NOTICE
Underground Greens has ceased operations. This website remains as a work example only.
UNDERGROUND GREENS IS A COMMERCIAL HYDROPONIC VERTICAL FARM IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
…specializing in microgreens and wheat grass. We believe that locally grown food is better for our customers and the environment. We researched, tested, and selected the best environmentally friendly growing materials and practices and use organic hemp mats that are produced in the United States to grow our greens. We partnered with a DC community garden where we take our mats for composting at the end of the production cycle. Whenever possible, we make our deliveries by bike. Our goal is to grow healthy produce in the heart of the Nation’s Capital while reducing waste, cutting the carbon footprint of the food production industry, supporting our local community, and building long-lasting relationships with our customers, suppliers, and partners.
Underground Greens is proud to participate in the DC Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD) Made in DC program supporting small, local businesses in the District of Columbia.
OUR STORY
A MOMENT OF INSPIRATION
In December 2014, Maryna Higgins was returning from a business trip to Asia. To pass the time during the long flight home she read the airline magazine from cover to cover among other distractions. One article about a pair of English farmers caught her eye and sparked her imagination. These were not your typical English farmers, plowing the land and sewing their seeds. These farmers were doing something unique and intriguing – growing crops hydroponically 100 feet underground in abandoned World War Two era bomb shelters.
Maryna was hooked. When she returned home to Washington, DC she contacted the company to learn more about their business model, their growing techniques, and their vision for growing fresh, sustainable food. Within a matter of weeks after her return, Maryna resigned from her position as an accountant, founded Underground Greens, and began researching all aspects of growing microgreens hydroponically.
A PASSION FOR FARMING
Having grown up in Eastern Europe Maryna always had a close connection with the land and her family’s farms. Transitioning to urban hydroponic farming felt natural. Her passion for nurturing the plants and watching them grow translated into a concerted effort to grow the tastiest, healthiest microgreens possible. The swift seven to ten day growing cycle allowed Maryna to experiment with various growing mediums, moisture levels, germination techniques, and seed varieties. She continuously tests new microgreens varieties, develps new greens mixes and creates exciting recipes with some of DC’s top chefs.
A THRIVING BUSINESS
Within the first year of running Underground Greens, Maryna had perfected her growing techniques, expanded into a small commercial space, constructed several production growing racks, and expanded her business in the Washington, DC market. Now she is pleased to be selling her Underground Greens to grocers, juice bars, community supported agriculture (CSA) programs, caterers, and restaurants in the DC metro area. She also leverages her farming experience to provide consultation and education services and has developed kits for aspiring urban farmers to grow their own microgreens.
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