US: South Carolina: Hamby Catering And Vertical Roots Team Up To Bring Locally Grown Lettuce To An Event Near You
Jun 12, 2019
Posted by Sara Srochi
As of Mon. June 10, Vertical Roots has partnered with Hamby Catering & Events, Charleston’s oldest local catering company, to be their exclusive lettuce provider in a shared effort to increase the amount of locally grown food consumed in Charleston.
Vertical Roots is a hydroponic farm that produces fresh, chemical-free lettuce year- round in recycled shipping containers. Perhaps the most exciting aspect about this new partnership is the environmental impact it has.
Vertical Roots is only 16 miles away from the catering company's home base in West Ashley. By teaming up with this little new age farm, Hamby is taking steps in being environmentally conscious (goodbye imported products delivered from hundreds of miles away) while improving the quality of their produce at the same time.
The farm is able to produce above average veg because of their high-tech growing method: seedlings grow in automated "growing pods," that are climate controlled, which reduces excess water (in fact, it uses about 98 percent less water than traditional agricultural methods). The pods require no soil and use LED lights to mimic sunlight, so lettuce can grow inside all year long without any interference from mercurial Mother Nature.
“Being part of the Charleston community for 40 years makes it all the more important for us to support the community that has so graciously supported us,” said Hamby Catering President Candice Wigfield in a press release. Vertical Roots lettuce will be used for all Hamby catered-events, as well as the Market at Hamby, located at their West Ashley location.
You can find Vertical Roots lettuce (we love the Bibb) at Harris Teeter, Food lion, Whole Foods, Lowes Foods, Earth Fare, and soon, Publix.