Urban Smart Farms is located inside the West Building at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando Florida. It is currently the largest indoor Tower Farm in the world.
In 2014 Orange County Government published the “Our Home for Life” sustainability plan. Community, Natural Resources, Mobility, Built Environment, Arts & Culture, Education, and Civic Engagement were singled out as focus areas for the coming years. The Orange County Convention Center is proud to present our commitment to this plan, in plain view of the public and the visitors to our facility. Specifically, the gardens are a tangible example of the goal to improve access to healthy food choices, connect individuals with nature, and teach the value of the environment.
Why Tower Garden®?
Urban Smart Farms was founded on a passion for changing the future of farming. We are sustainability advocates dedicated to improving our planet and the health of its people. We strive to increase access to healthy, locally grown food choices, connect individuals with nature, and teach the value of the environment. Our mission is to blaze a path in the local farming movement, inspiring and empowering communities to grow their own fresh, healthy produce in a cleaner, simpler, and more efficient way. Urban Smart Farms opted for Tower Garden as they are clean, easy to assemble, and manageable medium for growing hydroponics indoors, producing the quality and quantity desired.
What are the Tower Gardens used for?
Educating the public in a venue that receives a wide variety of traffic. The Orange County Convention Center is one of the busiest Convention Centers in the country. Produce is grown and delivered to the contracted management company of the Orange County Convention Center, Centerplate Corp.
How many Tower Gardens did you start with and what was your plan for these?
81 Tower Gardens with 44 planting spots in each ; year round indoor growing of herbs, lettuces and greens.
What has been the reaction from the public?
Positive with a high degree of enthusiasm for continued farming. We receive a great many thank yous on line of bringing the farm to the public.
Are there any plans to expand?
Currently there are no plans for expansion in the future. However, Centerplate is working on several outdoor farms with other owners/operators of venues.
Learn more about Urban Smart Farms at www.urbansmartfarms.com
If you are looking to install a Tower Farm inside or outside, please contact us below.
