BY JANE BLOODWORTH ROWE
SALEM — David Kerr dreams of becoming a farmer, and he’s not going to let a little thing like a lack of land get in his way.
Kerr’s house, located in a suburban community, is instantly recognizable because he’s the only one with a crop of kale growing in the front yard. Around back, he has a summer vegetable garden, but his main stock in trade right now is microgreens.
Kerr markets the tiny greens – including broccoli, spicy salad mix and salad mix – under the Dave’s Microgreens name. They’re available in two-ounce and 10-ounce containers and can be eaten in salads, sandwiches, as a snack, or any way that you like, he said.
This fall, Kerr plans to plant more leafy green vegetables outdoors, including lettuces and more kale. Right now, he’s growing the red Russian kale, a flat-leafed kale that’s very heat tolerant.
Kerr’s desire to become a commercial farmer evolved from an interest in growing his own food. As a child growing up in upstate New York, he was exposed to vegetable gardening through his grandparents, but he said it wasn’t until he served as a Marine in Afghanistan that he really became fascinated with gardening.
“When I was in Afghanistan, I developed this desire to grow my own food,” Kerr said.
Kerr was also influenced by books that he’d read, including books by Virginia farmer Joel Salatin, known for environmentally friendly farming practices at Polyface Farm.
After he retired from the Marine Corps, Kerr moved to Virginia Beach, where he began experimenting with growing microgreens.
At the time, Kerr was renting the house that he’s now purchased, so the opportunities for growing outdoors were limited. “I couldn’t really dig up the yard,” he said, “and this was a way to eat healthy.”
One advantage to growing microgreens, Kerr said, is that he can produce a crop quickly, usually within 15 days after germination. Radishes, arugula, Swiss chard and spinach are among the plants that can be eaten at this stage, which he described as being “after the plant sprouts and before it becomes a baby green.”
Now, Kerr owns his home, and he’s free to garden outdoors. But the space is limited. He estimates that he owns about one-tenth of an acre, and he decided about a year ago to begin growing commercially.
Kerr hopes to rent more land and expand the amount and kinds of vegetables that he grows, and eventually he’d like to offer a CSA program to his customers. Now, he’s selling to some farm markets and chefs, and he sells directly to consumers.
“It’s amazing what you can do in a small space,” Kerr said.
Customers include his neighbors and his friends at Nimmo United Methodist Church, where he attends services.
“Marketing is hard,” Kerr said, “and I’m old-fashioned. I do most of mine by word of mouth.”
He sometimes pedals his bicycle around the neighborhood, handing out samples or delivering orders. The response, he said, has been positive, and even kids who mostly ate at McDonald’s have fallen in love with his vegetables.
“Sometimes he shares his harvest,” said neighbor Homer Ayana, “and I’ve bought some lettuce. It’s crunchy and fresh, plus it’s local. It’s right here.”
Kerr’s also willing to teach others to grow their own microgreens, and he’s done demonstrations at Nimmo United Methodist Church this summer as part of a gardening series hosted by the church, which is known for its community garden.
“One of our missions as a church is to help people eat healthy and possibly grow some of their own food,” said Melody Jeffrey, who helps coordinate the garden, which grows and donates food to local food pantries. “When they see a hands-on demonstration, they become interested.”
Jeffrey also enjoys Kerr’s microgreens, particularly the spicy salad mix, which she says stays fresh for a long time.
For more information, or to order greens, contact Kerr at davesgreensvb@gmail.com.
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