Hammock Greens at a Glance
Farmers: Aaron Dreilinger, Jill and Thomas Smitherman
Where they’re located: Container farms throughout South Florida
Website: Hammock Greens
What they grow: Lettuces, herbs, microgreens, Asian greens
Where they sell: Restaurants in South Florida
CSA: No
Set aside your vision of rows of seedlings under the subtropical sun. Hammock Greens is one of a new crop of container farms in South Florida, made up of converted shipping containers where the environment is controlled. They efficiently use little water and no pesticides to grow organic greens hydroponically all year long. Container farms can be placed in any setting and moved as needed.
How they got into it: Smitherman and Dreilinger, both chefs and friends, were both intrigued by the idea of hyperlocal farms in recycled containers in South Florida. Container farming is an idea in the works elsewhere across the US, including Brooklyn (Square Roots) and LA (Local Roots Farms). Two years ago, Smitherman experimented with the containers at his home in Davie. Now there are six.
How it works: LED technology has really advanced, allowing operators to control the climate within the container from their phones, says Dreilinger. One day these containers may be powered by solar energy, but now they are on the grid, using about the same amount of electricity as a small house to control temperature and lighting. Ten gallons of water are used per week. Seedlings are started, then transplanted into hanging vertical strips until they’re ready for harvest. Each container farm can produce as much as one-third acre of land annually. Containers can be delivered anywhere there’s access to electricity. Hammock Greens grows produce for specific restaurants. “We ask chefs, ‘What do you want on the menu in three months?’” Dreilinger says. Delivery costs are less than produce from farms in South Miami-Dade, especially if the farm is in the back of a restaurant or hotel. If they want, host properties have access to produce and can use the farm for tours, photos and events.
