News article
Cultivating Sustainability: The First Harvest at Our On-Campus Hydroponic Farm
With the goal of enhancing sustainability and offering diverse culinary experiences, Sussex Uni Food proudly announces the first harvest from our on-campus hydroponic farm, a promising addition to our Veg Bowl Cafe. As we enter in a new era of sustainable dining, let's explore what a hydroponic farm is, the benefits it brings to our campus, what's sprouting in the farm and how it will captivate your taste buds.
Hydroponic Farming: A Glimpse Into the Future
Our hydroponic farm, featuring the Square Miles Farm farm wall, represents an innovative approach to agriculture. Unlike traditional soil-based farming, hydroponics involves growing plants in a nutrient-rich water solution, without the need for soil. The Square Miles Farm wall in Veg Bowl Café is an epitome of this modern technique, where crops thrive vertically. This sustainable farming method allows for precise control over plant nutrition and water consumption.
Cultivating Sustainability and Resilience
At the heart of this endeavour is a commitment to sustainability and food system resilience. Hydroponic farming offers a lot of environmental benefits, including:
Reduced Water Usage: Hydroponics uses significantly less water compared to traditional farming, a valuable advantage in an era of water scarcity.
Year-Round Production: Our hydroponic farm's controlled environment means we can grow crops throughout the year, ensuring a constant supply of fresh produce.
Local Sourcing: Perhaps the most striking aspect of our hydroponic farm is its proximity to our Veg Bowl Café’s kitchen. It’s a mere 5 ft from farm to plate! Produce grown on campus reduces our carbon footprint substantially by diminishing the need for long-distance transportation. Not only does this enhance the freshness of our food offer, but it also contributes to our commitments to sustainable local dining.
Bringing Freshness to Your Plate
The produce from our hydroponic farm will find its way into the menus at ACCA Cafe and Veg Bowl, enriching your dining experience with a burst of freshness and flavour. Coriander, kale and pak choi will infuse vibrant, herb-packed goodness into our delicious bowls at Veg Bowl Café. Meanwhile, the crisp and refreshing chives will play a starring role as the perfect garnish for our salads at ACCA. Expect to savour an assortment of culinary treasures with these exceptional ingredients.
We've got something even more exciting in store for our next harvest, and we can't wait to share it with you! Stay tuned to our social media channels for updates and behind-the-scenes glimpses of our journey towards a greener and more sustainable agriculture system.