New Natives Organic Sprouts
Ken Kimes and Sandra Ward
PO Box 1413
Freedom, CA 95019
831.728.4136
www.newnatives.com
ken@newnatives.com
Markets: Aptos
Products: 8 varieties of organic sprouts and microgreens and several mixes, Sprouting Kits and Kids’ Kit. We use only organically grown seeds — 80,000 to 100,000 per year. We also sell specialty mushrooms from Far West Fungi.
History/Philosophy: For over 26 years, Ken and Sandra have been growing organic sprouts, a "super-food" that comes in many textures and flavors. Do you sprout? Sprouts are plants between seven and ten days old that have sprouted from seed, but don't yet have leaves. Despite their small size, ounce for ounce, sprouts provide more nutrients than any other natural food. They are delicious in salads and sandwiches.
New Natives received their organic certification from CCOF way back in 1983. The farm, nestled in a valley on 5-acres off Hames Road in Corralitos, uses only certified organic seed. Sandra and Ken have developed partnerships with some area farmers to grow seeds for them for sprouting. Through these partnerships New Natives is helping other small family farmers to prosper.
Wheatgrass, used to make juice, is New Native's most popular product. They supply wheatgrass to many area natural foods stores, coffee shops and restaurants. Their farm produces several other sprouts including alfalfa, broccoli, arugula, red clover, pea, sunflower, daikon radish and several varieties of lentils and beans. At the farmers market, you can choose among several interesting mixes of tasty sprouts. They make one especially for kids that consists of a wide variety of sprouts of different shapes and sizes (to keep kids interested!).
New Natives sells sprouting kits and organic seeds to sprout at home. "We love to teach people about sprouting. It's a fun and easy thing to do at home with the kids," said Sandra. Instructions for sprouts can be found at on their website at http://www.newnatives.com/growing.html.
Workers: 8 full-time, year round employees.
Certifications: Organic certified by CCOF
Professional Memberships: International Sprout Growers Assoc.
Farmland: 1/4 acre of intensely farmed greenhouse in Corralitos
Soil: We make our own soil — a potting soil and compost mixture with no animal manure.
Weed Control: No weeds.
Pest Management: We use a safety program that was designed by a third party and we are inspected by the FDA.
Water Use: We use well water from our property and micro-sprinklers. On a yearly basis, we use about the same amount of water as a family of four.
