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![]() It is such a better and more efficient way to grow. This was one of the main reasons that we decided to expand our hydroponic systems. “By the end of April 2018 we had exceeded what we produced for all of 2017. “Our total production indoors and outdoors in 2017 was around 2,800 pounds of produce,” Demler said. In the short amount of time that the systems had been installed and production was ramped up enabled the farm to distribute fresh vegetables to more community organizations in South Dallas. This was our first venture into hydroponic growing.” Expanding controlled environment productionĭemler and his staff were impressed with the amount of produce they were able to grow with the hydroponic production systems. “We also installed six 8-foot tall vertical tower gardens. ![]() “We worked with the staff at Hort Americas to design and install the deep water culture system,” Demler said. It was also used as a plant exhibit room during the state fair. The greenhouse had been used to grow ornamental plants including palm trees and bougainvillea, and to overwinter hanging baskets. An even bigger opportunity to grow more fresh vegetables came in September 2017 when a 30- by 15-foot hydroponic deep water culture pond was installed in the fair’s largest 7,200-square-foot greenhouse. The budget increase enabled Demler and his staff to build an additional 429 outdoor planters. The positive feedback from organizations that benefitted from the fresh vegetables and favorable media coverage led to a major increase in the farm’s budget in 2017. “We also received some good media coverage which helped generate more interest in what the farm was doing.” “These local organizations were very happy with what we were doing to assist them in their efforts to feed people in the community that really needed help,” he said. Growing and donating fresh vegetables gave Demler and his staff an opportunity to develop good relationships with the organizations they were assisting.īig Tex Urban Farms uses a number of hydroponic production systems including nutrient film technique (NFT) and deep water culture to produce a variety of leafy greens. “At the time Jason and I started planning the farm, the goal was to grow produce and then donate it to the community.”ĭuring that first year of outdoor production the farm produced food that was donated to two local charitable organizations. “Big Tex Urban Farms started with a small budget in 2016 using 100 mobile planter boxes to grow food outdoors,” said Drew Demler, who is the state fair’s director of horticulture and the other cofounder of the farm. ![]() Big Tex Urban Farms got its start in 2016 as an outdoor gardening project by the State Fair of Texas to better serve the local South Dallas community. When Jason Hayes, vice president of branding and cofounder of Big Tex Urban Farms in Dallas, came up with the Million Servings Mission project in 2018, there was some question as to when the non-profit operation might achieve this lofty goal. Photos by Jessie Wood, State Fair of Texas Big Tex Urban Farms announced in July that using its controlled environment production systems it had grown enough vegetables to deliver a million servings to the local Dallas community. Drew Demler, the State Fair of Texas director of horticulture and cofounder of Big Tex Urban Farms, and his staff were able to achieve the farm’s Million Servings Mission ahead of schedule using a variety of controlled environment hydroponic production systems.
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