Imagine being able to grow fresh fruit and vegetables like tomatoes, basil, lettuce, peppers and strawberries right in your apartment, even if you don’t have a balcony or access to a shared terrace. Would this involve converting an entire room or the corner of your living hall into a messy indoor soil venture? Nope, because “window farming” requires no space on any floor or wall!
Founded in 2009 by Britta Riley in New York City, the idea behind Windowfarm is to spread and encourage the DIY spirit to individuals and communities who want to grow their own produce organically and sustainably (or as they aptly put it, “people who are not McGuyvers”).
It’s a vertical hydroponic farm consisting of tiered pots or bottles hung in a window, able to grow certain fruit, vegetables and herbs. In the hydroponic system, nutrient water is pumped up (as set on a timer) from the base of the system, trickling down from bottle to bottle as they water the roots along the way. Pretty neat, huh?
Up until recently, shared Windowfarm designs have all been homemade, using old plastic bottles and from materials listed on their website – a guide free for anyone to use. But thanks to the support of 33,000 window farmers and a whopping US$250,000 fund raised through their Kickstarter campaign, an “easy to assemble and install” manufactured Windowfarm design is now on sale!
Even if you haven’t converted to an organic diet or aren’t too bothered by where your local supermarket sources its produce, here’s a motivation: if you’re among the millions of city dwellers lacking green where you plant your feet (the twentieth floor) but can’t afford to install an avant-garde vertical garden on your wall, imagine having a pretty little vegetable farm hanging from your window frame! Because let’s be honest – the sight of busy traffic or your building’s vent isn’t exactly reality’s answer to A Room With A View.
Growing your own food at home is a rewarding experience, not to mention an economical way to guarantee freshness straight into your salad bowl! So what are your thoughts on apartment farming? Would you give window farming or Windowfarm a try? Here’s an easy-to-follow video by Windowfarm on Hydroponic Farming to inspire you to pick up the fruitful habit!
