LAKE CITY, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Green Life Farms announced it has commenced construction on its second hydroponic greenhouse in Florida on a 24-acre parcel of land in Lake City. Using state-of-the-art hydroponic technology, Green Life Farms will grow leafy greens in oxygenated water – without soil – then harvest and package them in a controlled environment, reducing the risk of contamination and preserving flavor and freshness. Following the success of its flagship hydroponic greenhouse in Lake Worth and significant customer demand for its products, Green Life Farms is constructing a 400,000 square foot greenhouse in Lake City. The facility is expected to begin commercial operations in early 2022.
“Following our very successful launch in South Florida, we are proud to announce this new facility to serve North Central Florida - the Jacksonville, Gainesville, and Tallahassee regions,” said Forrest Sawlaw, COO, Green Life Farms. “In light of ongoing food safety concerns across the country, now more than ever customers are looking for locally grown, clean produce. Our innovative hydroponic technology will deliver the cleanest and freshest leafy greens, all free from GMOs, pesticides and contaminants.”
Green Life Farms anticipates construction of the new Lake City facility to create 80 jobs. Once commercial operations begin, the organization expects to hire 20 to 28 full-time employees and grow 3 million pounds of leafy greens annually in its state-of-the-art facility, using the latest agricultural innovations to keep its greens fresh, and its carbon footprint small. For example, Green Life Farms will incorporate specialized ozone water management technology to filter, sanitize and store rainwater for use in the growing process, and will rely on Florida sunshine – meaning the facility will use significantly fewer natural resources.
Green Life Farms’ Lake City greenhouse will be able to produce 18 harvests each year and use 90 percent less water than conventional farming. Plants remain undisturbed throughout the growing process. At full maturity, the greens are gently moved using a floating conveyor system to be harvested, cooled, and packaged for local grocers, restaurants, and others. Its produce will reach customers within a few days of harvest, instead of the 8 to 10 days it may take conventionally farmed produce to reach customers in the region, most of which is trucked thousands of miles across the country from California and Arizona at great environmental cost.
Green Life Farms’ process combines technology with agricultural best practices to grow premium leafy greens, with a focus on sustainability, energy efficiency, and environmental responsibility. Its flavorful produce is cultivated without soil in clean, nutrient-rich oxygenated water, using natural sunlight and airflow in state-of-the-art greenhouses. Greens are harvested and packaged in a controlled environment to create the cleanest produce year-round, and delivered locally to ensure premium freshness and a small carbon footprint.
Green Life Farms’ products, which include Baby Arugula, Baby Kale, Baby Romaine, Farmer’s Blend, and Butterhead Lettuce, are currently sold at more than 120 grocery store locations throughout South Florida, including the largest regional grocery chain and several boutique markets. In addition, Green Life Farms has partnered with one of the biggest meal delivery services in the U.S. to serve their customers throughout the Southeast.
About Green Life Farms
Green Life Farms operates a 100,000 square foot state-of-the-art hydroponic greenhouse in Lake Worth Florida, with seven additional facilities in development, permitting, and engineering for an additional 2.8 million in square feet of greenhouses with more future expansion planned. By incorporating agriculture with technology, Green Life Farms provides consumers with premium-quality, fresh, local, flavorful and clean leafy greens that are good for their bodies, families, communities and planet – year-round. For more information about Green Life Farms, visit GreenLifeFarms.ag.
