From Seed to Sourdough: A Visit with CrowesGrow & CrowesDough

Every visit to a local maker tells a different story, but some stay with you a little longer. My friends Melissa and Patrick, the couple behind CrowesDough and CrowesGrow, were one of those experiences. Their home is not just where they live; it’s where they grow, bake, learn, and build something meaningful together.

At Copper & Thyme, we love connecting with Charlotte’s local food producers to understand the care behind their work and bring the highest quality ingredients to everything we make.

Seeing the care behind their products shows how thoughtful choices in food can shape everyday life. Good food starts long before it reaches the plate-it begins with intention, curiosity, and a willingness to do things a little differently.

Where It All Began

Their story started in a season many families can relate to. After welcoming their first daughter in 2020, Patrick began focusing more on his health. That meant cleaner eating, more movement, and learning as much as he could about nutrition. 

That is when he discovered microgreens.

Patrick: “What drew me in at first was the health benefits that surround microgreens. They are up to 40x the nutritional density in one cup of greens compared to 8-10 cups of their mature counterpart. That totally fascinated me and I wanted to try to grow them right away.”

For Patrick and Melissa, family comes first. Their children are the driving force behind everything they do, inspiring both their work and their daily lives.

Patrick and Melissa: “Our kids are our inspiration. 100%. I wanted to be able to stay home with our kids from the beginning. I didn’t know how that was going to work exactly. But getting to do what you love from home with your kids by your side is amazing. Exhausting, but amazing and they push us to do more each day to give them the best life we can.” 

CrowesGrow: Microgreens You’ll Love to Eat in Charlotte, NC

Microgreens are one of those ingredients that can completely shift how you think about food.

At CrowesGrow, Melissa and Patrick grow everything from pea shoots and sunflowers to radish, cilantro, and their most popular broccoli, which is full of immune-boosting sulforaphane. They use only organic seeds, organic soil, and filtered water to make sure every leaf is healthy and fresh.

Microgreens are super versatile - a little goes a long way. They love tossing them in salads, taco bowls, or even on burgers to add flavor and nutrition. For them, growing microgreens is about more than food, it’s about creating something healthy and meaningful for their community.

Patrick: “Our seeds are all organic and sourced from various places. We also grow in organic soil and use filtered water. We use the highest quality materials and seeds we can find, as it not only produces the best product but gives the best health benefits as well for our community.”

For anyone focused on meal prep in Charlotte, ingredients like this make a big difference. They allow meals to feel fresh and vibrant without adding complexity.

Patrick: “We love them in salads most as it’s the easiest way to eat them. But another favorite way is to add them to taco bowls (radish is our favorite). Mustard on a burger can replace the condiment, and corn shoots can sweeten up any dish.”

CrowesDough: Melissa’s Sourdough Journey

Melissa started discovering her passion in the kitchen by baking sourdough for family and friends. She quickly noticed it wasn’t just the bread that people loved - each loaf brought a sense of comfort and warmth that kept everyone coming back. That experience inspired her to start her brand, CrowesDough, with Patrick encouraging her to take it further, seeing the potential before she fully did.

Melissa: “More often than not, when people buy our bread, it seems to trigger some kind of stored memory. I believe our bread brings out an old-time nostalgia that people today need-a time when life was simpler, and bread was fresh out of the oven. I put so much love and passion into my product, and I hope it shines through with each bite.”

Over time, Melissa focused on mastering technique, learning how to develop gluten, understand fermentation, and maintain a strong starter. 

Melissa: “I do my best to buy as many local and organic ingredients as possible. Our flour is organic and comes from a fabulous mill. We also mill our own grain in a lot of our bread recipes, and you can taste the difference. Fresh-milled flour is packed with vitamins and minerals our bodies thrive on, and I’m happy to be adding it to our products.”

A Family First Approach

At the center of both businesses is a clear priority. Family comes first.

Melissa stepped away from her teaching career to be home with their children. Together, they have built a life that allows them to work from home while staying present with their kids. It is not always easy, but it is deeply intentional.

P&M: “We are like yin and yang. While we both have a creative side and entrepreneurial spirit- Patrick handles all the finances and microgreens of the business and I handle the day to day management and do all the dough. We both have skills that we excel in and we are good at utilizing them to grow together.” 

It works because they respect each other’s strengths and step in where needed. It is very much a team effort.

Food with Intention

What stood out most during my visit was their commitment to quality.

P&M: “We hope that they can taste the difference from what they would buy at a big box store or even a larger production of microgreens or bread. We stay small for a reason - quality over quantity, value over volume and love over revenue.”

This is something I think about often in my own work with Copper & Thyme. Clients are not just looking for convenience. They want food that supports their lifestyle and their health.

Good ingredients are the foundation of that.

Community & Connection in Charlotte: Food That Brings Us Together

Melissa and Patrick are a regular presence at local farmers markets, including Matthews Community Farmers Market and Cotswold Farmers Market.

For them, it is about more than selling products. It is about building relationships and helping people understand how food can support their well-being.

P&M: “My favorite part of talking to people is when their eyes get big because I know I’ve made a change in the way they think. The community of Charlotte loves local food. Each year we see more farm stands and markets popping up to share the love. It’s so great to be a part of it all.”

As a personal chef in Charlotte, NC, I see that same moment with clients. There is a shift that happens when people start to connect the way they eat with how they feel. It is simple, but it is powerful.

Life, Love, and a Little Structure

Their days are full, but thoughtfully structured.

Melissa often starts early, baking before the kids wake up. Their days include homeschooling, family time, and managing the business together. In the evenings, they reset and prepare for the next day.

P&M: “I think a lot of the time when you talk to couples, everyone usually has their own agenda. They stay in their own lanes but we have a genuine interest in each other's hobbies and a shared interest in the mission of health that we both will bend over backwards to help each other continue to grow in this space. We support each other and work so well as a team together.”

Patrick still balances a full-time role alongside the business, which makes their partnership even more important. They support each other in a way that keeps everything moving forward.

What the Day Brings Back

Spending time with Melissa and Patrick is a reminder that food is not just about what we eat, but how we live. Their work reflects a slower, more thoughtful approach, one that values quality, family, and connection over convenience.

It is something I carry with me in my own work. Whether it is sourcing ingredients, planning menus, or preparing meals for clients, the goal is always to bring that same sense of ease and intention into the home.

If this kind of approach resonates with you, there are many ways to start. Maybe it is visiting a local market, trying something new in your kitchen, or simply paying a little more attention to the ingredients you bring home.

And if you ever find yourself curious about what it could look like to have that kind of support built into your routine, working with a personal chef in Charlotte, NC can be a natural next step. Not as a luxury, but as a way to create more space for what matters most.