Meet nick millisor of Ullr’s Garden

Today we’d like to introduce you to nick millisor.

Hi nick, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Well, it all started in July of 2021 during that week around the fourth of July where several horrific climate disasters all around the world happen all at the same time. I remember it flooding in Germany and China, a town in Canada being burnt off the map and the thing that has always stuck with me is the fact that it got so hot in the bay of Seattle that clams cooked alive in the ocean. To say these events opened my eyes to the reality of an uncertain climate future is an understatement.

At the time I was fully engaged in what I thought was the “right career” in sales and eventual real estate after college, doing all the things I thought were the correct things to do to set up a good life. That weekend, however, made me ask myself “What would be the point of making it to the good life if the future looked more and more like it would be a climate nightmare,” I mean what is a million dollars worth if there is no air to breathe or water to drink. I was thrown into what my therapist called a climate-induced depression and in an attempt to find a way forward I found a phrase that changed my perspective; “Think Global but act Local”

Having been inspired by people living this credo around the world I decided that even if the world is doomed I would rather go out swinging. It was then that I came upon the idea of hydroponic container farms. Considering that Denver is a high plans desert with its fair share of harsh winter conditions the idea of growing 3-4 acres of food in a 560 sqft container that can grow food year-round while using 95% less water felt like a very natural fit. With this idea in hand, I was able to recruit my brother and cousin to join me in what would quickly become Ullr’s Garden a full 6-acre hydroponic container farm in the heart of Denver’s old industrial zone.

In the beginning, everything we did was new to us, and we had a lot of learning to do. None of us had any real experience in agriculture that we could draw upon so we had to learn as we went. The first 6 months were us just trying to see if we could grow a thousand heads of lettuce in a container, as it turns out we could, and the stuff we were harvesting was amazing. That leads us to our second big learning curve; “how do you sell lettuce?”

As it turns out all we had to do was get people to try our lettuce and it sold itself, but by working with Cheifs and Gociery stores we have learned a lot about how the food distribution system operates and how we can get our produce in front of people. starting from scratch was almost a benefit because we did not have an idea of what the “right way” was to distribute our products but instead allowed us to think creatively and find creative approaches that where unique. From working with breweries to create convenient drop-off points for our farm share program to working directly with chefs and grocery stores we have found what works for different customers.

Today we are in 4 different grocery stores, we have worked with chefs from many different restaurants all in the Denver area providing high-quality produce all year round. We have and will continue to learn and grow as we look to bring food that is healthier for the people of Denver and the planet!

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
As stated earlier we have had our fair share of challanges. Learing on the fly sometimes means that it is only with hindsight that you realize what the better way to do something is, but for us it is not about being perfect but being better tomorrow than we were today. Our team would be the first to admit that we have made mistakes but we have never made the same mistake twice. We are constantly learning and adapting to the market and the planet.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We are Ullr’s Garden your locally-grown hydroponic farm growing high-quality produce in the middle of Denver. Our hydroponic system allows us to grow the best leafy greens and lettuce all year round while using 95% less water than traditional commercial farms! We are proudly dedicated to growing food that is better for our customers and the planet. From using 95% less water to recycled water bottle packaging to being 100% solar-powered we are constantly trying to find ways to reduce our impact on Mother Earth while also growing the best-tasting lettuce in the city.

We are also very proud to support our local partners to get our greens to the great people of Denver. You can currently find our greens in Leevers at Locavore, both Marczyks locations and we’re also available to get delivered right to your door through Pine Melon.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Well, I guess it depends on your perspective on the future, whether we are risk-takers or not. I guess it could be viewed as risky to leave a stable and successful job in sales to fund and work in a completely new field. Many of our ownership team walked away from well-paying fields to start this farm but to us, the bigger risk would have been to do nothing.

In the end, what is all the money in the world worth if there is no safe air to breathe, water to drink, or indeed food to eat? Climate change is real and is not going to magically disappear any time soon, in fact even if we were able to stop all carbon output now today humanity would still feel the effect of what we have done to the planet for generations to come, and it is only getting worse as we continue to do too little too late. We did not want to be a part of the too little too late crowd, so we took what traditionally looks like a risk, but for us, it was the least risky option.

For all the time, energy, and money we have put into our enterprise, it will all be worth it to inspire one other person to do something similar in their hometown, to help shift the needle just a little bit toward a liveable future for our kids and grandkids. To us that is the only risk worth taking.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ullrsgarden.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ullrsgarden/

Image Credits
Photos provided for by the Ullr’s Garden Team