Urban farm and market encourages consumers to be involved in the growing process

The Farmery aims to enable consumers to see how their food is grown as well as take part in the farming process themselves.

Selling farm goods directly to the consumer means greater profits for the producer and brings consumers closer to the source of the food they eat. The FARM:shop in London already offers goods farmed on site, and now The Farmery aims to encourage consumers in the US to see how their food is grown as well as take part themselves. Funded with USD 25,000 from Kickstarter backers, the team behind The Farmery aims to further develop its prototype low-cost shipping container farms to eventually create a space that is able to grow mushrooms, herbs, lettuces, greens and strawberries. Once constructed, the final building will consist of four shipping containers and a large greenhouse space where goods will be sold. Two extra lean-to greenhouses will be located on the sides of the construction, while aquaponic systems will be placed on the outside walls of the containers. The entire growing process will be visible for consumers visiting The Farmery. Local businesses and hobbyists are also invited to make use of the space and sell their own produce. According to the philosophy of the project, farmers will cut out the middleman by selling directly to the consumer, enable buyers to see where their food comes from and be inspired to start growing their own. Transport of goods to retailers is also rendered redundant, making the model more environmentally friendly. The following video explains more about the idea behind The Farmery: Urban farming processes are becoming ever more inexpensive and efficient, making inner-city growing a popular option for new startups. What else could be achieved with this new technology? Spotted by: Murray Orange