My ancestors were farmers going back to the mid-20th century. The traditional farm took up a lot of real estate and required the weather and insects to be cooperative, and even then they were limited by seasons as to where they could sell their crops. They often needed more workers during harvesting and many farms ended up going under when things became unfavorable to them. But as agriculture uses more sophisticated measures to spray the crops, it has a massive impact on the environment. The oceans are seeing a huge impact on coral reefs and starfish when fertilizers wash into the ocean and cause blooms of algae or predatory life to exceed their normal patterns.
Enter the verticle farm. Agriculture scientists have been studying greenhouse farming for over 100 years but recent developments as made it possible to grow significant amounts of crops in stacked farms inside buildings using a lot less energy and nutrients. What’s more, growing food in controlled environments means seasons don’t matter. Weather doesn’t matter. And food can be locally sourced so people can get fresher produce grown right around the corner.
It’s a win-win situation, and it can only get better.