Skip to main content

In Wyoming, this vertical farm is growing crops even in the winter

The winter activities in Wyoming have generally been relegated to snow sports and recovering from them, which is to say skiing and promptly downing mugs of hot chocolate. But now, if you’re looking for an alternate pastime during the bleak months, you can garden. There’s a new project blooming in this cold state, and it’s called Vertical Harvest.

Housed in a 13,500 square foot three-story complex In Jackson Hole, Vertical Harvest is a series of vertical greenhouses that sits upon a “sliver of vacant land next to a parking garage.” The stacked architecture allows this startup greenhouse to use just one tenth of an acre to grow the same amount of produce in a year that five acres of traditional agriculture could produce.

Recommended Videos

The greenhouses make use of hydroponic farming, which allows crops to be grown “using mineral nutrient solutions that are delivered to the plants in irrigation water,” thereby removing the need for soil. Vertical Harvest’s “specially designed re-circulating hydroponic methods” promise to “save land, save water, eliminate agricultural runoff and chemical pesticides, and offer the benefits of efficient, high-yield, local, year-round food production.”

Please enable Javascript to view this content

Co-founded by Penny McBridge and Nona Yehia, Vertical Harvest is six years in the making, and maintains the goal of producing “locally grown, fresh vegetables to sell year round to Jackson area restaurants, grocery stores and directly to consumers through on-site sales.” Already, the greenhouse is on track to replace 100,000 pounds of food that has historically been imported into the city.

“The power here is using a small amount of land to serve a community,” Yehia told Fast Company.

And they’re serving the community with more than just food. Vertical Harvest also employs more than 15 Wyoming residents who have “intellectual and physical disabilities,” and work beside support staff, interns, volunteers, and the founders to help feed their neighbors and engage in meaningful work.

“In Wyoming, the unemployment rate for people with disabilities is over 78 percent,” the Vertical Harvest team says. “This staggering number leaves a vulnerable population of people without the chance or choice to work. The jobs at Vertical Harvest vary among the greenhouse and retail spectrum, providing plentiful opportunities for employees to gain transferable skills that will be marketable for future professional endeavors.”

Ultimately, Yehia said, “The worst thing that could happen to Vertical Harvest is that it’s a one-off. The vision of the project would be that other communities could benefit from the work we’re doing here.”

Lulu Chang
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…
This popular robot vacuum now comes bundled with a cordless vacuum for better cleaning
The K10+ Pro and a cordless vacuum

SwitchBot, a company responsible for a variety of smart home gadgets, launched the K10+ Pro robot vacuum last August. Offering solid performance, a reasonable price tag, and a tiny footprint that reaches areas missed by larger competitors, it quickly became an easy recommendation for budget shoppers. Fast forward to today, and SwitchBot is now offering the K10+ Pro Combo -- a 3-in-1 vacuuming solution that pairs the robot with a cordless vacuum and auto-emptying base station.

Robot vacuums are an excellent addition to most smart homes, but they’re still not a full replacement for traditional vacuums. For example, they can’t yet clean stairs, and sensitive areas of your home are often easier to clean yourself (such as around expensive home décor or underneath desks littered with cables). That’s where the SwitchBot K10+ Pro Combo comes into play, as you can clean these areas with the cordless vacuum while the K10+ Pro handles the rest of your home.

Read more
Serta Mattress Savings: How to snag up to $625 off iComfort adjustable mattress sets
A man testing the firmness of a Serta mattress.

Serta is making sure you sleep soundly this year with deep deals on mattresses during their Presidents Day Sale. Right now you can snag up to $625 off luxurious mattresses and adjustable foundation sets that’ll refresh your bed with hotel-worthy comfort. And, as a bonus, Serta is handing out more savings opportunities with an extra $25 off in celebration of the brand’s 25th birthday. No sizes are off limits either: you can find savings on everything from a Twin to California King mattresses. Plus, hot sleepers can rest easier with the iComfort Series, which comes with temperature-regulating properties that’ll help keep you cozy all night long. The deals are only going on for a limited-time, meaning you don’t want to sleep through these if you want to avoid paying full price. Keep reading to discover how to get up to $625 off select mattresses and adjustable foundation sets.

What to shop during Serta’s Presidents Day Sale and 25th Anniversary celebration
There are three iComfort mattresses in the series to choose from that’ll score you up to $625 in savings: the Serta iComfort Mattress, Serta iComfort Pro Mattress, and the Serta iComfort Aspire Plush. You’ll receive up to $325 off select mattresses and then an additional $300 off when you bundle it with a qualified adjustable foundation set. Before you pick out your foundation, each mattress comes with slightly different features that we’ve broken down below to make selecting your perfect bed easier.

Read more
The best smart light bulbs
best sunrise alarm clocks philips wake up light

Smart bulbs offer a simple way to upgrade your home. Not only are they affordable, but they’re much easier to install than most other smart gadgets — allowing even DIY novices a chance to join in on the smart home movement. From allowing you to program schedules and change their colors to setting a “vacation mode” and syncing with other smart devices, they’re a well-rounded addition to most rooms.

However, choosing the best smart light bulb for your home can be a challenge, as there are tons of options on the market. Many of them share similar specs, but not all of them are reliable. Some are also slow to respond to your commands. Others are low-quality bulbs with a lackluster range of colors to choose from. Thankfully, the majority of smart light bulbs are LED bulbs, so regardless of which product you choose, it'll likely do a great job of cutting down your energy consumption.

Read more