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Urban Gardening

Sep 10, 2024

In today’s opinion piece we are looking at the concept of ‘Urban Gardens’.  

People are becoming more and more creative, and inventive with very little space: planting vegetable & flower gardens on rooftops, salad and herbs on balconies and windowsills.  

Growing our own food is not only a tasty and healthy option, but also empowering. Having the knowledge of where our food is coming from and what has gone into its growth, for example, knowing that no pesticides have been used. Plus, it reduces carbon emissions as it does not have to travel miles to get to your plate! 

Space is a factor for many businesses considering urban gardening as they may not have what is needed for more commercial growth.  

There are now a number of companies who have come up with solutions.  I met with Dan O’Brien from ‘Farmony’  who provides indoor vertical farms, which use hydroponics and have a range of options: from stackable trolleys with trays called ‘modules’, to mobile, purpose built 40-foot containers called ‘Arks’. 

 It is not just the space though.  For healthy propagation the right lighting, temperature, water & nutrients are needed - to get a full yield for your efforts.  The great thing about indoor, climate-controlled environments is that there is very little spoilage. And no pests – therefore no pesticides.  So, what can you grow? Leafy Greens, Herbs, Fruiting Crops, Edible flowers, and micro greens. 

For those who would like to grow their own produce, this type of facility will also reduce their environmental impact.  

No transport carbon emissions, less food waste as you grow what you need, and you have growth all year round.  With sensors, climate control and hydroponics it is possible to manage your energy & water costs efficiently too.   

Like many environmental-friendly options this can appear as an expensive start.  What we recommend before any investment is to do an audit to see if it is financially worth it for your kitchen. Farmony provides figures of yields for different plants and the costs of growth using their products which is useful for comparison.  

Why not do a trial? Before looking at the large-scale possibilities, try one stackable trolley and do the numbers.   In the current climate of economic targets & management for businesses, and now environmental targets, this is looking towards the future.  As a hospitality business it makes sense to look at what and how you can produce some of your own food.   

If you want to look at a simple change you can make today without investment, why not start with a herb garden on a windowsill (if you haven’t already). Then a salad garden and on to a vegetable plot.  

The advantages of moving on then to hydroponics and vertical farming is that you are not dealing with soil, pest control, and possible low yields.  This type of farming ensure that you can quantify your produce and successfully grow year after year - tasty and healthy food in an urban space. 

If you want to learn more about the many ways you can work to reduce your business' air miles and green your supply chain - our Green Purchasing module which is part of our Green Business Online programme provides a clear framework to green your products and services and spread a culture of sustainability within your supply chain, reducing environmental impact and boosting local economies.

Or email us on [email protected] 

Thank you for reading today!

The FSG Team đź’š

 

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