CHECK OUT OUR HDYROPONIC FARM
Hey Neighbors!
Some of you may be wondering, "What's up with the large metal box parked at North Market??"
Well, wonder no more. This box is actually a hydroponic farm—which is a new cool way to grow plants. Instead of soil, the plants are given water filled with nutrients to help them grow. And instead of under the sun, the plants grow under UV light!
This hydroponic farm will grow a variety of greens and herbs to be packaged and sold at North Market. It's another way we are increasing access to fresh local produce for our Northside neighbors!
Imagine that: Buying produce that's grown 50 feet away from the store. It doesn't get any more local than that!
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The Life of a Hydroponic Plant
Germination
Each seed is planted in a “grow plug” made of coconut husk and peat moss, which holds water and keeps its shape better than traditional soil. The seeded plug is then soaked in water and placed under special LED lights. Over the next week, our seeds will receive 19 hours of sunlight every day at a temperature of 70° F.
Nursery
After seven days, our baby seedlings are relocated to the nursery. Here, the tiny sprouts are watered every 12 hours with a special nutrient-rich solution that ensures healthy growth. Plants continue to receive 19 hours of sunlight per day—and depending on the particular crop, a seedling can spend anywhere between 2-4 weeks growing in the nursery.
Growing
Once a seedling has matured, it’s time to transplant to our vertical grow towers. Each plant is carefully spaced out to avoid the spread of algae, insects, and plant diseases. The interior of the Freight Farm holds 256 grow towers, each of which holds 16 plants—meaning our growing space is equal to 2-3 acres of outdoor field space.
Harvest
After three weeks in the grow towers, it’s time to harvest. Although this is the shortest step, it requires very careful planning on the farmer’s part to ensure a steady supply of fresh produce for North Market shoppers. After a quick inspection, the produce is packed and transported across the parking lot for sale at North Market.
- The interior of the Freight Farm is climate-controlled, meaning that plants can grow year-round from the hottest summer day to the coldest winter night.
- The Freight Farm is slightly tilted! While it’s not noticeable to the farmer, the very slight (3°) angle allows for any waste water to drain back into the Freight Farm’s storage tanks. Reverse-osmosis filtering helps purify the water, making it safe once again for human (and plant) consumption.
- The Freight Farm interior is equipped with 4 Bluetooth speakers, allowing the farmer and seedlings to listen to music all day!
- “Daytime” for our crops actually takes place at night! The Freight Farm’s LED lights create a lot of heat and can damage the farmer's eyes without special protective glasses—so it’s easier to run the lights during nighttime hours, when the farmer isn’t present. By using the majority of our electricity at night, we also reduce the farm's operating costs.
