HAPPY SPRING!
I (Gil) am so overloaded that I forgot to publish a newsletter last week. I’m sorry. I have been working hard to get our seed inventory back where it should be. I’ve also lost far too many hours to technical problems with our new video. I find it impossible to stop trying to fix the video problems, but I’m down to my last attempt. If that fails I’ll start the video over from scratch. I’m avoiding confronting that now by writing this Newsletter because I’m terrified of losing all the time I’ve already put into it.
Our Canadian supplier shipped us an order earlier this week, so Garbanzos will be back soon - assuming we don’t get held up at the border. A real concern nowadays.
We’re hoping our great friend, David in Colorado will be shipping us more exceptional Sesame, Millet, and Wheat (possibly the heirloom Turkey Red) this week. Hopefully that order will arrive before the end of the month. We’re hoping it will also include Wild Rice and more Hulless Oats - which are in short supply again this year.
We’re awaiting samples of Green Peas and Rye as well. I still cannot believe Green Peas are proving so difficult to find. I’ve never before had any problem finding high quality Green Peas in our 31 years! I lose sleep over these things. I’m so sorry we’re ever out of anything you need, and I’m embarrassed by how many seeds are out-of-stock, especially at this time of year.
As I’ve told you before - we prioritize our mixes - so we out-of-stock seeds - like Green Peas - because they are essential in a number of mixes. We make more $ on our mixes because I mix them by hand - which is getting harder as I age - and more so because they are absolutely unique and in our opinion they elevate sprouts way beyond the usual options.
With the economy as bad as it is (do you remember that ‘they’ changed the definition of Recession in 2022 - after we had already moved into one?) we have been selling far more straight seeds than mixes. That’s why we run out of seeds so much now. We’re trying to adjust, but after 31 years it’s not easy for us - and we can only inventory so much due to our space and cash-flow - - so limitations also play a part.
In any case - it is our goal to offer you as many quality varieties as is humanly possible, and we are Always working towards this goal. But, we do have all sorts of other jobs - like filling your orders and answering your emails - writing Newsletters and maintaining our website, so finding the time is always a struggle. We live to serve though - so we keep fighting. We’re determined to do better!
GARDENING
I simply Must get time in our garden. It was a cold and wet winter here, so I’m way behind schedule. We rely on our garden to produce food, so I need to get seeds in the ground, asap.
Currently the plantings will include seeds we sell you - Arugula, Beets, Broccoli, Cilantro, Collards, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce (an ingredient in Bruno’s Indoor Garden), Mizuna, Radishes, Tatsoi and Turnips - and some others we don’t sell - Carrots, Spinach, Ruby Chard, and Sugar Snap Peas.
If you also garden outside as well as in - remember you can use our seeds there too. Any seed that germinates can grow into a full sized plant if you can provide the conditions needed by that crop. Every year the garden provides joy and struggles. It’s part of working with nature. There’s nothing better really. Happy Growing to us all!
Our Asparagus is coming slowly this year, but our Plum is also late - which is great because it almost always blooms too soon and bears little fruit because there are few pollinators out when it blooms in February. We’re more than happy to wait for our Asparagus if it means we’ll get more than a handful of Plums in 2024 @:-)
A SALE THIS WEEK
This is the time of year we like to offer a special seasonal blend - but we’re low on one of the ingredients, so we just can’t offer it this year. We do however have a good inventory of fantastic Hulled Sunflower Seeds for Sprouts (these cannot grow Sunflower Greens, sorry). They are a super speedy crop - being indescribably delicious and alive (therefore profoundly nutritious) after only a 30-60 minute Soak - - though they can be sprouted for another day or two if you want a root too.
So until March 26 you can stock up on these delectable seeds at a steep discount.
THE FUR BROTHERS
Though I forgot to write our last Newsletter - we did accumulate a ton of great pics of Ira, Django, and Gus - so without further delay…
Essentials for those new to the world of Indoor Farming...
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SPROUTS AND MICROGREENS
To us the difference is that with Sprouts we grow with nothing but water and we eat the entire crop (with the possible exception of hulls and roots that grow out the bottom of our Stainless Steel Sprouters) - and they are alive when we eat them. Microgreens are grown on a medium and we harvest them by cutting them just above that medium - at which point they move from alive to not. Raw, great, delicious - just not alive.
While I'm on this subject I need to explain why we have two different names for the same seed - like Broccoli Sprouts and Broccoli Microgreens. This is the same seed. The difference is that each crop has its own page - you go to the Broccoli Sprouts page to learn how to grow the seed into Sprouts and you go to the Broccoli Microgreens page to learn how to grow it into Micros.
This seed will also grow a full sized - which is like 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide - Broccoli plant in a garden - given the proper climate and encouragement.
SEED STORAGE
If you don't yet know how to get the longest life for your seeds - and prevent pests - Â visit our Seed Storage page. The best way to store seeds is in the freezer, but do not use the refrigerator as its humidity fluctuations can harm seeds. There's a bit more to it - so perhaps just visit the page =;-)
Grow to Live - Live to Grow.
Be well and happy.
Gil + Lori
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Sproutpeople.org is an encyclopedic resource of our creation - for indoor farmers of Sprouts, Microgreens, and Grass. It is so enormous that it gives some  the impression that we are a big business. The reality is that we are basically 2 people who eat and breath Sproutpeople - and 2 part-time helpers (one being our son). Our site has been online since 1996. It's the employee that allows us to serve all of you.
In addition to a section that teaches the Basics of Sprouting and Growing, a goodly section of Recipes, a bunch of Videos, and a whole lot more -
Every Seed and Mix we offer has a profoundly detailed page devoted to it. Those pages feature two sets of Growing Instructions (Brief for the experienced and Detailed for the not yet experienced), a Video, Photos of the crop growing day-by-day, Recipes, Crop Specific Notes, Nutrition Info, and quite a bit more. Each of our Supplies also has a detailed page.
Our vast content is organized with Tabs (on computer) and Pull-Down Menus (on mobile devices).  Click/Choose, for example Detailed Instructions on the page you go to when you click any of the pictures surrounding this text - and you will be presented Seriously Detailed Instructions. Click around. Growing Photos. Notes. Recipes. Please let us share what we know.
We survive by selling on the internet, but we live to educate anyone who wants to learn about growing sprouts and microgreens. Learning is what the internet was actually built for, so we're really just doing our part.
Please enjoy sproutpeople.org
Kesley Abbott from Find Your Awsome Sauce (I don't know how to link her) mentioned your substack. So informative. On my way to your webside to learn more.
Happy spring my friends! Isn't it good to finally get our hands in the soil! Wishing you peace and a bountiful season!