Photos by Michael Piazza

Town to Table started as a college project for Clark University student Jack Levine, who saw the appeal of hydroponic farming’s indoor year-round access (and, on the flip side, the realities of waste in traditional farming) while living and working on a hydro farm in Costa Rica.

Since then, Levine and Temen Kim, his best friend and Town to Table cofounder, scaled the project and bootstrapped it together to create a for-profit hydroponic greens company, currently operating out of repurposed freight containers at West Roxbury’s Catholic Memorial High School and the Boys & Girls Club of Metro South. These locales are no mistake: Town to Table engages the regional communities and students with the day-to-day work in the business; their involvement includes everything from seeding and data analysis to community engagement and marketing.

“We believe this learning platform can inspire students and community members of all ages to expand their roles as environmental stewards and advocates as we build a future that is sustainable,” says Levine, acknowledging that the first group of students to get involved with Town to Table came in to fulfill their required community service but stayed on even after they’d completed their hours.

Levine also shared how their partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of Metro South specifically supports Town to Table’s overarching mission to provide access to both food and innovative technology, as the farms provide food that stays in the community.

“For us, it’s access to local food year-round but also to create equitable access to innovative technology,” said Levine. “I learned these skills in college, which not everyone has the access to. We aim to partner with organizations to build skills that are transferable to green career pathways.”

The hydroponic Freight Farms are currently growing basil and mixed lettuces, including Salanova, a hydroponic-specific green. Town to Table produces about 250 packs of each variety per week that are sold throughout Greater Boston; their labels advertise the greens as “wicked fresh, wicked local, wicked sustainable.”

Levine and Kim start all their lettuce and greens from seeds that are planted into Rockwool cubes, a combination of coconut husk and peat moss, which they refer to as “nature’s sponge” as the soil-free cubes retain moisture better than traditional soil.

After a week, the seedlings are moved up to a rack to obtain light from above and moisture from below for three to four weeks. This is where the technology shines: Because Town to Table doesn’t use soil, from which a plant typically obtains necessary nutrients, all the required nutrients are liquified and added into the irrigation water. The nutrients run on sensors, which are controlled through a computer system at the farm as well as through a phone app to ensure consistent nourishment to the plants. So, if the moisture levels are low or the pH dips, the system adjusts the distribution automatically. As for light, this is where the seedlings receive 18 hours of simulated daylight—5:1 ratio combination of red to blue lights.

After this period, the mature plants are transferred to “the towers”—vertical planters that use a gravity water technique to allow each plant to absorb the quantity of liquid it needs. The unused water is collected in a tray at the bottom of the tower and is then recirculated for use in the humidifier. Levine explains that Town to Table uses about five to 10 gallons of water a day, which is 95 percent less than conventional outdoor growing. From here, the herbs or lettuce are trimmed and packaged, requiring only a light washing. The whole cycle takes six to eight weeks from seed to store.

You can find Town to Table in an expanding portfolio of small grocers and farm stands, as well as delivery services.

towntotable.com

This story appeared in the Winter 2022 issue.