Martha Stewart-backed indoor farm starts shipping tomatoes
AppHarvest says its Morehead greenhouse, which houses 720,000 tomato plants over the equivalent of 45 football fields, is one of the largest single-story buildings in the world.
By Dee-Ann Durbin
Agri News
February 04, 2021
Excerpt:
Greenhouses have been around for decades, but not until recently have they grown into such large-scale facilities. At the same time, consumers are increasingly looking for better-tasting, sustainably produced food, Stewart said.
AppHarvest uses no chemical pesticides and says its tomatoes are bred for flavor, not long-haul travel, unlike tomatoes grown in Mexico.
“We know how flavorless and devoid of nutrients tomatoes are when they are picked a month ago,” said Stewart during a video news conference. “I think that we all need and want better food for us, for our families, for our friends.”
Stewart also wants organic produce to be more affordable and accessible. She said she was shocked when she went to the grocery recently and had to pay $98 for a small cart full of organic vegetables.
