.” —The New York Times Book Review For Margaret Roach, gardening is more than a hobby, it’s a calling. Her unique approach, which she calls “horticultural how-to and woo-woo,” is a blend of vital information you need to memorize and intuitive steps you must simply feel and surrender to. In A Way to Garden, Roach imparts decades of garden wisdom on seasonal gardening, ornamental plants, vegetable gardening, design, gardening for wildlife, organic practices, and much more. She also challenges gardeners to think beyond their garden borders and to consider the ways gardening can enrich the world. Brimming with beautiful photographs of Roach’s own garden, A Way to Garden is practical, inspiring, and a must-have for every passionate gardener.