Shipping container houses are all the rage right now. So why not a shipping container farm?
Freight Farms builds hydroponic farms in repurposed shipping containers. The 325-square-foot boxes include red and blue LED lights to mimic day and night, plus a climate-control system for year-round farming. The units use 90 percent less water than conventional farming, and eliminate the need for pesticides by sealing off the immediate environment. Farmers can control the box’s growth settings using a smartphone app.
Freight Farms was founded in Boston in 2011, and raised $1.2 million late last year. Their $70,000-85,000 units have sold to chefs, restaurants, schools, food community entrepreneurs, and others, writes Amber Cortes.
FULL STORY: Meet the smart farm you can control with a smartphone
Urban Farming Addressing Hunger (and More) in Pittsburgh
Urban farming provides opportunities to increase food security in addition to other benefits.
Shipping Container Farms Growing in the U.S.
Hydroponic farming company Square Roots will expand thanks to a partnership with Gordon Foods.
Minnesota Grants May Bolster Urban Farming's Legitimacy
For the first time, the state of Minnesota is offering money specifically for urban agriculture, in a win for urban farmers who want to challenge the notion that agriculture is necessarily a rural enterprise.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.
MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie