New farm-to-table initiative arrives to campus as 40 ft. insulated container for crop production; first planting scheduled for this Tuesday
UMass Dartmouth received a new addition to campus this morning, Friday, November 20 in the form of a 40 ft insulated container from agriculture technology company Freight Farms. The container is outfitted with vertical hydroponics, LED lighting, and intuitive climate control allowing for the growth of lettuce and herbs year-round.
UMass Dartmouth’s Dining Services, through its food services partner Chartwells, is one of several pilot sites for the sustainable and connected food system. The Freight Farms container is also equipped with integrated technology into its system where dining services staff and students can monitor the growing process 24/7.
The first planting at UMass Dartmouth’s Freight Farms container is scheduled for this Tuesday.
Freight Farms is a Boston-based agriculture technology company on a mission to create a more sustainable and connected food system. The company provides the tools and services that enable fresh food production in any environment. Freight Farm’s flagship product, The Leafy Green Machine (LGM), is a complete hydroponic growing facility built entirely inside a shipping container, with environmental controls and indoor growing technology.
The LGM allows for immediate growing of a variety of crops regardless of weather conditions resulting in access to year-round local, fresh produce that is always in season. The farmhand suite of apps allows for “cloud-connected” farming allowing users to monitor their operation from any location, and purchase all of their growing supplies directly from their smartphone.
UMass Dartmouth distinguishes itself as a vibrant public university actively engaged in personalized teaching and innovative research, and acting as an intellectual catalyst for regional economic, social, and cultural development. UMass Dartmouth's mandate to serve its community is realized through countless partnerships, programs, and other outreach efforts to engage the community, and apply its knowledge to help address local issues and empower others to facilitate change for all.