I told her how you can buy it from some places, precut in bags. But she
has read, and heard, that you lose a lot of nutrients if you cut it and
do not use it right away.

Was wondering if there have been any studies or anything on this.

It seems to me that the bags would be so much easier, if they are the
same. But I don't think she is convinced.

Also, could you give me what a 1 lb bag (or other size) is equivalent to
when comparing it to a flat that you would cut yourself.

Thanks
S. T.

Harvesting wheatgrass from a tray immediately before juicing is definitely the best way to get the highest quality  nutrients, chlorophyll, and enzymes. But many people carry this too far and think that wheatgrass that is falling over and turning yellow
is still more nutritious than wheatgrass that has been harvested at the optimal time and stored under refrigeration in a plastic bag.  Here at Gourmet Greens we have hundreds of trays growing at all times but when we make wheatgrass juice,  we take the wheatgrass from a bag stored in the refrigerator.  Why?  It is more convenient - and we know that the juice is still intact within the cell walls until the wheatgrass is put through the juicer to make the juice.  Ann Wigmore, in her classic book, The Wheatgrass Book, writes (page 73) that "cut grass can be stored for up to seven days in plastic bags in the refrigerator."  Fresh cut wheatgrass, when properly grown on composted soil, will hold its nutritional value quite well under refrigeration. It is the juice itself that is very perishable. Once the juice is pressed from the grass in a juicer, it will begin to go bad in a half hour. If the juice cannot be consumed immediately, it should be discarded.

One pound of wheatgrass, about one flat, yields ten ounces of juice.

Dear Rich,

I apologize.  I received your shipment as indicated Tuesday morning but my husband put it in the downstairs refrigerator and didn't tell me.  Thank you for your message!

I really like the added touch of you being so personal with your customers.  I feel like I know you in some way from your e-mails!  I like the way you run your business.  It is so rare that in these days buying a
product through the Internet or even at the corner store for that matter,  is personal anymore.  I feel like all the love and attention you give your customers must be the same way you grow your wheatgrass!!!
That positive energy comes through in all that you do!!!!  Thank you from the bottom of my heart.  You are truly appreciated!!!

Very truly yours,
An extremely satisfied customer,

Sharon M.
Ohio

Darin and I are having such a nice time growing wheatgrass. mold problems though.
it is humid to the point that my hair is one mass of curls and we live in a small old
house with a dirt basement in a bit of a woodsy area with no a.c. We like it that way,
but our first three trays of wheatgrass have had blue mold growing right around
harvest time. We started the grass in card board trays, we did not soak the seed in
the refrigerator, we probably didn't rinse it well enough, and perhaps it is not getting
enough light.
The soil you sent us is so nice and feels good running through the fingers.
We are now circulating air with a fan near the wheatgrass and we soaked the seeds in
the fridge. We have switched to plastic trays with square vented holes in the bottom.
They are nice and were a gift from the local coop where Darin works.

QUESTION 1 - Do you use trays like these and do you put something in the bottom
to keep the soil from coming out of the holes? We are using water with some drops
of grapefruit seed extract in it and maybe I should think about a place that offers a
little more light.

QUESTION 2 - How dark should the grass be? My friend said ours looks a little light.
It tastes nice and sweet. A few friends said it was the sweetest they have tasted.

QUESTION 3 - Is this good? One more thing about the mold. I read on the Internet
somewhere that the reason headaches and nausea are common is because
of the mold and not because of the cleansing effects.

 QUESTION 4 - What is your take on this and how do you ensure you have adequately
 cleaned the mold off of your grass?

Thank you for returning my calls and for taking a genuine interest in my learning.
such a generous act,  a gift.

Take care,
Megan

Oh, I have thought of more. QUESTION 5 - When you compost your spent trays,
do you compost only the trays or do you add food compost as well? Do you add
anything besides the trays?

and lastly QUESTION 6 - How many cuttings are you able to get off of one tray?
Ours have molded before a second round is able to grow.

THANK YOU
 

Hi Megan,

Congratulations on starting to grow your own wheatgrass! With attention to a few details, you will soon be able to grow excellent fresh wheatgrass.

We grow fresh wheatgrass in what are commonly known in the greenhouse business as 10x20 trays. They have holes in the bottom but they are small enough so no soil comes out.
 
 

Wheatgrass does not like to grow in direct sunlight but does need a good light source. If you don't have a bright window you
should consider growing under a fluorescent fixture (bought at a hardware store) with plant grow lights.  With good light the wheatgrass will be better quality.

In 32 years of juicing wheatgrass in a variety of settings, I have never seen fresh wheatgrass harvested above mold  cause headaches and nausea.  In my opinion, the person who wrote that was not interested in learning how to grow wheatgrass indoors without mold and is trying to convince people that outdoor grown, processed and dried wheatgrass products that can sit on a shelf in a sealed bottle are better than fresh. Ann Wigmore told people to just harvest above the mold. Technically, we are talking about slime molds. Slime molds use the plants for support but do not penetrate the tissue. Slime mold is easily removed from the seeds, lower stems, and roots of the plants by simple rinsing. Or just harvest above the mold. The harvested grass should be vigorously green or lighter green near the cut end with no brownish discoloration. Ann Wigmore always said that fresh is best. Slime molds are favored by wet environments and feed on dead organic matter. This is why, when trying to prevent mold from starting,  it is helpful to not over water the soil and make sure that there are no small pieces of identifiable plant waste in the soil such as straw,  bark or leaves. What appears as mold may also be Rhizopus. Rhizopas sp. is a ubiquitous fungus that grows profusely in high humidity environments. Rhizopus is not pathogenic on wheat seedlings. That is why the growth of fresh wheatgrass growing above the mold is still good for making  juice.
Persons who do experience headaches and nausea from the cleansing effects should begin by drinking lesser amounts and eating solid food 10 to 20 minutes after drinking the juice.

When we compost the root stubble from harvested trays at Gourmet Greens we do not add food scraps. We grow four different  crops: fresh wheatgrass, and sunflower,  pea, and radish greens. The root stubble from those four crops are composted together. Ann Wigmore, however, did add food scraps to her compost but only in small amounts. She particularly
liked to compost (feed the worms) avocado skins and banana peels. She never added any kind of citrus to the compost because she thought that the worms did not like citrus.

The harvested wheatgrass trays will grow a second crop when the first growth is mold free. Throughout the fall,  winter, and spring at home, you should routinely be able to use second growth. At Gourmet Greens we only harvest the first growth
because it is more lush and vigorous.

Keep growing - practice makes perfect. Don't hesitate to
contact me with any further questions.

Best regards,
Rich Rommer
Gourmet Greens
 

Thank you for your quality products as described.
I ordered wheatgrass seed and a juicer and received them promptly.
I have enjoyed my first home grown and processed wheatgrass drink today !
Thanks for the prompt service and quality seed and juicer at a great price

Paul T.
Dallas, TX

Thanks,
David M.
Lititz, PA

Thank you for all the support, the juicer and all the excellent wheatgrass.
I hope you and your company continue to prosper.

Sincerely,
Bob N.
Bellevue, Iowa

Elizabeth M.
Clifton, VA

Jacek I. S.
New Britain, CT

Your greens  are TOTALLY AWESOME- as they say! I consider it a privilege to be able to carry them (Berkshire Coop Market, Great Barrington, MA).

Thanks for all your efforts!

-J.L. ,
Lenox Dale, Massachusetts
 
 

Dear Richard,

Thanks for the beautiful greens and complimentary sunflower greens.

As usual wonderful quality. It's a pleasure to know there are competent caring people like your self out there to help others. I've decided to go to Hippocrates for a few weeks for an intensive program to try to help turn my body on a more healing path as my condition has spread . I didn't want you to think I had dropped off the planet from your grass or I was no longer interested. I will resume taking grass juice and implants, no doubt long after I return to get my health improved. Till then thanks again. Keep up the wonderful work. Friendly thoughts,

J.L.

Dear Mr. Rommer,

Thank you for letting us come to see your greenhouse, to plant trays to keep at our school, and giving us greens. We gave the big bag to Mrs. Stocker. The wheatgrass is neat because you can make juice out of it. I liked the pea greens because they taste like peas you buy at the store. The sunflower greens make your mouth dry when you eat a lot of them. I enjoyed seeing the trays of sunflowers.

Your Friend,
R.S. , Chester, VT

Dear Mr. Rommer,

Thank you for letting us come to see your greenhouse. Thank you for letting us plant the Sunflower Greens and grow them in the class. Thank you for letting us have a bag of Sunflower Greens and Snow Pea Greens. I learned how to plant and grow sunflower seeds. I liked to go up on the ladder to see the plants.

Your Friend, J.C.
Chester, VT

Dear Mr.Rommer,

I'm sorry I could not come. I got in trouble so I couldn't come. I wish I could. I bet it would be neat. If we go again I promise I'll come.

Your Friend,
R.D.
Chester, VT

Dear Gourmet Greens,

Bravo! Finally we found your delicious Sunflower Greens that are absolutely wonderful. I hope you will always continue growing these tasty morsels throughout the year.

We get your greens by way of the Willimantic Food Corp.in Willimantic, CT, 10 miles away.

What other greens are available?

We have formed our own Cooperative and also order produce through the Northeast Cooperative in Brattleboro. Are your products available through NEC? If so, we will try and get enough interest to bulk order.

Thanks for a wonderful product.

L.B.

Dear Salad  Growers,

I saw your product in a Bread and Circus store in Massachusetts. The greens looked beautiful, green, and healthy so I purchased them. I was wondering how you were able to grow the product in soil and keep the greens from becoming contaminated with coliform and other types of bacteria commonly found in soil? I assume, since the product is organic, that you might be using soil enrichments that could contain high levels of microbes including possible pathogens. Do you treat the organic material somehow to sterilize it? Also, how are you able to keep the soil from ending up in a package with the sprouts? Do you advise washing the sprouts before eating them?

Curious about these things---drop me a line if you get a chance.

Sincerely,
S. S.
New Gloucester, ME

Dear Scott,

Thank you for your inquiry about our greens. We're glad you are interested.

Our greens are grown on soil, just like lettuce or any other vegetable you buy.The seeds are spread on the top of a tray of soil and are cut off above the soil level at harvest time. Unlike alfalfa or bean sprouts, which are hydroponically grown and sold with the roots,our greens are cut off above the roots. Therefore, the part of the plant that is in direct contact with the soil is removed before packaging. We recommend rinsing the greens in water before serving, just as you would wash other salad greens.

We make our own organic soil mix and compost the soil from the trays after harvesting the greens. We occasionally add washed sand and a biodynamic compost starter to the mix, but never any animal manure. Our soil is not sterilized, as that would destroy the beneficial bacterial life in the soil, which is the key to successful organic growing. Healthy soil produces the most nutritious greens and contributes to their long shelf life.

We hope we've satisfied your curiosity. If you have any other questions, write to us again or visit our website. Have a healthy New Year!

Sincerely,
Rich Rommer
Gourmet Greens

Gary P.
Londonderry,N.H.
 

To: Gourmet Greens

My wife and I have got into juicing. We thought about it for some time as we have an inexpensive juicer and it was a lot of work to clean - we stopped juicing about as fast as we started. After examining the info about juicers, I decided to buy the Champion as I didn't know if I wanted to invest $500.00 in the Green Power. Now that we bought the Champion we are well pleased. As I read more about juices I found out about the wheatgrass book by Ann Wigmore. I thought I would punch in wheatgrass into my computer to see what I could find, much to my surprise I came up with your website which I find interesting. The question I have is, I'm getting more interested in the thought of wheatgrass but I really don't want to sell my Champion. I'm a little disappointed after noticing in your juicer info that the Champion will not juice wheatgrass. What is your advice as to what I can do? Do I need to now invest another couple hundred dollars in a wheatgrass juicer or will your hand model be sufficient? Could you please help me in this matter?

I also have a daughter that was just diagnosed with Cancer (Hodgkin's), she is trying everything she can to help herself and is trying to juice wheatgrass with our old juicer which is a centrifugal force type juicer. I would appreciate any help you might be able to give me.

Thank You
T.D.
Green Bay, WI

Dear T.D.

Thank you for your letter. We're glad you found our website interesting. Hope we can answer your questions about juicers. Your Champion juicer is great for all but wheatgrass, as you know. We used one for years and were happy with it. We also have used both the electric and manual wheatgrass juicers, and both work equally well. The only difference is that with the manual, you supply the power. It is not difficult to use, and is just as efficient at juicing as the electric, it just takes a little longer. If you want to spend a minimal amount of money, we would suggest purchasing the manual juicer for wheatgrass and keeping your Champion for other juices.Your daughter will certainly want a wheatgrass juicer, either manual or electric, since a centrifugal juicer is not recommended for wheatgrass.

If you are willing to spend more, the Green Power juicer really is great. We've had one for about 6 months. The manufacturer sent us one to try, and we were so impressed that we bought it. It is extremely well made, easy to use and clean, and it juices literally everything. We now make our carrot juice, then our wheatgrass juice in the same machine, and only have to clean up once. It is, unfortunately, expensive.

Sincerely,
Rich Rommer
Gourmet Greens

From: Rich Rommer <greens@gourmetgreens.com
Subject: Wheatgrass Order
 

Hi James R.

Thanks for your order. The manual juicer, 10 pounds of wheat seed, and 50 pounds of composted soil will be shipped today, March 13,  via UPS ground. The 2 pounds of fresh wheatgrass will be shipped on Monday, March 16, via UPS Next Day Air. Expect all items to arrive on Tuesday, March 17.  Again, thank you.

Regards,
Rich Rommer
Gourmet Greens

Dear Rich, Thanks for the great service. I toasted St. Patrick with a shot of your good green wheatgrass juice, how appropriate for the patron saint of the emerald isle. I am sure my liver will thank me. Although I was amazed at the amount of juice from my first squeezing, I found a couple of tiny bits of shiny particles floating on the surface. I didn't want to drink it thinking it was a maiden voyage thing so I rubbed it on my face because I didn't want to waste it. (Thankfully my kids were asleep). I like the idea of a non-electric gadget but between the cranking and cleaning, I must label it a labor inducing device. Frankly, I could use the extra exercise but the clearance for attaching the juicer to a table is lacking. In any case your real product, wheatgrass, is on the money.
 

Hi James,

Thanks for the St. Patrick's Day update. All new wheatgrass juicers should be "broken in" by juicing some ready to be discarded greens such as old lettuce or carrot tops. Then disassemble the juicer and soak in a dishwasher soap solution overnight to help remove the food grade surface oils used as part of the tin plating process.

Always allow the juicer parts to air dry before putting the parts back together. This will help to keep the parts rust free. Also be sure to clean the juicer immediately after making your juice. If you let the juicer sit for a few hours the pulp and juice still in contact with the juicer parts will dry and harden making the juicer harder to disassemble and clean.

Manual juicers work fine and are almost just as efficient as electric juicers in squeezing out the juice. Some people really like their manual juicers and report that they don't mind turning the crank. But the manual juicers end up sitting on the closet shelf far more often than the electric models. A healthy lifestyle generally is a lot of work (with many healthy rewards )and one should try to make things as easy as possible. In today's modern age most of us are spoiled by labor saving devices. You must decide for yourself what juicer will work best for you and your budget.

Kind regards,
Rich Rommer
Gourmet Greens

I grow my own wheat grass in my apartment here in Sacramento, California.  I have been doing this for a bit over two months and would like to keep it up.
(I have been drinking wheat juice for over 8 years and tried to grow it once before.)  I am growing enough for about 4-5 ounces of juice a day.

Can you share any thoughts about:
1)  I seem to have a bit of a mold problem.  On some, but not all, of my little flats of grass, where the growth is most dense, I some times get a white/gray mold that
looks a bit like light gray cotton candy.  Is this related to a lack of air circulation?  How might I treat this?  I wish to keep every thing natural/organic.

Thanks very much for your consideration.  I enjoy your web-site.  I have read many of Ann Wigmore's books and am pleased to see one of her old hands doing well.

Thank you.

John B.
Sacramento, CA

I am trying to grow my own wheatgrass but it doesn't get very tall and has white fuzzy stuff. What am I doing wrong? Sooner or later all wheatgrass growers encounter mold. What is mold? It is a white cotton looking growth at the soil level that, left untouched, will stunt wheatgrass and even prevent the leaves from turning fully green. It is especially prevalent in the summer during hot, humid days. There are several things the grower can do to keep mold to a minimum. 1. Use good soil that is fully composted. Organic matter is great, but if it is not fully broken down by the beneficial activity of microorganisms, it will contribute to the buildup of mold. If you are growing with soil out of a bag make sure the soil mix is free of anything you can identify like bark or bits or hay and straw. The mix should be consistent and free-flowing 2. Good seed. Many people start growing with a small bag of wheat purchased at a health food store and wonder why they can't grow good wheatgrass. That small bag may be old and improperly stored and no one has tested it to see if it grows good wheatgrass. There is an abundant supply of good quality organically grown wheat seed. Buy your seed from a wheatgrass grower ( such as Gourmet Greens ) because they have already tested the seed for their own use. Or find a baker that is grinding his or her own flour. Hard wheat seed that makes good quality flour grows good quality wheatgrass. 3. Soak your wheatgrass seed in the refrigerator for 24 hours whenever you are experiencing mold problems. This prevents the soak water from getting rancid or fermented. And when you pour off the soak water, rinse it with plenty of clean water until all colored water is gone. Let the seed sprout for 12 hours before you spread it onto the trays. 4. We stack our trays with the bottom of one tray directly on top of the one beneath it for 48 hours at 67 degrees Fahrenheit. At the end of the 48 hours the trays are separated to the growing shelves. Water immediately but don't overeater. Water only once a day. After one day your trays should not be dried out, but should need water. One half hour after watering, the soil should have the moisture of a wrung out sponge. That is, if you take the soil in your hand and squeeze gently no water should drip from your hand, but if you squeeze tightly, water will drip out. 5. Good light source. If you live in a sunny climate a greenhouse is best. Second best is fluorescent grow lights. The young shoots of the wheatgrass will follow the light. Good light getting down to the soil level will help to keep mold to a minimum. 6. Good air circulation. A slow-moving oscillating fan will keep the air circulating. Direct the air flow directly onto the trays. This may tend to dry out the soil in the trays, so stay aware of the soil moisture. You want the young sprouts to have plenty of water available, but they cannot be sitting in pools of water. Remember the wrung out sponge test. 7. Harvest grass just before it starts to fall over. If it is more than you can use, store the extra wheatgrass in a plastic bag in the refrigerator at 34-37 degrees Fahrenheit. Fresh harvested wheatgrass is best, but don't think that yellowing, falling over grass is better than refrigerated wheatgrass. Ann Wigmore says in her book, The Wheatgrass Book, that fresh harvested wheatgrass will remain viable and potent for one week under refrigeration.

Special Comments Box:  Great Web Site.  Easy to follow very informative.  I have been looking for a quality place to
purchase wheatgrass seeds for a while without any luck.  You folks seem professional and honest.
 

How we heard about you:  Yahoo search engine.
 

The seeds, soil, and trays arrived today, safe and sound, It's obvious
that a lot of TLC went into the wrapping and packing
process. Thanks for putting such care into every aspect
of your business.

Once I'm up and running, I'll send you some
feedback on my initial growing efforts. I think
it's going to be grand fun!
 

Best,
Owen

I am looking for a supplier of seeds so that I can grow wheatgrass at home. Is it possible to ship/fly seeds to the UK? Your help would be much appreciated as I am finding it impossible to source seeds on this side of the water.

I am trying to find a supplier of wheatgrass that ships to Britain.  I live in the north of Scotland and I'm extremely keen to get some wheatgrass, but I'm finding it quite difficult to find a supplier that ships overseas.

Have you any ideas?
Yours sincerely,

Thanks.
Sally E.

Dear Sally,

Due to agricultural restrictions from most countries, we are unable to ship seed,  soil, fresh wheatgrass or salad greens outside the USA. Books, growing trays, and juicers may be shipped to virtually anywhere throughout the world. Email us the list of items you wish to purchase and we will email a quotation for the shipping cost to your country.