Why We’re Growing Food on Top of a Shipping Container

A good meal shared with good company brings happiness to the heart. It’s as universal and human as a smile. A thriving community can be gauged by its access to healthy food and the absence of hunger. Hunger is not an issue of charity, it’s an issue of justice. It’s with this shared vision that True Blue Aquaponics and RVFB have joined forces to begin growing healthy, fresh food right onsite at the food bank.

Seedlings sprouting in an aquaponics system.

Starting this month we’ve begun to work on a pilot project that will turn RVFB’s food waste into nutrient rich compost. That compost will, in turn, power an organic hydroponic system which will grow an abundance of fresh produce. Hydroponics is a highly efficient method of farming that uses nutrient rich water, rather than soil, to grow plants. By closing this loop, from food waste to nutritious produce, we are farming in a natural and intelligent way, while breaking the rigid boundary that divides our cities from our farms. Our vision is to expand the pilot farm to a much larger urban rooftop space, unlocking the immense potential of Seattle’s underutilized rooftops. But for now, we’re placing the pilot aquaponics garden on top of a shipping container, onsite at RVFB!

Sample image of RVFB’s dream rooftop aquaponics garden.

RVFB’s vision is simple and extremely powerful: a hunger-free Rainier Valley. By taking the pivotal step to bring urban farming into the heart of our community, we will be one step closer to realizing that dream!