By: Savanna Stillwagner
In a city where agricultural land is not very prominent, urban farming might be the only go-to for locals to get their fresh and nutritious microgreens rather than the food from the grocery store. An urban farm in the 5 Points neighborhood of Jacksonville has the local people turning heads with their vertical farming system housing up to 12 various microgreens in their soilless, controlled environment.
The idea for the farm started just before COVID-19, when David retired after 24 years of running his own company. For his retirement, he wanted to shift gears and began taking agriculture classes. Following the knowledge he gained of the vertical systems, he wanted to create a system where the lights would cover all of his plants, not just the ones on top. So, he built the vertical light structures.
The farm uses filtered JEA water, reverse osmosis, and nutrient mixes and filtration systems to feed the plants. It’s fully automated, with lights running 10.5 hours a day and classical music often playing in the background. Visitors to the farm are asked not to touch any of the plants growing in the farm, but staff do harvest it for them to ensure cleanliness. No one touches the plants without gloves, and the facility is extremely clean.
Open Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., the farm sells prepackaged greens and microgreens, plus local goods like eggs, honey and cheese from other northeast Florida farmers. They also sell the Tower Garden products and are now working with a freeze-dried food company to expand their offerings after losing their locally beloved salad bar and are currently seeking a chef.
With no pesticides, no middlemen, a sustainable process lasting only a few weeks from seed to harvest and longer-lasting flavor, 5 Points Farm is proving that fresh food can thrive right in the city. For those interested in learning more about 5 Points Farm and their products, they can visit https://5pointsfarmjax.com.