LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Local Roots Farms will debut the world’s first traveling indoor farm at SXSW, March 11-15, 2017. Built inside a 40’ shipping container, the mobile farm uses a proprietary form of hydroponic technology to grow leafy greens equal to five acres of land, 365 days a year, with up to 99% less water than conventional agriculture and is pesticide and herbicide free. The farm departed from the Local Roots headquarters in Los Angeles today to set up residency at the SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas.
Centrally located in the main SXSW exhibition hall (Booths #2011-2015), festival-goers will have an opportunity to tour inside the high tech farm. The tour focuses on the Local Roots proprietary approach to indoor farming, including the design and engineering of their modular indoor farms- see video. Capitalizing on both traditional farming methods and scientific breakthroughs at NASA, the Local Roots traveling farm features the newest methods of agricultural production.
“There is nothing like experiencing the farm firsthand,” says Local Roots VP of Business Development Brandon Martin. “We’re excited to make this unique experience available to the public with the launch of our cross-country tour. The interactive experience is truly unique and provides a profound understanding of the impact this technology will have on the future of farming.”
During the SXSW Festival, Local Roots Founder and CEO Eric Ellestad will speak on the Funding the Future of Food Tech panel on March 12. Local Roots will also be on display at the Food and Tech Innovation Spotlight on March 11. The program will explore the practical applications for this new form of growing food, including urban development and the creation of a more sustainable food system.
SXSW is the first of a series of road trips, with plans for the traveling farm to make quarterly tours throughout 2017. Additional dates and cities will be announced in May 2017. The farm will be used as an educational tool to inspire consumers about agriculture science & technology with stops at schools, corporate campuses, restaurants, and festivals throughout the U.S.
About Local Roots Farms
Local Roots designs, builds, deploys, and operates controlled-environment farms that yield the highest quality, locally-grown produce using breakthrough technologies. These farms, called TerraFarms, grow with up to 99% less water, 365 days a year, without pesticides or herbicides. Headquartered in Los Angeles, CA, Local Roots is a portfolio company of the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI). The Local Roots R&D team, comprised of plant science, botany, agronomy, design and engineering specialists, utilizes a vast body of data to grow better-tasting and nutrient-rich produce with guaranteed harvests and yields. Visit http://www.localrootsfarms.com and follow our #lettuceadventures on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
