Huntington Highlight: Learn to Grow Green

As the movement toward eating more healthily, organically and sustainably continues, the fact remains that the freshest, most organic food you can ever have is food you grow yourself. But time and space are often difficult obstacles in Los Angeles, even for those with the very best intentions and greenest thumbs. So what to do?

The Huntington’s , which made its official debut last November, is an ongoing experiment in answering that question. Though not generally accessible to the public, the project includes programs and educational activities for the community, including ,  on edible gardening and a related lecture series. 

Tomorrow night, the Ranch presents its second lecture in Friends' Hall, called "Growing Microgreens at Home" and features Tara Kolla of Silver Lake Farms. 

Kolla began pursuing her dream of "living off the land" in 2003 and eventually launched CSA (Community Sustainable Agriculture), a subscription-based organic food supply program, in partnership with another local farmer. On Tuesday, Kolla will be sharing her tips for propagating, growing, and harvesting your own fresh, tasty greens at home.

"I'm going to talk about greens in general, but I'm going to focus on microgreens because it's one of the things we specialize in here [at Silver Lake Farms]", said Kolla.

Microgreens are the second stage in the life cycle of leafed vegetables, preceded by sprouts and then followed by baby greens and greens. Growing microgreens is a great way to get fresh, organic food quickly, easily and inexpensively. Scott Kleinrock, the project manager of The Huntington Ranch, said, "All you need is a flat with some soil in it or any other improvised shallow container…It's really easy and you can get this super gourmet food really quickly without spending a lot of money on getting a garden set up." 

Different microgreens can be mixed together for a tasty salad, or you can pick one type and use it as a garnish, in a sandwich or as a bed for a fish entree. 

The flavor may be milder than with more mature greens, Kolla said, but "it can still pack a punch. It's a young flavor, it's a fresh flavor."

Kolla gears her presentations to "anybody and everybody"--no matter the level of your gardening experience, her goal is to provide information and practical tips that can be applied readily and easily by everyone.

"Being healthy and being thoughtful and mindful of what we're doing with our food and…our environment takes a little bit of work," Kolla said. "I try to make the learning process enjoyable and accessible so that it doesn't seem like such a daunting task to take on."

Kleinrock, who works alongside the Botanical Education Center at The Huntington to organize the lecture series, said these events are for “knowledge and skill-building”. “Hopefully people would leave this lecture….empowered to try growing microgreens for themselves," he added.

“Ranch Lecture: Growing Microgreens at Home” will take place on Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m. in Friends' Hall. No reservations are required for this free event.

(You may also want to mark your calendar for the next Ranch lecture on October 25—a presentation by a fig expert on how to grow this sweet Mediterranean delight right in your own backyard.)