Hydroponically-grown produce cultivated indoors in a controlled environment in a shorter length of time, is making inroads in local grocery stores.
Lakeland Fresh Farms in Chesterfield Township is supplying hydroponically-grown romaine and leaf lettuce and basil to several metro Detroit grocery stores and restaurants.
“I invite shoppers to taste the difference with Lakeland’s products,” says Joe Corace, president and CEO of Lakeland Fresh Farms. “I believe when you practice business ethically and sustainably, it will foster growth and profitability in the best way while creating benefits for your community and surrounding ecosystem.”
Lakeland’s process employs hundreds of LED grow lights and a computer-controlled indoor weather system that uses 90 percent less water than open field-growing and allows for hands-free automation, which eliminates the risk of bacterial contamination. It also removes the need for chemical pesticides or herbicides, so there’s no chemical run-off or contamination of Macomb County’s freshwater lakes and rivers.
The indoor agricultural facility enables Lakeland to harvest leafy greens in just 18 days — lettuce takes three months to grow outdoors in soil. Corace says Lakeland hopes to continue growing its product line by adding more herbs and green mixes in the near future.
