Community Link, a nonprofit in Saginaw, first dreamed about hydroponic farming in 2024. Since its founding in 2005, Community Link has tackled innovative ways to alleviate hunger and food scarcity for Tarrant County families. In the areas served by Community Link, 30% of children are food insecure, meaning they lack consistent access to sufficient, nutritious food. Through online food ordering, a drive-thru food pantry and partnerships with local farmers markets, they provided nearly 23,000 families with food last year alone.
But like many food programs, the group has faced obstacles to providing people with fresh produce. Donated fruits and veggies go bad quickly and don't always make it to families. In March 2025, Community Link found a way to deliver vegetables to families almost as soon as they were harvested: freight farms.
Freight farms are vertical farms built inside of repurposed shipping containers. They utilize hydroponic farming, in which plants are grown without soil and instead grow inside water-based solutions. The farms can be placed virtually anywhere and grow year-round because of their self-contained climate. The result is a high-yield farm that requires far less space than a traditional garden.
Community Link obtained its first freight farm in 2025 and Fresh Link Farms was born. By September, they had their first harvest. Since then, they've grown 21,000 plants: romaine lettuce, kale, collard greens, bok choy and other veggies.
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