Oct. 27, 2023

A Sioux Falls woman has turned some big lifelong passions into a small farming business with even smaller plants.

If you would have told Alicia ElMamouni a year ago that she would have started planting, harvesting and selling microgreens – she would have thought you were kidding.

Owning and operating a business was not part of her plan.

“I was familiar with microgreens because I always bought them at the farmers market,” said ElMamouni, the founder of Little Greens. “But never thought about – or had interest in – growing them myself.”

She credits her boyfriend for the idea and eventually took the plunge because she was intrigued by the potential for an additional source of income.

In January, ElMamouni added microgreens farming at home to her day-to-day work of being a full-time mom and executive director of a global bioethanol coalition.

“I have a biology background, so anything related to plants, animals or the human body intrigues me,” she said. “I love to grow things, surround myself with plants and have the ability to nurture things and watch them thrive.”

Microgreens were a good match with their small-but-mighty health benefits as a known superfood. Turns out, ElMamouni really enjoys growing them, she said.

“They’re packed with concentrated nutrients, minerals, vitamins and fiber with very minimal calories,” she explained. For example, she said, broccoli microgreens have up to 40 times the nutrient value of regular broccoli.

With more than 100 varieties, they complement any meal from aesthetic to aroma and flavor.

The process for most of the microgreens from seed to harvest takes anywhere from a week to 20 days. Her organic growing practice includes a non-GMO seed without the use of pesticides or herbicides.

Just walking into her growing room brings her so much joy, she described.

“Every time I open the door, I get to see the progress, and that’s so satisfying,” she said. “It may seem like an exaggeration, but those little plants change by the hour.”

Beyond the physical process, the little greens come with little life lessons, she said.

“In order for the microgreens to grow strong, you start the seeds in trays, stack them together and place something heavy on top. The first days, seeds are in total darkness under a lot of pressure. By day four or five, those sprouts collectively push up the trays and pop out looking for light,” she explained. “What a great parallel to how we can thrive under pressure and grow in tough situations.”

Little Greens microgreens are sold at Look’s Marketplace and select Hy-Vee locations in Sioux Falls and to several local caterers, Salas Salsas and the Dakota Fresh Food Hub.

ElMamouni said she is eager to expand her customer base, potentially find an independent space to grow the greens and continue to educate more individuals and businesses about their nutritious value.

Learn more about Little Greens microgreens online and on Instagram.