Holyoke Freight Farms
A team of Holyoke residents and HCC students are collaborating to grow food in two refurbished shipping containers ("Freight Farms") in the heart of downtown Holyoke for local residents, businesses, and institutions!
The Freight Farms shipping containers located at 150 Race St. in Holyoke grow leafy greens and herbs without the use of soil. Each of the container farms can hold 256 grow towers with a capacity of 10-12 plants each, and can grow as much produce in a year as an acre of farmland. The shipping containers were delivered in April for a joint urban agriculture project that includes HCC, the city of Holyoke, and the community nonprofit Nuestras Raíces. The funds for the project, $208,000, were provided by the state through MassDevelopment as part of its Transformative Development Initiative, which is meant to accelerate economic growth in its Gateway Cities' communities.
our mission
- Train residents from Holyoke and the surrounding communities in hydroponic food production
- Produce pesticide-free vegetables year-round for local markets
- Reduce unnecessary fossil fuel emissions from the transportation of food
- Donate a portion of every harvest to those in need
how it works
These containers are soil-free facilities that use water, mineral nutrients, and LED lights to grow leafy vegetables like lettuce, spinach, and cilantro. This method allows us to produce large scale yields year-round in an urban setting.
apprenticeships
Are you interested in growing more food in Holyoke? Are you curious about hydroponics? We are offering several paid apprenticeships positions for Holyoke residents in the "Freight Farms" downtown. Learn more about this way of growing food, work in a cutting-edge operation, and get paid in the process!
partners
This project is a collaboration of Holyoke Community College, the City of Holyoke, Holyoke Redevelopment Authority, Nuestras Raíces, and MassDevelopment.
buy our lettuce
Are you interested in buying our fresh, local, and pesticide-free greens for your restaurant or institution? If so, please contact farm manager Alina Davledzarova for information on produce varieties and pricing. Your business helps support our innovative workforce training program in downtown Holyoke!
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let's grow!
The two Freight Farms shipping containers located in downtown Holyoke grow leafy greens and herbs without the use of soil.
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big things come in small packages
Each of the container farms can hold 256 grow towers with a capacity of 10-12 plants each, and can grow as much produce in a year as an acre of farmland.
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a farm grows in holyoke
The shipping containers were delivered in April for a joint urban agriculture project that includes HCC, the city of Holyoke, and the community nonprofit Nuestras Raíces.
