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Freight Farming
Visiting Georgia State’s lean, mean
Leafy Green Machine
By Grace Huseth
As our world becomes more and more sustainable, shipping freights no longer
transport food. They grow them. Rooftop gardens are now being phased out in favor
of upcycled shipping containers that house a fully functional hydroponic farm. Their
efficiency, both in in growth and space, caught the eye of Georgia State University as a way
to locally source greens.
Located just behind the Piedmont North student housing complex, Georgia State’s
Leafy Green Machine has been configured for the immediate growth of a variety of crops
like lettuce, kale, spinach and herbs. Its innovative climate technology and growing
equipment allow for the perfect environment year round.
“When the farm was first delivered last summer, I was still trying to wrap my head
around the fact that we would be growing crops 365 days per year with no soil or sunlight
required. I just remember when we harvested our first round of produce, the pride that our
department felt — none
of us are farmers! — in
knowing that we made
this happen and having
the ability to fulfill our
duty in providing our
patrons with fresh and
tasty food, straight from
our backyard,” said
Lenore Mustek, Executive
Director, PantherDining
and Sustainability
Initiatives at Georgia
State.
A step inside the Leafy
Green Machine is like
touring the most efficient
greenhouse ever created.
The shipping container is
able to hold a nursery area,
where seeds germinate
and grow, and vertical
growing towers that can
hold as many as 3,600
plants at one time. Some
rave-worthy LED lighting
strips mimic the sun’s
natural light by providing
growth-optimized blue
and red hues while a
closed loop hydroponic
system delivers a nutrient
rich water solution directly
to roots, using only 10
gallons of water a day.
Shipping container
gardens were first developed by Boston company Freight Farms in 2010. The founders
were looking for new methods of rooftop greenhouse farming, but research revealed many
of their plans would be costly and time intensive. At the time, people were getting creative
with shipping containers by making tiny houses and other innovative, upcycling projects.
Freight Farms simply retrofitted their greenhouse technology to fit inside a shipping
container and created technology that is changing the way people perceive farming.
“At first, no one understood the concept of growing inside shipping containers. In just
five years, Freight Farms has shipped Leafy Green Machines all over the United States. It’s
the perfect outside environment, inside,” said Caroline Katsiroubas, community manager
at Freight Farms. “It gives people an opportunity to make an impact in the food system in
a tangible way.”
There are now 100 Leafy Green Machines across the globe and nearly 15 at
schools and universities. Georgia State’s Leafy Green Machine provides the opportunity to
integrate sustainable food production into current operations to make high-quality, local
food part of Panther Dining. The Leafy Green Machine educates students on the journey
their food takes farm-to-table while fostering a culture of social responsibility.
The university laid the groundwork for the first seedling tray of Red Butterhead
lettuce in early July and harvested it at the beginning of September. This spring, Georgia
State began adding Buttercrunch, Sparx and a gourmet lettuce mix to the farm. A taste can
be found on salads or in sandwiches at Miss Demeanor’s or Centennial Cafe on Georgia
State’s campus.
“With Georgia State’s campus situated in Downtown, one of the main draws of
implementing the farm was the desire to show other universities that sustainable produce is
possible even in an urban environment,” said Musick. Georgia State has hosted many open
houses of the Leafy Green Machine, inviting schools like UGA, Clark Atlanta, Tech and
Emory to check out the farm and piquing their interest in acquiring a one-acre farm. QD
From left: Panther Dining Team members Betsy Rivera-Ocasio,
assistant director, Lenore Musick, executive director and Cameron
Thompson Sous Chef tourthe Freight Farms in Boston.
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April 2017 | INtOWn 13
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