From Spectator to Vendor: Our First Andover Day As Leaf Water Farms

For the past 17 years, Andover Day has been one of our favorite days of the year. It’s a tradition that brings our community together in such a special way—Main Street bustling with music, food, local businesses, and thousands of smiling faces. For us, it has always been a celebration of the town we love and a reminder of the strong sense of community that makes Andover such a great place to live.

This year was extra special, because for the very first time, we got to experience Andover Day not just as spectators, but as vendors, through Leaf Water Farms.

🌱 A Full-Circle Moment

Standing on the other side of the booth felt both surreal and exciting. Instead of walking the street with my family, shopping and cheering on local performers, I was welcoming neighbors, new friends, and visitors into our world of hydroponic lettuces, microgreens, and edible flowers. It was a proud milestone for our farm and a full-circle moment for us personally.

💚 Community Connections

Throughout the day, we had the joy of meeting so many new people—folks curious about hydroponics, eager to learn more about Leaf Water Farms and to try fresh microgreens for the first time. At the same time, we were able to reconnect with longtime friends, family, and neighbors who stopped by our booth to say "hello". That combination of familiar faces and new connections is exactly what Andover Day is all about and with it brought a comfort and excitement that made the day fly by.

✨ Why Andover Day Matters

At its heart, Andover Day has always been about more than just a street festival. It’s about celebrating the town itself—the people, the businesses, the nonprofits, the schools, and the organizations that make this community thrive. Being part of that celebration has always been very special to us, but now, as local business owners, it was humbling and inspiring. Everyone was so friendly and curious about Leaf Water Farms. Here are some of the most frequent questions we were asked:

❓Frequent Questions We Heard 

• How did you get into hydroponic farming?
  We shared our story about starting Leaf Water Farms as a family adventure - to see if we could grow vegetables pesticide-free, to bring fresher produce with more flavor to our family table, that would last longer and look better than what we were buying at the grocery store. We explained how we started researching hydroponics, experimenting with different systems, and building our first units in our garage. It's been a journey of curiosity, passion, and community support. 
• What are microgreens? Microgreens are "small but mighty" seedlings of vegetables and herbs harvested just after sprouting. They are packed with intense flavor and up to 40x the nutrients of their mature counterparts. Sometimes they are grown in soil, but at Leaf Water Farms we grow them hydroponically.
• Where is your farm? We are based right here in Andover, MA 
• How can we buy more produce after today? We sell at the Charlesgate Farmers Market in Boston on Sundays though October 19th and via direct pickup/delivery through our website: www.leafwaterfarms.com 
• Can I order your microgreens and lettuce on a weekly basis? Absolutely! On our website, you can build a custom bundle of 4 or more products and choose weekly or bi-weekly pick-up or delivery.
• Why is it so hard to find microgreens at stores? Microgreens take a lot of effort to grow and have a short shelf life, so it can be challenging for stores to stock them consistently, but we are up for the challenge.
• What makes your lettuce different from grocery store brands? Our lettuce is grown hydroponically (no soil), pesticide-free, and harvested fresh within 24-36 hours from when you buy it. Unlike grocery store greens that travel thousands of miles, ours are hyperlocal, longer-lasting, and full of flavor.
• How are microgreens different from sprouts? Sprouts are germinated seeds grown in water and eaten whole (seed, root, stem), microgreens are grown in trays with light, allowing true leaves to form. This makes microgreens more flavorful, nutrient-dense, and versatile in recipes. 
• Do I need to wash them? Since our microgreens are grown in clean, filtered water, without soil or pesticides they ready to eat right out of the package. 
• Do you sell the hydroponics systems too? Right now we focus on growing and selling lettuce, microgreens and edible flowers, but we love educating people on hydroponics and may explore workshops or kits in the future. 
• What do you do with microgreens? Microgreens can elevate almost any dish-salads, sandwiches, smoothies, pastas, eggs, burgers, soups, and more. We love sharing recipes and inspiration so people see how versatile they are.
• Can you deliver to other parts of Massachusetts? Yes! We're starting with Andover, MA but are exploring expanding further. We will eventually deliver/ship throughout MA and beyond Follow us on Instagram and sign up for our emails list  through our website to keep up with the latest about shipping and other news we have to share.

A Big "Thank You" From Leaf Water Farms

To everyone who stopped by our booth, sampled our greens, shared a kind word, or simply waved as they passed—we are so grateful. To Andover Chamber of Commerce and everyone else who worked, volunteered and participated in making Andover Day so special, we really appreciate your effort! You all made our very first Andover Day as a vendor truly unforgettable.

We’re already looking forward to next year, and to many more opportunities to share our passion for fresh, hyperlocal produce with you.

Until then, thank you for welcoming Leaf Water Farms into this incredible tradition. Here’s to growing together!

💚,🌱💧

— Wendy & Mark Donohue
Founders, Leaf Water Farms