Hydroponics has become a staple in food production, including in California's Solano County
DIXON — Hydroponics, which is the process of growing plants without soil, is an idea that's been around for a long time.
The legalization of marijuana has made the method more popular, but with rising food costs and demand for sustainable farming methods, it's also becoming a staple for food production.
Nick Bellizzi took us on a tour of the greenhouse at Gotham Greens in Dixon. The company operates 13 different greenhouses in nine separate states, and they can grow 365 days a year using state-of-the-art technology.
"Our greenhouse has sensors throughout that measure temperature, humidity, CO2 and light levels, and that allows us to modulate the environment and grow crops the best," Bellizzi said.
Although a small amount of soil is used to start seedlings to establish root systems, within a couple of weeks, they are transplanted to gutters that transport nutrient-rich water to plants.
"It goes from one side to the other. All that water is captured and recirculated through these same systems," Bellizzi said. "By doing that, we are able to use up to 90% less water than a conventional farm."
Solano County's Agriculture Commissioner Ed King said indoor hydroponic operations are growing in popularity.
"The upside of growing indoors [is that] indoor farmers can grow year-round and produce multiple crops throughout the year," King said.
Building costs could be higher, but it's a price many more companies are willing to pay given consumer demand nationwide for sustainably sourced food harvested locally.
"There's some studies that show that for every day post-harvest, vitamin C levels can drop over time, so getting stuff that's local, fresh and sustainable is better for the customer at the end of the day," King said.