Purchase Vertical Veggie Farm

Now you can now grow vegetables year-round for very low cost in your picture window or patio door. Utilize free solar energy and still enjoy your view out your patio window.
I am very pleased to launch the Vertical Veggie Farm. You may now place your order for delivery.
The cost is $340 to purchase.

Vertical Veggie Farm Display Version
Calgary Dollars Potluck at Hillhurst Sunnyside
November 2010

As I am a strong believer in sustainability and encouraging local businesses, I offer a discounted price to those willing to pay in Calgary Dollar$. During the months of November and December, I am offering the VVF for a discounted price of $300 if paid with part Calgary Dollars (of which 25% or $75 may be paid in Calgary Dollar$).

Delivery within Calgary city limits available for $15.

The Vertical Veggie Farm is a moveable hydroponic system that is oriented vertically to take up little floor space. The full system measures 62" high, 20" deep, and 45" wide.

The system includes: moveable stand, wire suspension columns, 15 plant spaces and 5 solution resevoirs (made from recycled bottles), 4 daylight 23W CLF bulbs (100W equivalent), suspended lighting system, timer, 15 hydroponic starter cubes, hydroponic growing fill (food grade plastic made from recycled bottles), plant cups, organic hydroponic solution, pH tester kit, weed block fabric, & heritage seeds: beans, lettuce, chard and kale. You will also receive instructions for: assembly of the unit, seeding instructions, hydroponics basics and troubleshooting your growing vegetables.
Kit comes fully prepared, simple assembly tools provided.

Takes little electricity: the CLF bulbs are the only electrical component with each bulb only requiring 23W to deliver the equivalent of 100W per bulb. The lighting only needs to be turned on during the short winter days or when you want to boost the growth of your plants.

Takes little time to maintain: Just empty the resevoir daily into the top plant holders for it to drip water slowly. Change the hydroponic solution each week. Occasionally clean the plant & resevoir holders as needed. Harvest continually.

Harvestable plants will be ready between 40 - 60 days depending on intensity of growing and plant species.

It is an exciting time for hydroponics with the introduction of Compact Light Fluorescents. Traditionally, hydroponics operations have required expensive to purchase and operate lighting ballasts. Systems took up a lot of floor space so the hobby or home hydroponic user had to set aside a large space or even room to grow. Because the areas were so big, they had to be out of the way, requiring extensive ventilation and heating. The high cost of operating these systems meant that high profit/yields were the priority unless it was for a commercial outdoor greenhouse.
Now the average apartment dweller without land access can have fresh vegetables using free sunshine, regular room temperatures with no ventilation worries. Low income households can set up a system and have access to continuous harvests of low cost, fresh, tasty, and nutritious vegetables with minimal work.

5% of profits go towards the First Fruits Fund to assist low income households to set up hydroponic food systems.

Ursula de Vries, Founder, Designer & Builder
verticalveggiefarms@gmail.com
403-542-4321

Why Grow Vegetables Indoors?

I was practically in love when I harvested Romaine Lettuce from my outdoor vegetable garden; the miracle of growth from a little seed, the ease of growing, the beauty of the vivid green leaves and then the taste of the crisp, fresh salad was amazing. 


When autumn came and I could no longer garden, I was very disappointed and got to work on getting year-round food sources. Lettuce in my grocery store during the winter months looked more like paper towel than a food source.


I signed up to receive food recall notices from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and during the summer, I was getting 1 to 2 notices a day. It was scaring me how many of our food sources were becoming contaminated and how people were getting poisoned and sick from tainted food. Commercial operations interested more in profit than food taste and nutrition was bothering me. As a consumer, I wanted an affordable alternative. 


As I live in a Northern climate, it is difficult to get fresh local produce unless it is grown in local heated hydroponic greenhouses.


I found some hydroponics links and got to work building a hydroponics system. I experimented with growing lettuce, kale and beans last winter and it really worked well. I researched hydroponics and came up with a low cost to build and low cost to maintain system.


I am quite pleased to present the Vertical Veggie Farm so that you too can garden in your own home year-round even if you don't have access to land. Get Growing and Bon Appetit!