2021 Vendor Features: We’re All Mad Here Farm
Wondering what microgreens are? Much like the team at We’re All Mad Here Farm, microgreens have a crazy amount of energy!
Due to the pandemic, Haddonfield’s own Don Krell and Madalyn Coligan, a dedicated vegetarian, had time to energetically embrace suburban farming. The deep dive was driven by necessity, as fresh produce was scant in spring 2020, and what was available was marginal at best. Microgreens are rich in flavor, nutrient dense, and add a welcome splash of color to a variety of dishes. They are considered baby plants, falling somewhere between a sprout and a baby green.
Madalyn works with produce at Mom’s Organic Market while Don has some commercial gardening experience. While sheltering in place they read multiple books and watched hundreds of hours of YouTube videos to learn the best way to produce organic microgreens. Starting with organic seeds in a coconut coir and peat moss medium, Don converted their dining room into an indoor farm and began growing microgreens. By Christmas 2020, the dynamic duo felt they might have a business on their hands, and after speaking to a friend of a friend, they reached out to Ralph Ciallella to explore participation in the Haddonfield Farmers’ Market.
We’re All Mad Here Farm made their retail debut on May 15, 2021, at the first market of the 2021 season. Introducing microgreens posed some unique challenges as some in the community thought they were seed starts waiting to be planted, not ready to eat nutritional greens! The range of microgreens includes sunflower, pea tendrils, salad mix, amaranth, basil, cilantro and more. Microgreens vary in taste, but generally speaking, their flavor is considered strong and intense.
When asked what excited Don and Madalyn most about attending the Haddonfield Farmers’ Market, they remark “Meeting people in the community! We’ve lived in Haddonfield for two years and been holed up for one year so it’s great to be out and getting to know people in the community”. Stop by the Farmers’ Market this Saturday to meet Don and Madalyn, experience microgreens and make some new friends. The energy is amazing!
Education is part of the process, so Don and Madalyn are working on fact cards for each microgreen to explain flavor notes, beneficial nutrients and recipe ideas such as amaranth in corn chowder, a delicious pasta, parmesan and pea tendril dish, sunflower on sandwiches, and so on. They have also launched their website to allow pre-orders for market pick-up and local delivery within a 10-mile radius of Haddonfield. Make sure to follow We’re All Mad Here Farm on Instagram too!