Ruth’s Local Greens Makes a Nutritional Impact in the Twin Ports

Two Students from UMD started a business only 5 months ago, and are making an impact already through the Twin Ports.

DULUTH, Minn.– Two UMD students came together earlier this year to figure out how to bring a little more green to the Twin Ports in a local and sustainable way.

Wanting to explore ways to provide nutritious food to the Northland led them to find a creative and year-round way to provide these healthy products.

“We always had an interest in agriculture, and we knew buying land wasn’t an option for us right now, and so we thought we’d grow healthy food in an urban setting and it’s just taken off from there and we’ve done really well with it,” Cassidy Thompson, Co-Founder of Ruth’s Local Greens, said.

Ruth’s Local Green’s began in February of 2021, its name comes from Ian Anderson and Cassidy Thompson’s dog, Ruth.

Since they could not afford to purchase land yet, it was YouTube that led these entrepreneurs to their current operation.

“A big community has come around on the internet about bringing these vegetables into our communities because they’re so easy to produce, they’re so cheap to produce, and they can be grown year round,” Ian Anderson, Co-Founder of Ruth’s Local Greens, said.

Microgreens are the grow stage after a sprout but before a small plant, and they are more than just nutrition dense, the specific growing process allows Cassidy and Ian to grow the products indoors and year-round, under specific LED t5 lights, and they use less water, no fertilizer or pesticides, and it all takes a smaller space to grow.

“But we get to grow year-round which means that we can be a supplier of fresh food for the community that’s right from the Twin Ports,” Thompson said.

Ruth’s Local Greens formed a partnership with the Juice Pharm in Duluth serving over two pounds of these fresh products a week.

The business also offers subscriptions through all seasons.

“We offer year-round subscriptions, you order on our website, we package the order and deliver it the day after its harvested,” Anderson said.

The grow process typically takes a week, and the greens last a week or two after delivery.

But the feedback about these local greens from all ages is what keeps Ian and Cassidy going.

“Everybody who has kids who buys from us says like thank you so much for providing something that my kids will actually eat,” Anderson said.

You can find Ruth’s Local Greens set up at the Superior Farmers Market on Wednesdays 11AM-2PM, and Saturday’s on Barkers Island from 9AM-12 Noon.

Click here to find more information, or how to place orders.