By Cami Froneberger
Commitment to a sustainable planet through supporting farmers is a key company value here at Harvest Returns. By connecting agriculturists with passive investors, we believe we can build a more resilient food system and help farmers stay in the business of farming. Our team is proud to share in our sponsors' success stories and continue to watch them grow every quarter.
Dragon City Farms
Located in the heart of Dallas, Dragon City Farms Inc. (DCF) strives to bring high quality specialty crops closer to consumers in urban areas. The vertical farm is owned and operated by Alex L. Davis III. His operation produces a variety of hydroponic lettuce, certain herb varieties, and microgreens, year round.
However, the list of produce does not end there. Controlled environment agriculture is an innovative field with ever-expanding commodities. Dragon City Farms Inc. is no exception. Davis has recently added strawberries and mushrooms to their list of produce. Mushrooms have gained popularity among DCF consumers with requests coming in to have them available at local farmers markets.
The growing operation has recently switched to a new online store platform and plans to expand their product range. Weekly and bi-weekly subscription boxes help keep DCF customers in supply of their favorite products picked fresh before shipping. Each subscription package contains a mixture of the following: head of lettuce, bag of salad, bag of arugula, two microgreens, two bunches of herbs, and half a pound of gourmet mushrooms.
Perennial Pastures
Regenerative ranching is a holistic approach that prioritizes land quality and focuses on sustainable practices such as rotational grazing, carefully controlling livestock density, and no tillage so as to maintain natural soil structure. It is Perennial Pastures mission to build deep topsoil and healthy grassland, while producing superior beef. The ranch, located in Santa Ysabel, California, is owned and operated by Kevin Muno Jr. Muno proudly leads his team while overseeing all aspects of the business, from the grazing and fencing plans all the way to the marketing strategy and farmers markets.
Perennial Pastures is continuing to make a name for themselves by producing high quality grass-fed, grass-finished, regenerative beef. Providing nutrition and sustenance from healthy soil, healthy plants, and healthy animals is the team's priority. Their best-selling product to date is the ancestral blend ground beef. The ranch’s online shop also offers a range of products sure to make your mouth water. From beef sticks, to hot dogs, to brisket, to steaks, and so much more.
Muno recently sat down with The Diet Doctor Podcast hosted by Dr. Bret Scher, a board certified cardiologist and customer of Perennial Pastures, to discuss the connection between soil health and healthy humans. “The closer you can get to nature, the more efficient and better life you can live,” Muno stated in his interview. Dedication to conscious land management, positive animal welfare, and regenerative agricultural practices remains Perennial Pastures top priority.
We Are The New Farmers
When you think of superfood, you probably don’t think of microalgae, like spirulina. We Are The New Farmers (WATNF) is changing that. The New York based company, co-founded by Dan Bernstein, Jonas Günther, and Michael Udovich, makes spirulina available in ready-to-use, never-processed frozen cubes. The blue-green algae grows naturally in freshwater lakes in Africa and North America, and comes with multiple health benefits.
One cube of WATNF frozen spirulina is equal to a full day’s fresh greens while two cubes provide the same amount of protein as one chicken egg. Along with high protein, spirulina is also a great source of iron, phytonutrients, and antioxidants in the diet. NASA has stated that the nutritional value of 1000 kg of fruits and vegetables equals one kg of spirulina. With more than 2,500,000 Americans making one or two smoothies per week, spirulina cubes are a perfect natural and beneficial addition.
Recently, WATNF was featured on the Forward Fooding FoodTech 500 list. The list features innovative entrepreneurial companies at the intersection between food, technology and sustainability. They were also honored as the “Smoothie Product of the Year” by Mindful Awards. WATNF additionally holds a prominent following on TikTok where their oat milk recipe video received 8 million views and went viral. The team at WATNF continues to stand by their statement, “We believe that microalgae will be an integral part of the solution we need to fix our food system.” By utilizing indoor growing facilities and partnering with carbon capture companies to feed the carbon-eating spirulina, WATNF is pioneering a sustainable and unique product.
PittMoss
Recently named “Best Potting Soil” by Better Homes and Gardens, PittMoss has grown and expanded from their humble beginnings as a kitchen experiment in 1994. The company now supplies numerous commercial greenhouses and nurseries across the nation.
Keeping material out of landfills is a priority for PittMoss. Their peatless potting soil is made from recycled cellulose fibers, like newspaper and cardboard. This allows gardeners to practice good stewardship of our planet. PittMoss has also been proven to retain more water and reduce the amount of leaching that would typically occur, while reducing both phosphorus and nitrogen runoff. Improved porosity also helps plants grow bigger and stronger compared to competing brands.
PittMoss officially launched their consumer retail product line from their headquarters in Ambridge, PA in 2017. The PittMoss customer base continues to grow with their proven success and sustainability.