Last Friday’s breezy, cloud covered morning provided an ideal setting for IOA’s first field day of the season! James Nisly and Organic Greens staff were wonderful hosts and mentors, offering technical advice, first-hand experience, and in-field demonstrations and tours of the microgreen facility and farm. Organic Greens is a great example of a diverse organic operation focused not only on profits, but also enhancing the farm’s natural assets while meeting the needs of the local market and community (i.e. food, jobs, ecosystem).
Participants first toured the microgreen facility where they saw operation flow from production to packaging and then toured plots on the 13-acre farm and discussed plans and management of his crops, which includes cabbage, sweet potatoes, and butternut squash. James currently sells his greens and field crops to about 40 wholesale customers in eastern and central Iowa, including K12 schools, colleges and universities, natural food stores (Wheatsfield Coop, New Pi, Gateway Market), and traditional retailers such as Hy-Vee stores.
Thank you to our hosts, and to Maria, James’ mother-in-law, for procuring and preparing a delicious farm-to-table lunch, and to those who provided local and organic ingredients for the meal: Blueberry Bottom, Boyd’s Bologna, Organic Greens, and Radiance Dairy.
