co-founded by tobias peggs and kimbal musk, square roots trains its “food entrepreneurs” to grow local produce in its indoor, climate controlled, hydroponic vertical farms.

the company’s website describes the project as, “an urban farming accelerator—powered by human ingenuity, technology, and a deep love for local, real food.”

each “modular farm” takes two acres worth of farmland and fits it into a storage container. the project’s vertical farming method is highly efficient in terms of space, which allows this acreage to be compartmentalized into such a small area.

square roots aims to close the disconnect between consumer and grower as well as increase access to local, healthy food sources.

these vertical farms can be placed just about anywhere and can be accessed year-round as well.

square roots offers a network of mentors as well as experts that work with its food entrepreneurs. anyone can apply to be a square roots food entrepreneur as the company plans to expand to other cities and prepares for future growing seasons.

according to an article written by founder kimbal musk, the company is focusing on recruiting millennials to join its team. this provides a highly unique opportunity to recent college graduates. square roots encourages those with experience in everything from agriculture to nonprofit work to apply. 

the company’s inaugural group of food entrepreneurs for its first season consists of ten people with varying backgrounds and goals for the project. this group is part of square root’s first campus in brooklyn.

apply here to be considered as a square roots food entrepreneur in the future.

eating out-of season fruits and veggies takes a toll on your health, your wallet, and the environment.

(photo: rhett maxwell/wikimedia commons)

but how bad can eating out-of-season produce really be?

the cost of growing and harvesting out-of-season produce is much higher than regular season growth. that watermelon you are about to buy in the middle of november was probably grown in a heated greenhouse thousands of miles away. the increased cost of harvesting and bringing that produce to the united states means that your grocer has to raise prices in order to curb production costs.

according to the natural resources defense council, “the smog-forming emissions from importing fruits and vegetables are equivalent to the annual emissions from 1.5 million cars.” purchasing imported, out-of-season produce only contributes to this environmental cost.

eating fresh means enjoying the nutritional value of that produce. but once a fruit is harvested, it begins to lose the benefits that fresh produce has to offer. after a fruit or vegetable has been picked, shipped, and put in a grocery store thousands of miles from its origin, its vitamins have deteriorated quite a bit.

are there alternatives to out-of season fruit?

instead, look for your fruits and vegetables in the freezer section the next time you’re at the grocery store. frozen produce is a great choice during the non-growing seasons.

frozen fruits and veggies were packaged while fresh. studies suggest frozen produce may have higher nutrient content than regular produce. this is because freezing prevents nutrients from leaching out of the produce.

not only do frozen fruits and veggies offer health benefits that regular, out-of-season produce does not, but it is also a financially conscious option. going frozen means avoiding the increased cost of out-of-season produce typically seen during fall and winter.

(photo: maryland pride/wikimedia commons)    

some companies that sell frozen produce even make a point to be environmentally conscious as well. some companies take their unused trimmings and use them as compost, while others throw them out.

less travel to get food to the grocery store means a lower environmental cost, so also make a point to research where your frozen munchies are coming from. companies like green giant grow most of their frozen goods in the united states, for example.

during fall and winter this year, opt out of out-of-season fruits. instead, spend some time in the frozen section to see what options are available to you.