It’s “Wheatgrass Wednesday” on the Wegmans Organic Farm & Orchard and the Wegmans farm team is harvesting wheatgrass and sowing wheat seed to keep this very important crop thriving in our Controlled Environmental Agriculture facility.
Every week of the year, Wheatgrass Wednesday begins by harvesting hundreds of pounds of bright green shoots of germinated wheat seed, grown in stacked-high channel beds.
Nikki Morris, Farm & Orchard Manager
Nikki Morris, Farm & Orchard Manager
“Growing in these short, small, stacked channels allows us to keep a small environmental footprint—it’s a really efficient form of vertical farming,” says Mark Bowker, the crop expert. “All we have to do after we sow the pre-soaked seed is monitor the water, temperature, humidity, and light.” After harvest, about 500 lbs of wheatgrass is sent to be juiced (see below for more about this healthy harvest), and the channels are thoroughly cleaned and reseeded with certified organic food-grade wheat seeds. “Each week, we compost about 1,000 lbs of root material,” says Mark. “This material is the largest part of our composting program and the backbone of the rest of the farm’s fertility, for the orchards, veggies, and flowers!”
“This isn’t really grass; it only looks like it,” says Nikki Morris, Farm & Orchard Manager. “This is wheat and it’s intensely packed with nutrients in its seed form.” All of wheat’s beneficial nutrients are contained in the seed and roots—only water is added during the 7-day growing period. “The wheatgrass we send to be juiced is incredibly nutritious and is a main ingredient in our Wegmans Organic Green Glory Juice (found in our Produce Dept). I think it’s the most delicious way to get the benefits of wheatgrass.”
Our Wegmans Organic Green Glory Juice is small batch-made and never heated for a refreshing, clean flavor. There’s no added sugar; its natural sweetness comes from fresh organic fruit and veggie juices. It’s made of 100% fresh organic juices: wheatgrass, apple, pineapple, kale, celery, and lemon, plus fresh organic spinach. It’s a good source of potassium to support heart health, too. (Look for a new Wellness Shot coming soon, made with our wheatgrass!)