We’ve seen many a clever shipping container building, but rarely one that so effectively combines transportability with community impact. But here comes Farm From a Box, essentially a shipping container starter kit that holds everything you need (minus the two-acre land itself) to operate a small farm with enough produce to feed up to 150 people.
The $50,000 portable container can be plopped just about anywhere. It comes tricked out with a 3kW solar-powered electrical system, WiFi, water pump, drip irrigation materials, basic tools, and a greenhouse. It also includes training materials on farming technology, maintenance, business, and sustainable growing methods. Additional options let buyers customize their kit with components designed for their climate or usage, including systems for cold storage and water purification.
A prototype farm is already operational at Shone Farm in Sonoma County, California, and its efficiency exceeded the expectations of its creators, Brandi DeCarli and Scott Thompson. The two founders hope that the off-grid kit will make it easier for everyone from community-supported agriculture organizations to schools and individual aspiring farmers to jumpstart their own farms. The team is exploring additional Farm From a Box test sites in Ethiopia, Nepal, Bhutan, and Afghanistan.
Via: Inhabitat