A new veteran-owned farm in Moneta is revamping traditional farming with advanced technology to serve up the freshest greens all year long. Ditching the soil and bringing in a laptop, there’s a new hydroponic farm in Moneta.
Using selective lighting, Vittone Farms is growing 6,000 greens a month in a 40-foot box. “365 days a year is what we can do,” Jeff Vittone, owner of Vittone Farms, said. “Which is also busting some paradigms. Like, ‘how do you do this and why is it ready and why is it so green?’ And it’s like well, it’s all grown here.”
The farm also uses green power by using a solar panel to produce a variety of foods stemming from lettuce to radishes to even carrots. A lover of salads, Vittone said he got into hydroponics after noticing major food waste after E. coli scares.
After serving eight years active duty in the Air Force and a total of 12 years in the Virginia Air National Guard, Vittone turned his hobby into a business to put more fresh food on local tables. “I believe if you ask any veteran they will say that after my duty to my country was served,” he said. “It’s like going without water. You still want to serve to some capacity.”
Read the complete article and watch the video at www.wsls.com.
For more information:
Vittone Farms
www.vittonefarms.com