01 Oct
CORE Electric Cooperative provides businesses The Energy to Thrive and is proud to power innovative and emerging businesses. One of the most unique businesses we serve is FarmBox Foods, which is just across the road from our Sedalia headquarters.
FarmBox’s creative and groundbreaking approach to farming promises to connect communities with sustainably sourced, locally grown food year-round. Its patented product is a vertical hydroponic farm (VHF) housed within a 320-square-foot shipping container. Each VHF can grow leafy greens, tree saplings, peppers, grape tomatoes and more from seed to harvest. A single VHF yields the equivalent of more than 2 acres of traditional farmland – about 9,000 plants or 35,000 tree saplings per year. Top-of-the-line software called Agrowtek monitors the temperature, humidity and lights.
FarmBox’s VHFs are protected against drought, hail, pest, heat waves, freezes and other hazards that often ruin traditional crops, and are less prone to food-borne illnesses. They also use 90% less water than traditional farms.
CORE is exploring a partnership with FarmBox to grow seedlings for local reforestation. This unique partnership will help CORE develop a planting program to replace trees damaged by fires or removed to protect nearby power lines.
For more information about FarmBox, visit www.FarmBoxFoods.com.