Another Colorado farm contributing to the health and well-being of the state’s residents is CEC Greenhouse. The greenhouse, located in Greeley, is an extension of the Cultural Enrichment Center of Fort Collins nonprofit, which works with children and community members to promote arts, history, folklore, and wellness in African American communities.
Michael Hayden of CEC Greenhouse joined Garden & Health to discuss his experience running the farm and some of the crops grown. He took us through the cultivation process, which uses sustainable agriculture techniques.
“What we do is grow wheatgrass in 10×20 trays,” Hayden said via phone. “We will be incorporating solar to offset the cost of electricity. The water we use comes from dehumidifiers, so we hardly ever have to use any new tap water when watering our crops.”
Wheatgrass is usually grown when seeds are taken to be pulverized into flour. The green juice you may be familiar with is developed from the grass before it seeds, Hayden explained.
The plant is harvested when it’s seven to eight inches tall. The plant is run through a masher that juices the wheat. The liquid is harvested, packaged, and then served to customers.
CEC Greenhouse also creates a variety of wheatgrass-based pet products. Hayden said the farm will cut the wheat when it reaches seven to eight inches long and put it in 2.5-ounce bags.
Photo Courtesy Cultural Enrichment Center of Fort Collins
“It’s extremely beneficial to cats and dogs or any animal that eats any form of hay,” Hayden said. Being sustainable is like our bread and butter. We use no pesticides; no chemicals in the water that’s taken from the air. We get our seeds locally out of Loveland, the same seeds that breweries are using.”
Even the dirt is locally sourced, Hayden shared. It comes from Way To Grow, an organic gardening and hydroponics supplier in Boulder, Colorado. The greenhouse uses the dirt for compost and for growing trays.
Hayden said he got involved with the greenhouse and the Cultural Enrichment Center after showing kids how to grow microgreens in after-school programs. He worked as a software engineer for more than 30 years, learning how to run a business with a virtual presence.
Photo Courtesy Greeley Farmers Market
“It’s always been a desire in my mind to do something entrepreneurial for myself,” he said.
“Around October of last year, one of the kids at the Cultural Enrichment Center mentioned wheat grass. I knew nothing about wheatgrass, so I looked it up and started growing.”
The greenhouse became its own LLC. Hayden said he is an employee helping with the crop cultivation.
He’s experienced the benefits of wheatgrass firsthand. Dealing with high blood pressure, he was told he had to go on medication. He started taking wheatgrass shots and started seeing the effects quickly. By March 2023, he lost weight, and his blood pressure had returned to normal.
“I took it as a spiritual cue that this is the product that I’ve always wanted to push to the people,” he said. “People are immediately blown away because it doesn’t taste anywhere near like wheatgrass they’re getting from other places.”
Hayden said the farmers market in Greeley has been a “diving board” for the company. It’s one thing it will never stop doing.
