Farming Sprouts Urban Opportunities
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowSustainable Local Foods of Indiana has its sights set on growing its urban warehouse farming footprint in central Indiana. The Farm 365 business model involves sophisticated, indoor growing operations located in economically-challenged areas. Project Director Jim Bloom says the for-profit business has a social entrepreneurship mission. "The primary focus of Farm 365 is creating jobs, assisting in the economic recovery in urban neighborhoods and growing healthy foods, specifically in neighborhoods identified as food deserts," he said in the latest edition of the INPower quarterly e-newsletter.
Bloom says the operation on the city’s near-east side that opened late last year is already growing 15 different crops. Eventually, plans call for solar panels in the building’s saw-tooth-shaped roof to power the LED grow lighting and an even bigger target of "water harvesting" by collecting moisture from the air, filtering it, then using it to water the plants.
Farm 365 is working to have its crops fully-planted by October to fill two contracts with a school system and hospital as times when local farm production typically drops off.
Bloom says other goals include having a work force made up of 75-percent employees from the surrounding area and developing a net-zero energy environment, while pumping out produce year-round.
Farm 365 Project Director Jim Bloom explained some of the high-tech plans for the current farming facility on the city’s near-east side.