MONROE COUNTY, Pa. — The piles of snow outside the greenhouses at Pocono Organics are a sure sign of winter, but all signs inside point to a warmer, humid setting.
"We have the technology to make the environment that we want. So, if I want it to be spring or if I want it to be summer, then I can grow the certain crops in the greenhouse," said Dante Sexton, greenhouse manager.
Pocono Organics is a regenerative farm and greenhouse in Tunkhannock Township near Pocono Raceway.
"A lot of people don't really realize what goes into regenerative farming. You know, it's constantly taking care of the soil cover cropping and making sure that you have your organisms healthy," Sexton said.
That includes the crops for harvesting and other plants inside that work to mitigate pests or cover crops that add nutrients back into the soil.
"We're just constantly taking care of the soil, making sure that it's healthy."
Crops in the cold house or in other houses that are kept warmer are all kept on a certain schedule with that in mind.
"After the Brussels sprouts and broccolini are done, then that's when we'll transition into either growing different crops, or then we'll start to cover crop the greenhouse."
In addition to these crops there is a large microgreen operation at Pocono Organics.
"Microgreens is a very quick operation. It takes roughly about seven to 14 days."
Crops like broccoli, sunflowers, and radishes are harvested a few days after germinating. Instead of growing them in beds, they are grown and watered in trays.
'You can see the color they turn from the yellow to green, and it's amazing throughout the course of the day, you'll see the change," said Jennifer Salazar, microgreens manager.
Once they reach a certain age, microgreens are brought to the harvesting machine.
The trays with the soil and roots are recycled into compost piles.
Then, it's time to wash the microgreens in a three-sink system to remove the seed casings from the leaves.
Workers eventually weigh them out and package them for sale.
"Microgreens are basically mighty foods. They're super nutrient-dense foods."