đź“Ť Location: San Francisco, California
👨‍🌾 Farmer: Stuart O’Cliffe
Type of Farming: Vertical Hydroponic Farming
Journey: 8 years
🌆 Farm in the middle of the city
In 2016, Stuart started with a thought –
“If there is no land in the city, can farming be done in the sky?”
He started an indoor farm inside an old factory building – in which farming was done without soil, only with water and nutrient solution (Hydroponics).
🥬 Vegetables grown on 5 floors
Today at his “SkyFresh Farms”:
More than 20 vegetables grown on a height of 5 floors
Like: Lettuce, Spinach, Basil, Green leaves, Microgreens
Crop ready every 10 days, production throughout the year
Entire farming is done with AI and sensor control – water, light, temperature all automated
🌍 A boon for the environment too
95% less water usage
No need for pesticides
Almost zero carbon emissions
Fresh vegetables within the city – no need for transport
đź’° Earning model
Vegetables at premium prices to hotels, restaurants, supermarkets
$1.5 million annual turnover (~â‚ą12 crores)
Along with vegetables, he also sells “Smart Farming Kit”
Now 5+ franchise farms in the US, Europe and Dubai
🧠Stuart’s message:
Farming Now it is not just about tractors and ploughs. Now farming means technology + vision + power of nature.”