How You Can Help Expand Profound Microfarms

Sometimes it's surprising to hear a restaurant doesn't use Profound Microfarms.

The 2.6-acre farm is mentioned so often probably because it has 83 restaurants that use the greens. Lee and Jeff Bednar have built out three of their four greenhouses, and now they're moving to renovate the fourth, and final, to keep up with demand.

“It's super-exciting in the last two-and-a-half years, how much growth we've had and how excited the chefs have been,” Jeff Bednar says.

He posted a Facebook event Monday morning, announcing the news and starting the fundraising of the $25,000 required to build out the greenhouse. It states that everything they've built so far has been from the labor of their friends, community and staff, with no loans. The money raised will go toward demolition of old infrastructure and purchasing a new heater, circulation fans, end walls and plastic, running new electrical, water lines and more.

So they're hosting before-and-after tours and dinners. You purchase a ticket, which gets you one dinner and tour in the fall (Nov. 17), and another after the buildout (Feb. 23). Considering you'll see more than 150 varieties of greens and have a five-course meal twice, the $250 price tag is pretty good, especially when it's going to a decent cause.

The first dinner already has chefs assigned: Eric Freidline (Sevy's), Anastacia Quinones-Pittman (Jose), Josh Sutcliff (Sutcliff and Brammer Hospitality), Steve McHugh (Imoto) and Robert Baloga (Lucia). The second dinner's chefs will be announced closer to the date.

Plus, Bednar saw quick involvement after he posted the news.

“Just after the Facebook post, we've had five of Dallas' best chefs volunteer,” Bednar says. “It's hugely flattering.”

He also had one restaurant call and say it will pre-purchase $10,000 worth of produce, paying up front and having the farm provide the produce whenever possible.

There are various levels to purchase a seat, including a “sponsor the farmer” level. A cool idea of Bednar's, if you can't attend the dinner and want to contribute, you can sponsor a local farmer to have the experience.

Bednar mentioned how there will also be days for people to volunteer to help: demolition is an easy, larger group activity, for example.

Profound Microgreens marks its fifth anniversary this month.