At the entrance of a University of Iowa dining hall sits what the UI Burge Market Place Operations Manager David Van Holten calls the "centerpiece" — the dining hall's
own microfarms.
Burge Market Place is one of two dining halls on the east side of the UI campus, and according to the university's website, it serves about 10,000 meals a day in collaboration with Catlett Market Place and Hillcrest Market Place, located on the west side of campus.. From 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., students flock to Burge Market Place for all their dietary needs.
Hydroponic microfarms as a way to access sustainable, year-round food production is not a new concept, having roots in ancient Aztec chinampa techniques. The American Society for Horticultural Science describes chinampas as fields that have been raised to improve productivity. They typically dwell on a freshwater lake, surrounded by ditches or canals depending on where the chinampa is located.
According to the U.S. Agriculture Department's National Agricultural Library, hydroponic farms don't utilize soil but instead use water-based nutrient solutions to grow plants.
Companies like Babylon Micro-Farms, based Richmond, Virginia, have been able to modernize the process, making the small-scale farms more accessible to companies and organizations that want to prioritize sustainability in their food production. The company does not utilize pesticides.
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