Food pantry to grow hydroponic and aquaponic vegetables

In April, the church and the nonprofit Growing Healthy People/Grow Well Farms of Grayslake will launch an indoor, year-round garden featuring several soilless methods of growing vegetables for the food pantry.

On several acres, Growing Healthy People will install a greenhouse. "In the greenhouse, we will have aquaponics, and hydroponics, and outdoor beds," said Cheryl Besenjak, co-founder of Growing Healthy People/Grow Well Farms.

"We'll use these systems that can grow hydroponically, that only take up 200 square feet and can grow 1,700 plants at one time," she said.

"In addition to all the greens and herbs, we will do pole beans and tomatoes and peppers and cucumbers. All of that will be done in special hydroponic buckets," Besenjak said. "We're talking about eventually growing enough to have a farmers market."

Growing Healthy People/Grow Well Farms has secured several local grants to operate the indoor year-round farm, she said.

Besenjak also hopes to offer educational walk-throughs to the public this summer.

Source: Chicago Tribune

Photo by ThisisEngineering RAEng on Unsplash

Source: Chicago Tribune