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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] shoots and sprouts (was Lettuce Display)

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  • From: "TxBeeFarmer" <TxBeeFarmer AT HotPop.com>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] shoots and sprouts (was Lettuce Display)
  • Date: Wed, 28 Jun 2006 12:04:25 -0500

I have great difficulty imagining how e coli could contaminate the pea seeds before you start your sprout process. Did someone tell you this is common?

TxBeeFarmer
West Texas Zone 7b

----- Original Message ----- From: "Shelly Elliott" <shelly AT idlethyme.com>
To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Wednesday, June 28, 2006 11:36 AM
Subject: Re: [Market-farming] shoots and sprouts (was Lettuce Display)


I am selling pea shoots and sunflower shoots at market. I will be selling sprouts Aug. 1. I am selling the shoots out of a large cooler. The bottom is lined with those weekender blue ice packs and then covered with paper grocery sacks. Then the shoots are divided up in tupperware containers in the cooler. I put the cooler in a large farm wagon and use it as part of my market display. There is a thermometer in the cooler so that the health department can check the temp on the shoots. There is a great risk of e coli on the seed that sprouts are grown with. I buy seed from Tiensvold Farms www.eatorganicbuffalo.com . These are the folks that sell seed to Johnny's and I believe that Johnny's tests all their sprout seed lots for e coli.
As far as the state goes, some states require that sprouts be grown in a commercial kitchen. I received and exemption from the state department of agriculture stating that I could sell sprouts as a raw agricultural product. However, I am putting up a building that will be for a commercial kitchen eventually and that is where I am putting the sprout drum and grow racks for the shoots and sprouts. I will add stainless sinks and countertops now and will finish the commercial kitchen requirements later. For great information on the process and safety of sprouts visit www.sproutnet.com . Be sure to read all the USDA regs for sprouts and just in case I would make sure that your liability policy is up to date.
Best of Luck!

Shelly Elliott
Idle Thyme Farm
Carpenter, WY
www.IdleThymeFarms.com





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