NEAR CASCADE — As the days get shorter, the two growers behind Flora Aeroponica are planting for the months ahead. In a greenhouse behind their farm stand in Hardy Creek, near Cascade, they're testing which vegetables they can grow in aeroponic towers through the colder season.
WATCH Madison Collier's report below:
Aimee Posnanski and Katrina Lucier sell produce and flowers grown on the property, along with eggs and microgreens supplied by nearby partners.
For Lucier, the stand has become more than a place to sell what they grow.
“It is so wonderful having a place, the farm stand, finally, where people can come in from everywhere, really,” she said. “And they tell us their stories.”
The two say the produce they grow for the stand comes from the ground outside. Though, through a door connecting the stand to the greenhouse, they are learning about another way to grow food.
The large verticle homes are called Tower Farms. On the outside, seedlings sit in ports along the sides of their aeroponic towers. The plants’ roots then grow freely inside without soil. At the base is a resivoir where a pump carries water and minerals from to the top, where the mixture runs over the roots before circulating back through the system.
This summer, the growers filled many of the towers with flowers. Now they are planting cooler weather crops, including cabbage and bok choy, as they learn which vegetables grow best in the setup.
“Being able to control our temperature and somewhat being able to control our humidity and our light is huge,” Posnanski said. “Because that means that we can grow year round.”
The owners said fall and spring can be particularly difficult inside the greenhouse because temperatures change throughout the day. That can make conditions harder to manage than during the more consistent weather of winter or summer. They said they adjust ventilation and use dehumidifiers to manage moisture.
Posnanski and Lucier hope the winter crops will eventually give them more locally grown vegetables to offer at the stand.
“Everybody is deserving of fresh food and food that is nutritious and delicious,” Posnanski said. “And we want to be able to provide our communities with that.”
To stay up-to-date with Flora Aeroponica, and for the most accurate information regarding hours and availability you can check out their Facebook page.
