Daily Loaf

The first time I visited Urban Oasis Hydroponic Farm was about a month ago, right at the tail end of a tiring and grueling semester at culinary school. The class load had been light, but the “real life” load hadn’t. The air was warm and already feeling like the first hints of summer. In Florida, it seems, we only have two seasons: summer or fall, maybe a week of winter occasionally. It was that unusual time of year when the nights are cold and the days are hot. Just a few more hours and it would be the weekend. My mind was thinking about other things, most certainly not a farm.

My classmates and I were going to the farm as part of a field trip for one of my culinary classes. The last one, technically. I am wrapping up my time at The Art Institute of Tampa and this was the final class in which I would be cooking in a lab setting. The instructor was Chef Paul Kennedy and the class was called “Art Culinare’,” which focused on the finer points of executing presentation and the study of great chefs. We also discussed the value of insisting on fresh, quality ingredients.  Each week, Chef Kennedy reminded us of these ideas as they were reflected in the theories of chefs such as Alice Waters, Charlie Trotter, and Thomas Keller, just to name a few. The theme was evident in each discussion, lecture, and suggestion the chef made to us.

After about twenty minutes of cursing at the lady that lives in my GPS and a few wrong turns, I found myself pulling up to small, unassuming lot in the middle of town, right on Linebaugh Avenue. If I didn’t know what I was looking for, I could have easily passed it, with or without the GPS Maiden’s help. There are quite a few small businesses in the area, a lot of neighborhoods close by, busy streets and industrial lots. A farm is the last thing you would expect but, here it was in the bright sunshine, just a few minutes drive from the insanity of Waters Avenue.

My classmates and chef all pulled up in their vehicles and we gathered near the entrance, which is a simple covered patio with a counter and a blackboard announcing that day’s harvest and price list. There are a few shelves containing organic fertilizer for sale, a cooler containing water, and almost immediately after the entrance, the farm starts.

It is visually arresting and quite the opposite of what I expected a farm to be. There’s no dirt, for one thing.  The plot is a box shaped piece of land that is about three-quarters of an acre covered in a black tarp material. There are rows and rows of pots stacked on one another in vertical columns, little tiny plants poking out of each corner of the pots. Tubes and lines run to each plant, pumping water and nutrition to each plant. The most noticeable  aspect of this arrangement is you get a large number of plants in a very small space.

We were greeted by Dave and Cathy Hume, the owners and operators of Urban Oasis. My chef had brought along his small son and walked him over to a column of salad greens. ”See that?” he asked his son. He then smiled and said, “That’s food.“

Dave and Cathy then gave my class a presentation on their operation. They spoke about how they were growing organically, and as sustainably as possible. We strolled along past cucumbers, salad greens, immature tomatoes, eggplants, and more. Cathy lovingly referred to her husband as “The Farmer” and explained that the plot was practically reclaimed and used to be home to alot of salvage material. She spoke about their reasons for starting the business, and how their goal was to provide quality produce in a way that is healthy for the consumer and sustainable for the environment. She answered questions members of my class posed to her, and The Farmer educated us about the science behind the operation.

Given the current drought conditions and watering restrictions, I was curious to know how such a farm would work. In each pot, there is no soil but rather a material made from the fiber of coconut husks. The roots of each plant grow all through this fiber and a nutrient solution drips down directly on to the roots. Dave estimates that he uses a mere fraction of the water that a traditional farm uses per plant.  The water is delivered directly to the roots instead of having to filter through soil. Dave is constantly tweaking his system. If water drips out of the bottom of the pot, then the watering interval is set too high and tells the farmer to turn down the volume. Only the amount required to grow the plant is used and very little is wasted. Stacking the plants means that the plants only require one fifth the space required in a traditional farm.

I was so impressed that I resolved to go back and get some photos. A few weeks later when my pal Katie Machol, of Creative Loafing, asked me to contribute something green, I knew I had the perfect excuse to go back. I got to spend some one-on-one time with Dave and Cathy and we spoke about the environmental issues driving such a business. Issues of water conservation and the use of organic fertilizer featured prominently in our discussion. The Humes feel passionate about the cause of local produce, suggesting that today’s Victory Garden is within reach for any consumer with just a little bit of land. Aside from growing their own produce, the couple also sells home-scale hydroponic units and offer classes on how to grow your own world class hydroponic produce at home. They say its incredibly easy and that anyone can and should do it. Less land, less water, higher yield, and fresher product at less money.

The farm is open to the public on Thursday through Saturday when the harvest comes in. You can also sign up to become a member of the farm in which you can partake a set amount of select items for a membership fee. The whole thing is fascinating to see in action, and the proud owners are more than happy to answer any questions.

The produce is phenomenal. I picked up a few heads greens that night and made the best salad I had eaten in years. Cathy claims her salad greens are so healthy that when picked, they can last three weeks in the fridge. She also adds that they are so tasty that they rarely make it a day or two. If you have ever wanted to try out some incredibly fresh produce, I encourage you to make a trip out to the farm and give it a try. Also, give their site a visit for class schedules and harvest updates. If Dave has his way, you will leave with the seed of a new hobby firmly planted in your mind.

The freshness, the firmness of the products are out of this world. I made such a simple salad with the absolute most basic balsamic and garlic vinaigrette and probably one of the most nutritious and flavorful salads I had eaten in a long time.  I’m already marking out the spot in my back yard where I plan on putting the home unit. One day, I will be a chef, and the lessons learned here will help me choose which products I wish to give to my patrons. But you don’t have to be a chef to appreciate what is being done here. They have reclaimed a part of the urban jungle and making it literally an oasis, fed by pumps and tubes.

Urban Oasis Hydroponic Farm is located at:
5416 West Linebaugh Avenue, Tampa, Fl 33624

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