Back to the Roots

When a few fraternity guys became full-time urban mushroom farmers, who knew it would turn into an international business that allows anyone to begin growing their own organic produce in even the smallest spaces? Now, Back to the Roots is even helping feed millions of school children, producing the first-ever organic cereal offered in U.S. schools.

Back to the Roots offers several year-round, indoor gardening products and they’re all 100 percent guaranteed to grow. The most affordable options are the kitchen herb growing kit and organic mushroom growing kit. The former lets you grow basil, cilantro and mint straight from a drain-free can, with no chemicals or transplanting required. The latter produces delicious oyster mushrooms in just 10 days. Both start at $20. For a little extra, you can get similar kits to grow shishito peppers, chili peppers and cherry tomatoes.

If you want to combine your love of animals with your hunger for home-grown produce, Back to the Roots also offers a water garden. A self-cleaning beta fish tank is a scaled-down aquaponics system — the fish waste fertilizes the plants (organic microgreens and herbs) and the plants clean the water. Larger packages that include a combination of the above kits are also available from $90.

Each indoor gardening kit is part of the #GrowOneGiveOne campaign. Purchase a kit, post a photo of what you grew and the company donates a gardening kit and curriculum to a classroom of your choice.

Back to the Roots also offers its organic cereals on its site (though they’re currently sold out). The cereals range from Cocoa Clusters to Purple Corn Flakes and each includes four ingredients or less and no preservatives or additives.