Last year during the pandemic, Big Tex Urban Farms harvested and donated 26,000 pounds of food. That equates to more than 295,000 servings.
This year they increased their grow capacity with the addition of 'Growzilla'. "Growzilla is a shipping container farm," Drew Demler, Director of Horticulture explained. It also uses hydroponics and LED lights in a shelf system. Plants grown at Big Tex Urban Farms mature about twice a fast, and there is no 'season' for varieties. Everything grows year-round.
The urban farm based in Texas
"And that allows us to generate produce that we're able to donate to several different groups here in South Dallas," Demler said. "I mean, here we are in late January and I've got tomatoes and cucumbers."
Demler said 'Growzilla' will help Big Tex Urban Farms reach its goal of donating 1-million servings.
The State Fair of Texas is the biggest fundraiser for the greenhouse operation. In 2016, the State Fair of Texas introduced Big Tex Urban Farms. It connects like-minded agriculture entities and provides fresh produce to organizations focused on hunger and healthy lifestyle programs.
Read the complete article at www.nbcdfw.com