Pop-Up Flex Farm at Grow It Forward

There is an urgent need for fresh, healthy foods in our community. Each day, more families are turning to nonprofits to meet their most basic need - healthy food. The time is now for us to act and ensure the vitality of our neighbors and friends.

Given the need for healthy food in our community, compounded by the effects of COVID-19, Fork Farms is partnering with Grow It Forward to set up an indoor Pop-Up Farm with 8 Flex Farm systems. Flex Farms are indoor hydroponic vertical farms that grow significant amounts of fresh food.

Within one week, the Pop-Up Farm can be installed and growing nutritious food. The intent of the Pop-Up Farm is to grow consistent, large quantities of fresh greens for Manitowoc local pantries and community meal sites now and into the future.

Impact:

• Produce 1,000 servings of healthy, leafy greens per grow cycle (25-28 days) year-round.
• The leafy greens would be distributed throughout the community by Grow It Forward and their community partners.

Additional engagement opportunities:

• K-12 curriculum and education.
• Volunteer activities throughout the year to plant, harvest and care for the Pop-Up Farm.
• Special community events such as lettuce luncheons.

Grow It Forward and Fork Farms cannot do it alone. We need the support of the local community to raise the funds necessary to implement the Pop-Up Farm.

Farm Logistics:

The Pop-Up Farm will be installed at Grow It Forward's Headquarters. Individual Flex Farms can be easily detached from the unified system for additional enrichment activities such as in-classroom learning. Fork Farms will train staff and volunteers on Flex Farm systems. Maintenance required about 15 minutes a day and not necessarily every day (about 1 hour a week). Total minimum time requirement each month is of 10-12 hours including planting and harvesting for 8 Flex Farms.

About:

Grow It Forward is a 501c3 nonprofit organization founded by Amber Daugs in 2014. We’re on a mission to grow, teach, feed, and connect our community to improve access to healthy, local food. Grow It Forward’s vision is to be recognized as Manitowoc County's Community Leader working to increase and sustain the availability of locally produced food. As a result of our programs and services, Grow It Forward creates a healthier community with long lasting economic and ecological benefits.

Fork Farms, LLC is an agricultural technology company that develops products for people and the planet. We are a social enterprise, our mission is to unleash the power of fresh food production for happier, healthier people. Fork Farms is a small, local business based out of Appleton, Wisconsin. Our flagship product, the Flex Farm, is made in the United States with the majority of our supply chain located within 50 miles of our offices.

Flex Farms produce more leafy vegetables and herbs for a fraction of the price. Every Flex Farm comes with a fully self-contained tank and irrigation system, an energy efficient LED light tower, submersible pump, grower toolkit and starter Resupply Kit containing all the necessary growing supplies, including seeds. Once assembly is complete, simply add water and nutrients, plant your seedlings and watch the magic happen!