WE APPRECIATE IT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> AND MANY CHICAGO RESTAURANTS
AND GROCERY STORES ARE GETTING
FRESH PRODUCE FROM HERE IN
ILLINOIS.
IT'S PART OF A GROWING TREND TO
OBTAIN FARM FRESH TOMATOES AND
GREENS FROM GREENHOUSES INSTEAD
OF SHIPPING THEM THOUSANDS OF
MILES.
WE VISITED FOR A LOOK AT THE
LOCAL GREENERY.
>> A HOT HOUSE JUNGLE OF TOMATO
PLANTS FILLS A SEVEN-AND-A-HALF
ACRE GREENHOUSE IN ROCHELLE
ILLINOIS 80 MILES WEST OF
CHICAGO.
AND MIGHTY VINE TOMATOES IS IN
THE PROCESS OF DOUBLING THEIR
SPACE TO 15 INDOOR ACRES.
WE MET MIGHTY VINE'S HEAD GROWER
WHO BRINGS A FAMILY TRADITION.
>> MY FATHER WAS A TOMATO GROWER
AND BOTH MY GRANDFATHERS WERE IN
HOLLAND.
I WAS BORN IN A GREENHOUSE.
WE HAVE TWO MAIN VARIETIES ONE
IS A THROUGH OUNCE TOMATO AND
THE OTHER IS A CHERRY TOMATO.
THE SMALLER AND SWEET.
AND NO BANANAS.
MIGHTY VINE WANTS THE BEST
TASTING TOMATOES AND WE WILL DO
THIS YEAR.
SO WE BUILD A GREENHOUSE TO GROW
THE TOMATOES IN THE WINTER AND
THE SUMMER, YEAR-ROUND SO WE
DON'T NEED TO WAIT UNTIL AUGUST
UNTIL THE BACKYARD TOMATOES
RIPEN.
>> MOST WINDUP IN 150
RESTAURANTS IN CHICAGO INCLUDING
RICK BAYLESS' RESTAURANTS AND
WHOLE FOODS.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS WE DO IS WE
PICK OUR TOMATOES WHEN THEY ARE
VINE RIPE.
SO TOMATO STAYS BETTER IF THEY
RIPE ESPECIALLY ON THE VINE
OTHER PICKED WHEN THEY ARE GREEN
AND SIT IN THE TRUCK FOR THREE
DAYS.
BUILDING THE GREENHOUSE ALLOWS
US TO COMBINE THE ART OF GROWING
WITH THE SCIENCE OF A
GREENHOUSE.
>> A FEW MILES AWAY, BRIGHT
FARMS HAS THE SAME IDEA FOR
THEIR NEWLY OPENED GREENHOUSE
WHICH GROWS TOMATOES BUT
SPECIALIZES IN GREENS.
>> IT IS 160,000 SQUARE FEET
WHICH IS IT SEEMS MASSIVE BUT
THE AMOUNT OF LAND THAT WE WOULD
HAVE TO USE TO GROW THIS MANY
GREENS IS FAR MUCH MORE THAN
160,000 SQUARE FEET.
WE ARE DEFINITELY USING LESS
LAND AND LESS WATER AND BECAUSE
OF THE WAY WE DISTRIBUTE AND
PARTNER WITH SUPERMARKETS TO
BRING THEM THE MOST LOCAL
FRESHEST GREENS WE ARE ABLE TO
GET IT TO MARKET RIGHT AWAY AND
TO BE INVOLVED AND BECAUSE IT'S
GROWN IN A GREENHOUSE THERE IS
NO RUNOFF COMING FROM OTHER
FARMS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO WE ARE ABLE TO CONTROL WHAT
IS GOING IN.
WE ARE NOT USING ANY PESTICIDES.
WE ARE ALL NON-GMO.
SO IT'S REALLY HIGH QUALITY
LOCAL FRESH SALAD GREENS.
>> LIKE MIGHTY VINE
SUSTAINABILITY IS KEY TO BRIGHT
FARMS PHILOSOPHY.
>> OUR GREENHOUSE HAS A SMALLER
CARBON FOOTPRINT THAN AN INDOOR
FARM WHERE IT'S ALL LED'S 24/7
BECAUSE THEY ARE BURNING A LOT
OF ENERGY TO KEEP THAT GOING.
WE USE AS MUCH NATURAL SUNLIGHT
AS POSSIBLE AND SUPPLEMENT WITH
THE LIGHT IN THE WINTERTIME.
AND WATER FOR EXAMPLE, A HEAD OF
LETTUCE GROWN IN THE FIELD CAN
TAKE 40 GALLONS FOR ONE HEAD.
AND A HEAD OF LETTUCE IN THE
SETTING TAKES ONE GALLON.
IN A FIELD THE HALF EVAPORATES
AND TO YOUR 0% DOES NOT REACH
THE ROOT ZONE.
>> OUT HERE WE HAVE FLOATING ON
WATER BABY GREENS.
WE HAVE ARUGULA AND SPINACH OVER
THERE.
AND BABY KALE.
CHOI.
DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF FRESH
LOCAL LETTUCE FOR YOU TO ENJOY
AND THE WAY WE GROW IS
HYDROPONICLY.
EVERYTHING HERE IS FLOATING ON
WATER.
YOU CAN SEE THE BOARDS THEY COME
UP.
AND JUST UNDERNEATH THERE IS ALL
WATER.
SO SUPER AWESOME WAY OF GROWING
AND JUST REALLY THE FUTURE OF
FARMING.
>> THEY INTRODUCE BEES TO HELP
POLLENATE THE TOMATOES.
THE VALUE OF THE FARMS OF THE
FUTURE HAS CAUGHT THE ATTENTION
OF THE LOCAL STATE
REPRESENTATIVE.
>> I THINK IT SHOWS WHEN YOU
OPEN TO NEW INDUSTRIES AND
INNOVATIONS YOU CAN FIND UNIQUE
TAKES.
A NEW WAY TO DO SOMETHING AND A
NEW WAY TO GROW A PRODUCT AND
USE THE LAND THAT YOU HAVE.
AND LOOK FOR WAYS THAT YOU CAN
TIE TOGETHER TWO THINGS THAT YOU
DO WELL.
YOU LOOK AT ILLINOIS OVER
GENERATIONS AND THE FOUNDATION
OF OUR ECONOMY HAS BEEN
AGRICULTURE AND YEAR AFTER YEAR
WE SEE INNOVATIONS IN
AGRICULTURE THAT INCREASE YIELD
AND IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY AND THE
STRENGTH OF THE INDUSTRY AND
PLACES LIKE BRIGHT FARMS AND
MIGHTY VINE ARE A STEP IN THE
INNOVATION OF AGRICULTURE.