Where It All Began: The Original Living Towers Aeroponic Farm

🌱 Where It All Began: Living Towers in Eustis, Florida

Imagine walking into a greenhouse and seeing rows of vegetables growing upward instead of spreading across the ground.

No traditional garden beds. No rows of soil. Just towers filled with fresh greens, herbs and vegetables.

That was the original Living Towers farm in Eustis, Florida.

Our greenhouse was designed around Tower Garden technology, which uses a recirculating water and nutrient system to grow plants vertically.

At a time when many people had never heard of aeroponics, we were demonstrating how this growing method could work in a greenhouse environment.

🎥 Take a Tour of the Original Living Towers Farm

We could tell you all about the original greenhouse, but it's much more fun to show you!

This video was filmed at the original Living Towers farm in Eustis. You'll get a look at the greenhouse, the vertical growing systems and the ideas behind the farm.

Remember, this is historical footage. The Eustis greenhouse is no longer open or operating as a farm.

💧 Growing Up Instead of Out

One of the most interesting things about the original farm was the way we grew our produce.

Instead of planting into soil, we used vertical aeroponic Tower Gardens. Plants grew in ports around the towers, with their roots extending into an enclosed chamber.

Water mixed with mineral nutrients circulated through the towers, providing the roots with the moisture and nutrients they needed.

The solution then returned to the reservoir to be circulated again.

It was a very different sight from a traditional farm, especially for visitors seeing Tower Garden technology for the first time.

Curious about the science behind the technology? Our Aeroponics 101 Guide explains how these systems work and how aeroponics compares with other hydroponic methods.

☀️ Solar Energy, Rainwater and a Greener Approach

Growing vertically was only one part of the original farm's approach.

The Eustis greenhouse also incorporated solar energy and rainwater collection as part of its efforts to explore resource-conscious food production.

These features reflected an idea that was central to the farm: growing fresh food while being thoughtful about the resources needed to produce it.

Of course, aeroponic growing still requires electricity, water, nutrients and ongoing maintenance. But the combination of recirculating water, vertical growing and renewable energy made the greenhouse an interesting example of how different technologies could work together.

🤝 More Than Just a Greenhouse

The original Living Towers farm wasn't simply about growing lettuce and vegetables.

It was also about exploring how communities could produce more of their own fresh food.

The farm's mission included supporting local food production, supplying fresh produce to the community and helping people understand how vertical growing systems worked.

Education was an important part of that vision. Through tours and seminars, visitors could learn about Tower Garden technology and the possibilities of growing food without soil.

Those ideas are still relevant today. Schools, community organizations, correctional facilities and commercial growers continue exploring how vertical aeroponic farming can support food production and education.

🌿 From Eustis to the Florida Keys: Living Towers Today

A lot has changed since the original Eustis greenhouse was operating.

The greenhouse is no longer there, but Living Towers continues helping people grow fresh food from the Florida Keys.

Today, our focus includes growing and shipping hydroponic seedlings, offering seeds and Tower Garden growing supplies, and sharing practical advice with growers across the country.

We've been growing and shipping seedlings since 2010, and now offer more than 100 varieties for Tower Garden and other compatible hydroponic systems.

While the business has evolved, the goal remains familiar: help more people grow their own fresh food.

🏢 The Story Continues: Tower Farming Today

What began as an exciting way to grow fresh food in a greenhouse has developed into a growing area of interest for schools, community projects and commercial farms.

Vertical aeroponic technology can be used in a variety of growing environments, from smaller educational installations to larger greenhouse operations.

Every project is different. Growing space, crop selection, climate, water, electricity, staffing and production goals all influence how a Tower Farm should be planned.

If you're exploring a larger-scale growing project, our Tower Farm resources are a great place to start.

You can also explore more real-world Tower Farm stories through our Tower Farms in Action collection.