Chicago’s Farm Warehouse

An interesting new urban agriculture project has been unveiled in Chicago. The FarmedHere project houses 90,000 square feet of disused warehouse space that has been converted into a green growing factory.

FarmedHere’s vision is to create a sustainable, environmentally friendly urban management scheme that both reinvigorates previously neglected brownfield sites, and produces top quality food close to where it will be consumed.

Located in an abandoned warehouse just 15 miles from downtown Chicago, the urban farm grows arangula and herbs using vertical farming techniques. The plants grow on six shelves from floor to ceiling, covering 150,000 square feet

The water used in the aquaponic and aeroponic systems is recycled meaning that very little water is ever wasted. CEO of FarmedHere Jolanta Hardej explains the project’s green credentials;

“We use about 3% of the water of traditional agriculture and it’s all recyclable.”

The warehouse is the largest indoor aquaponic farm in the US, and has recently been granted organic status. The plan is to increase production to a million pounds of greens annually.

Full Story;

http://www.fastcoexist.com/1681657/inside-a-nondescript-chicago-warehouse-hides-an-enormous-farm#1