Noah Verin started his own business in early 2020. He grows plants on coconut coir under LED lights, and regular customers value Urban Green’s produce for its freshness and quality.
For Verin, the biggest advantage of vertical farming is the chance to grow produce very close to customers. Urban farming keeps spreading, he says, but he has always said that vertical farming will work alongside traditional farming and won’t replace it.
He believes conventional and urban farmers should be partners. Vertical farms, for example, are an ideal place to raise seedlings, which can then go to a larger farm to finish growing.
Underground urban farms have become more common in recent years. Greenforges plans to open a vertical farm in central Quebec, and in South Korea, subway stations are used to grow fresh greens.
