Farmers create customized shipping containers that could transform how we grow food: 'These belong in every community'

You might not expect to see farm-fresh lettuce during winter in Alaska, but it may soon become a familiar sight. 

Alaska Public Media reported on the pioneering indoor farmers growing produce year-round.

Several farmers on the Kenai Peninsula have turned to hydroponics as a solution for growing fresh produce, many of them doing so inside converted shipping containers. Hundreds of pounds can be harvested weekly regardless of snow and freezing temperatures.

"The advantage of growing indoors, in a container like we have, is that we can control the environment," said Henry Krull, owner of fresh365, a farm housed inside custom-built insulated shipping containers. Its vertical growing towers produce greens, herbs, and gourmet mushrooms.

"We can grow no matter what's going on outside. It can be 30 below outside, but it's always 70 degrees or so inside," Krull told Alaska Public Media.

In the winter, Alaska's produce is almost entirely shipped from the Lower 48 states or other hemispheres. Traveling such long distances can reduce its life, making it more likely to become food waste.

"If you go to the grocery store and pick up a head of lettuce right now, by the time you get it home it will be wilted," explained Jayme Lewis, another farmer, to Alaska Public Media.

Lewis' hydroponic farm, Edgy Veggie (@edgyveggieco), supplies local restaurants because its vegetables are fresher and last longer than grocery store produce.

Hydroponic systems use recycled nutrient-filled water to grow plants without soil. The controlled lighting and climate are ideal for Alaska, where the growing season lasts only three months.  

In 2018, Krull and his family turned to hydroponics as a sustainable way to provide the community with healthy, fresh, locally-grown greens. 

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"These belong in every community," Krull told Alaska Public Media. "We've been able to prove that as a business model, it works. You can make a profit doing it, you can provide a good service to your community, and I think we can really do good for our community by providing something that is not readily available on a year-round basis."

A third of planet-heating pollution comes from our food system, including supply chain activities. Thirty-six percent of food-miles emissions come from the global transportation of fruits and vegetables, nearly double the amount of polluting gases released during production.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, only 5% of the food Alaskans consume is grown locally. Transitioning to more local produce will reduce those environmental impacts and foster communities that are resilient to supply chain disruptions caused by extreme weather events.

The controlled hydroponic environment also eliminates the need for environmentally damaging pesticides. The method minimizes waste, using up to 99% less water than traditional farming. 

In Alaska, hydroponic farming is currently more expensive than traditional methods due to high energy costs. Fresh365 received a Department of Agriculture grant to help fund the installation of solar panels, which will help offset energy costs. 

The farmers hope additional government assistance will allow them to continue providing this vital resource to their community.

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