Skyscraper Farms of the Future

"C'mon kids, hurry up, we're going downtown to the farm to get our fruits, vegetables and meat." Can you imagine a parent suggesting that the "farm" is downtown? Currently this is a conceptional possibility that is being addressed by an intelligent, well educated and forward thinking group that recognizes that changes to traditional farming will be necessary in the future to combat the myriad of problems faced in providing food and nourishment to the growing population of our world.

The idea is called "vertical farming" or "vf" which is the acronym. Simply put, this consists of a multi-story building that is designed of earth friendly materials and optimized for growing a multitude of crops as well as harvesting fish and raising small animals such as chickens. The design builds and significantly expands the current hothouse technology and uses hydroponics and other methods of growing without soil. Under the tutelage of visionary Dr. Dickson Despommier, of Columbia University a team of interested engineers, doctors, architects, students and others are involved in developing the concepts and prototypes that await the arrival of an entrepreneur to make this possibility a present day reality.

Climate change, a burgeoning world population, the lack of adequate farmland in many less developed countries, as well a soil nutrient depletion in developed countries will no doubt make the urban "sky farm" a reality, perhaps in the next decade. In addition to providing a solution to the aforementioned problems, urban vertical farms offer a host of other advantages like lessening the transportation, soil preparation and harvesting requirements (and concomitant use of fossil fuels) to put food on the table, reduce the incidence of food borne diseases and shortages caused by droughts, floods, pests as well as eliminating the need for fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides. There are a host of benefits too numerous to list in an introduction to this fascinating idea not the least of which is lessening the possibility of wars between nations as they compete for the land and water resources essential to feed their nation's population.

Power for the multistory farm would come from solar energy, wind power, recycled city wastes, methane from animal manure or a combination of some or all that would prove the most efficient for the urban area where it would be located. An independent multi-story ecosystem would be constructed where such crops as tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, peppers, medicinal herbs and other vegetables are raised together with fruits such as strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. Also located within the confines of the vertical farm could be fish farming and the raising of chickens for meat as well as eggs. Chicken guano would be available as fertilizer, water used for growing can be recycled and the resultant structure occupying a very small footprint of an acre or two could eliminate the need for the hundreds of acres used in traditional horizontal farming. It is forecast that approximately 50 vertical farms could provide the food for a city as large as New York. Imagine a farm within walking distance of an urban neighborhood that would provide the food and nutritional needs of the population. The possibilities could substantially alter the present model used to provide food for a nation and bring the popular term "buy locally" into much greater focus.

The intent of this short review is to whet the appetite of the interested reader to learn more. Significantly more information including in depth research, architectural concepts, illustrations and other analytical writings are available at http://www.verticalfarm.com/.