O'Hare sees green with first-ever airport aeroponic garden

By Derrek J. Hull, Blogger-in-Chief



HMSHost Corporation (a National Restaurant Association member) and the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) have developed the world's first airport aeroponic garden producing local, all-natural, pesticide free produce.

The cutting-edge, environmentally friendly 928-square-foot O'Hare Urban Garden is located at the intersection of Terminals 2 and 3 in the mezzanine level of O'Hare International Airport's Rotunda Building. 

Aeroponics is a method of growing plants in a water and mineral nutrient solution without soil. Compared to traditional soil gardening, O'Hare's aeroponic garden: 

• Provides year-round cultivation
• Produces a higher yield per square foot
• Requires no weed pulling
• Uses about two-thirds less water
• Towers are 8 feet tall with a 30-inch diameter base
• Grows swiss chard, sweet basil, purple basil, dill, cilantro, parseley, chives, bibb lettuce, gourmet lettuce mix, habanero peppers, thyme, edible flowers, oregano, red lettuce and green beans

Similar to hydroponic farming, aeroponic is becoming increasingly popular around the world for farming in limited space.

The O'Hare Urban Garden supplies freshly grown produce to several airport restaurants located inside the terminals, including:

 

Comments

[Seth Frielich]

Thank you Derrek, great post.