Step inside the sea cans located in uptown Gjoa Haven and the dry Arctic air gives way to rainforest-like humidity. Fresh basil, strawberries and cherry tomatoes grow in stacked rows under LED lights at Naurvik — "the growing place," in Inuktitut — an off-grid greenhouse powered mostly by wind and solar energy.
Working at the greenhouse on June 10, manager Betty Kogvik looked over the fresh produce she'd prepared for the team's snack and said: "If only I had ranch dip, I'd have all the fixings for a great salad."
For Kogvik, who has been working at Naurvik since it opened in 2019, the facility is more than a workplace — it's a vital source of fresh food in one of Canada's most remote regions. Naurvik is a community-led project operated in partnership with the Arctic Research Foundation, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the Canadian Space Agency, National Research Council Canada, and local technicians from Gjoa Haven.
The farm uses three old shipping containers that have been turned into climate-controlled "pods" each with 168 square feet of growing space. Each insulated container holds seven racks with shelves for plants, tall racks for vine crops, and six 50-gallon tanks with nutrient solutions filtered by ultraviolet light. A large exhaust fan controls carbon dioxide and humidity levels, while a dehumidifier keeps the air just right.
Read more at Nuntasiaq News