This week a few of us at element14 had the opportunity to visit Green Spirit Farms, a vertical farm in New Buffalo, Michigan, founded in 2011. It was a fascinating experience and we're appreciative of the time Milan and Dan Kluko spent with us. Milan is the acting president and CEO of Green Spirit Farms, and his son Dan leads research and development for the operation.
We were there to shoot some video content of Milan, Dan and the operation. The chemistry and engineering within Green Spirit Farms is incredible, so we're excited to share that additional video content with members, especially those participating in our Vertical Farming Challenge, when it's ready.
Upon our arrival at Green Spirit Farms, we were shown to an observation deck of sorts overlooking the entire operation. It was warm - about 84 degrees - and we got an overview of the produce grown (lettuce, kale, radishes, spinach, basil). Here's a shot of the space from the second floor:
Here's the ground-level view with young kale pictured. Green Spirit Farms uses hydroponics, so the black trays containing the produce actually have 1-2 inches of nutrient-rich water in them. Sheets of Styrofoam float on top of the water, and holes have been drilled into the Styrofoam 8 inches apart. The plants, which start in the facility's nursery, have rockwool at their base, and both the rockwool and plants are placed in the holes of the Styrofoam where they grow:
Some of the largest, freshest-looking basil I've ever seen. And it smelled so good!
Here's a shot at the LED lighting installed over some of the plants. Fans throughout the facility - on the ground, on the ceiling and these pictured on the plant racks - keep the air circulating:
Stay tuned for more Green Spirit Farms content in the next few weeks. We're excited to share their story!
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