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eff and Lee Bednar were at a crossroads in 2014. Jeff had sold his shares in a real estate company, and the couple wanted to start a new business, one that would have a profound impact on the health of their family, their community, and the environment for future generations. A genetic condition, Marfan syndrome, had caused Jeff to undergo open-heart surgery when he was 36. Now he and his wife were starting a family, and Jeff said he “wanted to eat healthy to be around for my girls as they grew up.” “We watched a lot of documentaries about the environmental disaster that is our current industrial monoculture agriculture system,” he said. That led them to the decision to start Profound Microfarms, a controlled environment farm, where they would grow a diverse ecosystem of crops using a variety of methods. It was Jeff’s father who bicycled down the road that would lead to Profound Microfarms – Forest Grove Road in Lucas. He saw a “for sale” sign on a property with visible greenhouses in the back. Jeff and Lee discovered that the property, which had been a vibrant orchid farm, had been uninhabited for seven years, due in part to the fact that the owners wouldn’t sell to anyone who wanted to tear down the greenhouses “and put up a big house.” The Bednars told the sellers their plans, and they were thrilled to support the new venture. In August 2014, the Bednars purchased the 2.6-acre property with its 17,000 square feet of greenhouses. Though dilapidated, they could be refurbished and would work just fine. (Jeff says the previous owners have stayed in touch and are avid supporters. “It makes them happy to see the life that we have breathed into this property.”) There was some education ahead; Lee had cooked and dabbled in the garden, but Jeff said he had never grown anything in his life. “We watched a lot of YouTube videos; I took some classes and became a master gardener and a certified permaculture designer and traveled the country visiting other greenhouse operations,” he said. (Permaculture draws inspiration from
Photos courtesy of Profound Microfarms.
Profound Microfarms By Judy Truesdell
The Bednar Family
nature to develop farming practices based on crop diversity, resilience, natural productivity, and sustainability.) They started with a small system in one greenhouse. “We failed a lot. I killed a lot of plants on my journey to understanding how aquaponics and hydroponics work.” (Aquaponics and hydroponics are methods of growing crops without using soil, relying on water to transport the nutrients. Hydroponics uses 95% less water than traditional farming methods.) After three years of research and development, they were at the point that they could start exploring commercial opportunities. “Farming isn’t for the faint of heart, and the farmers we have met along our journey are all remarkable people,” Jeff says. He said it has always been about the community for him and Lee. They recognized how “broken the food supply chain was” and the challenges that people face in our area related directly to the food they eat. “We see how kids have no idea what a potato is, only potato chips, and they don’t know that a chicken tender once belonged to a living animal.” He started connecting with local food and farm community members, which led to meeting many chefs and discovering a niche market that Profound Microfarms could fill. “Chefs in quality restaurants in Dallas and Collin counties were hungry (no pun intended) for fresh, local produce and proteins, and they were incredibly frustrated that they couldn’t find consistent, reliable products direct from local farms. So, that’s what we focused on most – quality and consistency.” On site, Profound Microfarms grows 150 varieties of rare culinary herbs, microgreens (the shoots of salad vegetables picked just after the first leaves have developed), leafy greens, and edible flowers. Believing in continuing to inspire small and sustainable farmers, they hold myriad events on the farm. “We have hosted thousands of visitors, from kids on tours with their Girl and Boy Scout troops, to chef dinners, curated for the season and the occasion.” In 2018 they launched a food hub, Profound Foods, to help
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