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The horse and plow gave way to the tractor. Soon, the tractor will give way to a “farmer” strolling through aisles of produce growing in twenty story buildings! Vertical farming is the way of the future.
Las Vegas Plans to Farm
Or not. Early in 2008, rumors circulated rampantly around the internet that the city of Las Vegas was planning to build a thirty story vertical farm. This farm would have fed 72,000 people for a year, and would have been opened as yet another tourist attraction. Since the viral spread of this news on the internet, the city of Las Vegas has denied any plans to construct such a farm, and Chris Jacobs, the designer of the building pictured in articles and blogs about the project, has written that he was never approached for a design.
While Las Vegas says it is not planning to construct the 30 story farm, such a creation could be a positive step in farming for urban areas. A vertical farm of plants growing hydroponically in the Nevada desert would be much more sustainable in the way of water use than traditional farming methods. The hundreds of hotels in the area would make great use of produce grown in the farm, and would be healthier and more affordable. Though the farm would require energy and power for the lights inside it, solar heat could be integrated into the building design so the farm could generate much of its own power. Because vegetables and fruits would not need to be trucked in from hundreds of miles away, the farm would lessen the environmental impact of the busy Las Vegas strip. The vertical farm might not be a bad idea!
Vertical Farms Around the World
The website http://www.verticalfarm.com is the industry leading website for information about vertical farming. Vertical farms are large hydroponics farms within buildings that are several stories tall. With over 60% of the world’s population living in and around urban centers, far from farming areas and without space to grow food, vertical farms are likely the future of commercial agriculture. Vertical farms can produce food tenfold over the same space using traditional agricultural methods. As prices of fuel increase, and population growth increases, vertical farms will provide much needed, affordable, nutritious food to city citizens.
Vertical farms will also offer employment opportunities to city residents. Soon, one need not live in Iowa to farm! Urban dwellers can go to work in shifts, just as they would for other factory and farming jobs, only their farm will be in a building that looks eerily similar to a bank or a stock exchange! Vertical farms will take guesswork out of farming, eliminating crop failures due to weather. Produce will also be available year-round, without expense of shipping it from far corners of the globe.
Vertical farming may seem like something out of “the Jetsons,” but it will become a reality sooner rather than later.
FANTASTIC!!!! Can this be done in a smaller scale at home? Where can I find more information?!
I think the idea is fantastic and i think it would improve the enviroment that people have to live in, in the citys. I also think it would work well and sell well on the open market and i think it would work well for a lot of people at home and if it was being sold commercialy i would ask my parents to employ the idea.
Actually, I’ve been following up on this topic for some time. Let’s talk! My name is Mike and I’m near Baltimore, MD. What is your interest in vertical farming on a smaller scale?
M.
why dont you put the authors name in the article so we can reffernce your work properly
this is already taking place at a UK zoo. Paignton zoo in devon has been operating a fully functional vertical far, for almost 2 years to provide food for their animals.
more information can be found on their website or from a google search i expect.