It was a very special day in Faribault's Industrial Park Friday afternoon. Living Greens held their Grand Opening. Yes, there is a farm growing food in Faribault's Industrial park inside of a 44,000 square foot concrete building! Living Greens grows lettuce and herbs using Aeroponics or Air Grown vertical indoor farming. This is truly a revolutionary farming approach.

With Aeroponics, plant roots remain in the air 99.9 percent of the time and thrive when spritzed with a nutrient rich mist. No soil or sunlight is needed. Sunlight for photosynthesis is provided by grow lights. Plants are provided with the perfect environment, light, air, humidity, and temperature to thrive. This is an indoor farm that is like a spa for plants.

I am quite certain you have noticed our land is buried in snow and the soil is frozen! Until now Midwesterners in the winter have had to rely on fresh greens being shipped in fresh from thousands of miles, usually from California. That typically takes about two weeks which reduces freshness and lowers nutrition. Plus, it just does not taste as good.

I am sure you have seen the projections about how by 2050 the world's population will increase by billions of people. We do not have any more land available in the world for food production, In fact with development out land base decreases every year. We have to figure out how to produce more food using less land and water or a lot of people will be malnourished.

Living Greens by adopting and commercializing Vertical Aeroponics produces lettuce and herbs using 95 percent less water and 99 percent less land. Plus, because the environment is controlled, they do not have to be concerned about insects or weeds. That means no pesticides or herbicides are needed or used. Yes, I am jealous of a farmer that does not have to be concerned about baD weather, diseases, insects and weeds!

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