Inside the Greater Chicago Food Depository is a new garden of sorts. Fragrant herbs are sprouting from four high-tech hydroponic units. "We grow what the kitchen generally requests," said Mick O'Donnell, the food bank's hydroponic specialist. "Right now, basil and dill are a seasonal product. Over the winter, we are growing sage and chives, parsley and cilantro, and we look forward to growing more exciting things."
The food bank is using soil-free technology to grow the ingredients year-round. "Water is actually being pumped up and then is water falling down. So it's cascading down over the roots," O'Donnell said. "It's harvested today; it's refrigerated today. And it can be used tomorrow. So it's as fresh as it gets. It's hyperlocal."
"I love harvesting," volunteer Rita Pineda said. "It's nice at the end. We have our big bags; we know it's going to the kitchen. It's going to be freshly prepared."
That shipping-free, hyperlocal speed is a win for the environment. It's also a win for the food bank's bottom line. The freshly picked herbs are then emulsified and blended into marinades and sauces for thousands of daily meals.
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