North Coast's 'FarmBox' Program

Health, affordability and sustainability are among the top areas of concern for US citizens. Our Impact team has partnered with sustainability innovation leaders, FarmBox Foods, to help address these issues at a community level through a unique amenity: Vertical Hydroponic Farming. 

A Vertical Hydroponic Farm is a 40-foot-long shipping container that grows 80+ types of leafy greens, herbs, peppers, and micro greens from seed to harvest. Unlike traditional farms, vertical hydroponic farms are protected from the external variables that traditional farmers face, such as drought, hail, pests, heat waves, freezes, flooding, and more. They’re also insulated, secure and allow people to grow food year-round in places with minimal arable land, unpredictable weather or short growing seasons.

The portable, water-efficient farms enable people to grow sustainably near the consumer, which improves critical access to nutritious food, almost completely eliminates supply chain issues and reduces food miles, thereby lowering the carbon footprint associated with transporting harvested goods from point A to point B. Growing near the consumer also means the nutritional value of the vegetables remains intact, and also results in less food loss because they retain their entire shelf life.

Introduced to Barham Villas in 2024, residents will reap the benefits of the on-premise FarmBox amenity several times a year, receiving a variety of fresh produce, free of charge, upon each harvest. Any produce not claimed by the community will be donated to a local organization. 

A Vertical Hydroponic Farm is just one of many leading-edge Impact team initiatives, including another Barham Villas amenity: a 100% solar-powered community. Visit our website for the latest on the North Coast Impact Program.