Cutting Edge: Farm fresh vegetables in the middle of winter

IN TONIGHT’S CUTTING EDGE, MIKE WANKUM SHOWS US HOW IT’S DONE MIKE: PEOPLE LOVE FRESH VEGETABLES. THE AVERAGE AMERICAN IDOL CONSUMES 400 POUNDS EACH YEAR, AND WE LOVE OUR FLOWERS, TOO. A $26 BILLION INDUSTRY. UNDER THE EXPRESSWAY ON A COLD, WINDSWEPT WINTER DAY IS ABOUT THE LAST PLACE YOU WOULD THINK OF TO GROW FLOWERS AND VEGETABLES, BUT IT’S ACTUALLY HAPPENING HE EVERY DAY. >> WE MAKE TURNKEY MODULAR FORUMS THAT ALLOW ANYONE TO GROW FOOD AND -- IN ANY ENVIRONMENT. MIKE: THEY STARTED IN 2013 AND WE FIRST REPORTED ON THEIR FARMS THREE YEARS AGO. SINCE THEN, THEY’VE GROWN FASTER THAN THE FLOWERS IN HERE. >> YOU ARE STANDING IN THE GREENERY, OUR LATEST RELEASE. MIKE CALLED AND THE FARMS ARE ASCENDED AT THEIR PRODUCTION FACILITY IN WESTBOROUGH FROM CONTAINERS. AROUND T WORLD. -- THEY SHIP AROUND THE WORLD. THIS ONE IS HEADED FOR WISCONSIN. >> WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BRING FARMS TO VIETNAM, SWEDEN, THE MIDDLE EAST, THE PHILIPPINES. >> IT’S A HYDROPONIC SET UP SO WE DO GROW WITHOUT SOIL. WHAT YOU ARE SEEIN IS EVERYTHING YOU NEED INSIDE OF A FARM >> IN THIS 320 SQUARE FOOT SHIPPING CONTAINER, THEY CAN GROW THE EQUIVALENT OF 4 ACRES OF CROPS PRODUCING 1000 ACRES OF LETTUCE YEAR-ROUN PESTICIDE AND HERBICIDE FREE. >> IT IS A DRIP IRRIGATION SYSTEM. IF YOU FOLLOW UP HERE, THE WATER FLOWS FROM THE TOP IRRIGATION THROUGH THE PLANT PANELS BATHING THE ROOTS OF THE PLANTS WITH WATER AND NUTRIENTS INTO THE CHANNELS HERE, AND IT FLOWS BACK INTO THE TANK AND THE SYSTEM RE-CIRCULATES. MIKE: EVEN THE AIRFLOW IS PRECISELY CIRCULATED TO ADD STRENGTH TO THE STEMS. THEY ALSO INCREASE THE LED LIGHT OUTPUT FROM THE ORIGINAL DESIGN >> THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT PLANTS NEED. QUICK IT CAN BE TWEAKED USING ONBOARD CONTROL. >> IF YOU WANT TO DO A LITTLE FARMING FROM YOUR COUCH, WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN. PLANTS REACT TO MUSIC, BUT PEOPLE ALSO REALLY REACT TO MUSIC WHEN THEY ARE WORKING, SO IT WOULD MAKE A NICE WORKFLO FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED. ED: THAT CANNOT BE CHEAP. MIKE: ALL SET UP AND READY TO GROW, THEY COST ABOUT $115,000. I WANT TO POINT OUT WE WERE ABLE TO SHOOT THAT CUTTING EDGE STORY BEFORE SOCIAL DISTANCING WAS ENACTED. IN LIGHT OF THE CORONOVIRUS AND OTHER FOOD BORN ILLNESSES MORE PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT WHERE THEIR FOOD IS COMI