芝加哥立体农场案例VERTICAL-FARM

CHICAGO'SNEWESTVERTICALFARM,LARGESTINUSAUrbanfarmingisperhapsthemostpopulartrendtodaywhendiscussingUrbanGreening.Ithasresultedfromafoodrevolutionbothinconceptsandimplementation,bringingintofocusonwhatissustainable,organic,andlocal.AuthorssuchasMichaelPollenhaveexposedandquestionedourmodernconnectiontofood,orotherslikeFritzHaegattacktheconceptoffrontlawns,encouragingediblelandscapes.Itissafetosaythefoodissuesofproductionandsecuritywillnotbebrushedaside.UrbanfarmingisperhapsthemostpopulartrendtodaywhendiscussingUrbanGreening.Ithasresultedfromafoodrevolutionbothinconceptsandimplementation,bringingintofocusonwhatissustainable,organic,andlocal.AuthorssuchasMichaelPollenhaveexposedandquestionedourmodernconnectiontofood,orotherslikeFritzHaegattacktheconceptoffrontlawns,encouragingediblelandscapes.Itissafetosaythefoodissuesofproductionandsecuritywillnotbebrushedaside.Urbanfarmingcanbeeitheracommunityandsociallyledprojectoramorefocusedindustrialproductionoffood.Themostrecentapproachforstart-upFarmedHere,wasconverting90,000squarefeetofaformerlyabandonedsuburbanChicagowarehouseintothelargestindustrialindoorverticalfarmintheUnitedStates.Thefacility,whichisactuallythecompany'sthird,willaimtoproduceanupwardsofahalfmillionkilosofleafygreensperyear,includingbasil,arugulaandmints.TechnologyTheindoorfarmwillbeequippedwith20five-tieredsystems,litbyenergy-efficientfluorescentbulbs.Theplantsaregrowinghydroponically,whenrootsareimmersedinwater,oraeroponically,whennutrientsaresprayedontheroots.Bothprocessesarewithoutsoil,freeofherbicidesandpesticides,anduseupto97%lesswaterthanconventionalfarming.Itisaclosedloopandsymbioticsystem,inwhichnutrientsarederivedfromtanksofhormone-freetilapiawhosenitrogenrichwaste,offersupnutrientstotheplantsinacontrolledenvironmentthatensuresoptimalgrowing.Thetilapiaarealsoapartofthefarmsinventory,providingatrulylocalfishsupply.FinancingFarmedHerewasabletogrowrapidlyfromexperimenttopioneerbecauseofinnovativeandenthusiasticentrepreneurship,whichattractedtheattentionsofinvestorsandlenders.FamilyFarmed.orghelpedthecompanymakekeyconnectionsattheGoodFoodFinancingConferencethateventuallyledtoanamountof$1millionraisedthroughprivatefinancing,and$700,000inloans.FarmedHerewillalsoprovidethecommunitywithroughly200newjobsthroughapartnershipwiththeChicagoBotanicGardenprogram,WindyCityHarvest.Distributionoftheproductisalargecomponenttothesuccessofthisventure,andWholeFoodsInc.havebecomethefirstadopter.DenmarkAquaponicsNuisanaspiringconsultingandeducationalgroupaimingtoincreasethedemandforaquaponicsinDenmark.HopefullyitcanalsofollowinthepathofsuccessseenbyFarmedHereinChicago.