Hydroponics is the practice of growing plants in water rather than soil. The method used in the farm is a closed-loop system. Therefore, we recycle all of the water and since there is no runoff, hydroponics is about 80-90% more efficient on water consumption than field farming. Plants grow faster and healthier than they would in the field because of less environmental stress, and the optimal amount of water, light, and temperature. Think of it as an “all you can eat buffet” for the plants, and the plants are always hungry! These plants grow without the use of pesticides or harmful chemicals. No weeds grow in this method of hydroponics so there’s no need for herbicides either. We record data from the plants to learn more about their preferences. By analyzing data, we continue to determine the optimal amount of light, water, nutrients, and time needed to result in the largest yields and the highest quality greens. There is never soil used in hydroponics, so it’s far cleaner and less of a food safety risk than traditional farming that uses manure and compost which can contain E. Coli and other harmful pathogens.