Growing Greens

How has this idea enhanced your club's operation, etc.?

Many of our members have committed to eating healthier and we are always looking for ways to help them meet their goals. After thorough research we decided to grow greens right in our Gallery restaurant next to the chopped salad station. Seeing the greens growing right in front of them encourages them to stay on target with their commitment to healthy eating because they want the freshness it provides.

We chop our salads fresh to order and have a Nutrition Educator on staff who provides instruction to the members on the many health benefits and nutritional value of the micro greens; this combination enhances the whole lunch experience. On a daily basis our salad buffet includes a wide variety of freshly cut greens, and a salad of the day which incorporates the micro greens as well as herbs, peppers, and tomatoes from our own garden. All of our micro greens are grown organically with no pesticides and from non-GMO seeds

How was this idea implemented, and what have been the club members' reactions?

We installed the Carter Hoffman Garden Chef (TM) in the summer of 2018 which gave the culinary team time to learn about the nutritional values of the greens and the growing process. When we first tasted the difference of the freshly picked greens compared to those we were buying wholesale – we were all amazed. The membership was very impressed when they came back to the club for the season. They love to show their family and friends that we grow our greens right in front of them. The members frequently request specific micro greens and we try to accommodate their requests depending on the growth stage of the micro greens. It has become part of our daily routine to check the progress of what’s growing and to talk about what we will grow next with the members as part of an interactive experience between staff and members.