Box Greens: Hydroponic Farming with Lisa and Cheryl
I first met Lisa Merkle of Box Greens in NYC at a Food Tank conference. We were both there to learn about food justice, food waste impact on climate and healthy food practices. James Beard Award winner, Chef Daniel Barber was the keynote speaker and was very inspiring sharing his story about the principles of good farming, his Row 7 seeds and how he blends dining with education at his amazing restaurant, Blue Hill at Stone Barns.
Lisa, was embarking on a project to bring hydroponic vertical farming to Miami. A cancer survivor, Lisa and her sister Cheryl Arnold together have created Box Greens, currently in a shipping container on an empty lot in Little Haiti.
Hydroponic farming refers to the process of growing plants without dirt, delivering nutrients through an irrigation system. The water in each container is recycled and purified using a dual reverse osmosis machine. Box farms use 90% less water than traditional farming. Since they are indoor farms there is no need to use pesticides or herbicides. And with a temperature-controlled environment, it means every day is “in season”. Without dirt, we are susceptible to fewer pathogens found in the field and deliver a clean product, made convenient for food service.
Growing fresh greens in a shipping container not only repurposes the container but provides a perfect growing environment for the over seven varieties of lettuce Box Greens currently grows. Each container produces over 800 heads of lettuce a week on a 320 square ft. footprint. That is the equivalent of 1 to 2 acres of traditional farmland. The vertical farm is engineered to maximize the space so that the nutrient rich water is always circulating.
But the story of the sisters and the passion for their project and love for each other is the real story here.
Both women had careers, Lisa as a Wellness Event Planner in NYC, and Cheryl, an entrepreneur and founder of “Endlessly Organic” an organic produce buying club. Both are creative, strong, down to earth (pun intended) women and committed to making the world a healthier place to live in.
It took Lisa’s Stage 3 cancer diagnosis to bring the sisters even closer and to decide to share their passion for wellness and create Box Greens. As Lisa recovered from surgeries and chemo, Cheryl built out a business plan and researched hydroponic farming, planting the seeds of healing for Lisa.
Now able to harvest 800 heads of lettuce every week, Lisa and Cheryl offer their fresh greens at the Urban Oasis Project Upper East Side Farmers Market on Saturdays, where they sell out every week. The Urban Oasis Project Market accepts SNAP and doubles the value for purchases of fresh produce.
They are also starting to supply local chefs and restaurants, who recognize the value of fresh locally grown lettuce, specifically Zak Stern of Zak the Baker, the new Buena Vista restaurant Boia De and recently opened hot spot, L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon. While they are excited to be a local resource for Miami’s amazing chefs, their capacity is still limited as they currently have only the one container up and running, but have plans to add more.
Education about hydroponic farming and healthy eating is a big part of their mission as they offer not only visits to the farm, but also workshops and conversations about the broken food system we live in. Lisa recently hosted a TEDxTalk about urban farming and food production.
When I asked Lisa and Cheryl about their message to the community, they both stressed the importance of supporting local food producers, local chefs and especially women entrepreneurs, who are changing the way we shop, cook and eat. Less than 8% of farmers are women, with less than 7% female chefs.
In the journey that is our life, first we learn, then we earn, and finally, we return. Lisa and Cheryl are already returning by sharing with us their passion and knowledge and offering a healthy way to eat our greens.