Imagine a tower-like device that was so compact and easy to transport that it could grow plants indoors efficiently and fit into almost any room. Sounds too good to be true, right?
Well, the Flex Farms grow tower is precisely that! Chassell High School was selected to participate in a Superior Health Foundation/Fork Farms Foundation project to increase food security by engaging UP schools in indoor agriculture. As part of the project, Chassell High School was selected as the CCISD high school to receive the Flex Farms Grow tower.
Students in the school's Agriscience class have been tasked with putting it together and ensuring it is working correctly and being well maintained under the supervision of their teacher, Mrs. Squires. They also have tutorial videos for the Flex Farms Grow Tower on the Fork Farms website to help them with the project.
The growing tower looks like a hollow cylinder with a light in the center. The light acts as sunlight to evenly distribute light throughout the plants. The plants grow through slots in the wall and are sustained by nutrients flowing through the walls. Overall, the grow tower is a great invention, and it is genuinely nice to see a device that can efficiently grow fresh plants to feed and nourish people for years to come. It is currently housed in the superintendent's office, so if you happen to be in the building, come check it out.
1/10/2024 Update: Chassell students recently harvested their first crop of lettuce from the grow tower! The lettuce will be used in school lunches in the upcoming days.