Ashley Schuler

The Herald News - October 9, 2023

WESTPORT — There's a new addition at the Lees Market site that's sprouted excitement among staff and customers alike over the past few months.

From the outside, it's a 40-foot by 9-foot revamped shipping container, but there's plenty more than meets the eye inside the Westport store's curious new annex that sits at the end of its parking lot.

Inside you'll find a 2.5-acre working farm. 

Vertigreens, Lees' own on-site hydroponic farm, was unveiled this July, with the goal of supplying next-level fresh and local produce to all three of their locations year-round. 

According to Lees store manager Matt Cummings, Vertigreens is part of the family-run market's continued efforts to remain forward-thinking while creating a niche for themselves.  

"It's unique," Cummings said. "We're not aware of any other supermarket that does what we're doing, to supply your own stores with the farm right on your property. And hopefully in turn it gives the customers the freshest product you can get. Most of the time when you buy lettuce, it comes out of California or other parts of the country, and it could be days old before you get it. Here you are getting it within hours."

Lees is owned by the Clements family, which also owns and operates Clements' Marketplaces in Portsmouth, R.I., and Plymouth. Produce grown in Westport will be available at all three sites, located in refrigerated cases at the front of the store.

With the hydroponic operation, Lees is sowing the seeds for a budding new business venture they are hoping will bear fruit — all kinds of produce, really — for years to come.

"It's, we think, the future of farming," Cummings said.

What are the benefits of the hydroponic farm? 

So how does hydroponic farming compare to traditional soil-based farming? Cummings says the advantages are clear.

"It's a controlled environment, so we can control the heat, the cold, we don't have to worry about pests, and it's a 52-week operation ... whereas if you're an outdoor farmer you are obviously just farming in the summer and fall. Here we can do it year-round," Cummings said.

The product isn't any more expensive for the consumer, Cummings noted, and it actually cuts down on energy costs. 

Their closed-loop water system ensures the farm — with a 2.5 acre growing equivalent — uses less than 5 gallons of water per day.

In addition to its reduced water usage, Cummings said Vertigreens is environmentally friendly down to its packaging.

"We know plastics are a big problem ... we try to set ourselves a little bit apart to try to get something that's compostable and biodegradable. ... I think in the end customers who are aware of the plastics situation appreciate it," Cummings said.

How the Vertigreens farm works

Vertigreens is housed in a state-of-the-art converted shipping container, which was delivered via flatbed at the end of June and began operating in July.

According to Cummings, growing their own hydroponic produce is a roughly a seven-week process that starts with a seed and a pod. 

After three weeks in the nursery, the plants get transplanted onto Vertigreens' cultivation wall, where drop irrigation feeds them water and nutrients for approximately four weeks. Plants are given 18 hours of light per day during that time before they are finally harvested and packaged.

In a video post on Lees' Facebook page, JD Squires, produce manager at Lees who also runs the farm, gave curious customers — who until recently hadn't seen much beyond the shipping container emblazoned with the Vertigreens logo — an inside look as to how their new produce operation works.

The tech behind the scenes organizes crops, water temperature, air temperature, humidity, CO2 levels, pH levels, and nutrients. The trick is finding the right balance to yield the best results.

Now only three months into their journey, Cummings noted Lees' farm is very much in its "trial phase," learning to grow as they go so the hydroponic business itself can grow.

But so far the customer feedback has been positive, he said.

Vertigreens' first harvest hit the shelves in early August, and so far all three stores have sold out of every harvest they've had, "which is a good sign."

"They like the idea, they like the concept, people think it's cutting-edge. So far it's been pretty good," Cummings said.

What kind of produce does Vertigreens grow? 

Right now, Vertigreens is producing green leaf, red leaf lettuce, romaine and Boston lettuces, arugula, basil and radishes.

Prices of hydroponic produce range from $3.99 for radishes, and some salads go for $5.99. "It's competitive with what's out there," Cummings said. "We didn't want to price ourselves right out of the market."

Plans for growing the Vertigreens operation

Once things get rolling, there are exciting plans on the horizon for Vertigreens. Among their goals is partnering with local restaurants to supply them with Lees' hydroponic greens, which Cummings anticipates would be a win-win for all.

He also hopes to open the doors of their farm to local schools, who could use it as an educational tool. He envisions having students visit to plant produce themselves, as well as using the cameras on site so kids can watch their greens grow right from their classroom.

The goal is also to eventually harvest enough greens on site to use in Lees' prepared foods and Blue Lobster Cafe offerings.