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Freight Farm To Teach Youth About Sustainable Agriculture
Beyond School Bells is partnering with the Bay in Lincoln for a new after-school program that will teach students about sustainable ag technology. "We really see Freight Farm as kind of that key, climate-change impervious tool that young people need to know about as we face an uncertain future," said Jeff Cole, Network Lead for Beyond School Bells
by Nicole Weaving
July 24th, 2021
LINCOLN, Neb. — Beyond School Bells is partnering with the Bay in Lincoln for a new after-school program that will teach students about sustainable ag technology.
"We really see Freight Farm as kind of that key, climate-change impervious tool that young people need to know about as we face an uncertain future," said Jeff Cole, Network Lead for Beyond School Bells.
An old shipping container in the parking lot of the Bay has been transformed in a self-contained hydroponic farm.
Using red and blue LED lights, this Freight Farm, known as the Greenery, creates a climate-controlled environment, where the plants grow vertically without a need for soil.
"We enrich the water with nutrients that would normally be in the soil," said Colton Harper, Organizing Manager for The Greenery. "And then in these grow walls, we've got spickets that come right through these foam and it's directly onto the roots of the plants."
Inside of the Greenery with the red and blue LED lights on. (KHGI)
According to Harper, there are currently about 6,000 plants growing in the Freight Farm, but at full capacity, it can hold 13,000 plants between the seeding area and that walls. That would produce the equivalent of a 2.5-acre farm year-round.
"Even in the winter, if there are shortages anywhere, we can turn on a dime, 7-week grow cycle and be able to provide those crops for local markets," said Harper.
The Greenery arrived in Lincoln in April, and Harper has led to two teams to get it up and running. They are currently preparing for their first harvest with items like basil, lettuce, and radishes.
"We're at about Week 7, and in 2-3 weeks, we'll have our produce at a farmer's market," said Harper.
After a few more grow cycles, the program will open to local students to teach them all aspects of sustainable farming.
"From the electrical side, the growing, the programming, computer science to the irrigation, the HVAC system, there's so many elements," said Harper. "And we're particularly well-placed with the Bay and their digital design area of focus, the students will also be able to design the packaging, design the labeling, so it's really a full-circle, interdisciplinary opportunity for the students to get involved."
The Greenery plans to hold a Harvest Party to celebrates the farm's success in the coming weeks
New Hydroponic Farm, Vittone Farms, Is Welcomed To The Smith Mountain Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce With Ribbon Cutting
“What is great about hydroponic growing is that we can serve the local community with safe, nutritional food 365 days a year, additionally local farming removes the extended transportation of produce from the equation
May 12, 2021
Vittone Farms, Inc., a true-agricultural start-up that uses hydroponic farming to grow thousands of plants a month and host of the Smith Mountain Lake (SML) Farmers Market, celebrated the ribbon cutting with the Smith Mountain Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, May 5, 2021. As an official member of the region’s growing business community, Vittone Farms looks forward to supporting the local and seasonal community.
10 local businesses attended the ribbon cutting and each attendee was provided with a hydroponic salad lunch created by a local Smith Mountain Lake restaurant, The Landing Restaurant, with salad ingredients provided by Vittone Farms.
The 40-foot farming container uses advanced vertical farming techniques using every inch of space for effective, indoor, all-season, all-weather growing and sits on land once known in the community for the Mayberry Diner & Drive-In. In 2007 the Diner burned down and for the past several years the prominent land remained vacant and unusable. Vittone Farms plans to make this land useful once again through the use of the farm and farmers market, making Vittone Farms a viable member of the Smith Mountain Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce. The SML Farmers Market features local growers and producers from within a 100-mile radius of its location in Moneta, VA and for the 2021 season, all members of 4-H, FFA, or any young farmer or producer under the age of 18 is eligible to receive free booth space at the up-and-coming farmers market.
The Vittone Farms team consists of Jeff Vittone, the founder of Vittone Farms and SML Famers Market and a U.S. Air Force Veteran, Jordan Gudely, a lifelong farmer who attained his Argibusiness Management Degree from North Carolina State University gained unique experience with organic fruit and vegetable production from the NC State sweet potato breeding program also has 1.5 years’ experience in different forms of farming works alongside part-time worker Kevin Painchaud, a local high school student, and future Horticultural Science Major at Virginia Tech. The Vittone Farms team is preparing for the farmer’s market season by growing a variety of plants and herbs inside the container farm and will continue to learn how to optimize the unique sustainable farming technique.
Vittone Farms offers a variety of produce derived from organic seeds and pesticide-free nutrients from its initial harvest including: Butter Lettuce, Romaine, Bibb Lettuce, Red and Green Salanova Sweet Crisp, Basil, Cilantro, Dill, Parsley, and Radish. Soon, Vittone Farms plans to include Microgreens and eggs from free-range, cage-free, organically fed chickens.
“What is great about hydroponic growing is that we can serve the local community with safe, nutritional food 365 days a year, additionally local farming removes the extended transportation of produce from the equation. When food is shipped over extended distances it loses its quality and nutritional value. We are grateful to be part of this beautiful community and welcomed by the local chamber of commerce. We are honored to make use of a once treasured land by not only growing on the land but inviting others to join us each weekend by selling their local meats, produce, or designs,” adds Jeff Vittone.