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Lufa Farms: A Model For Feeding Cities And Reconnecting People To Food

Fixing a broken food system and reconnecting people with the food they eat is no easy task. But Lufa Farms in Montreal is doing it. With three rooftop greenhouses spread out across the city, Lufa has 140,000 sq. ft. of growing space dedicated to feeding the city. Look for our upcoming blog on how it all began and the amazing technology Lufa uses to grow sustainable, fresh produce such as lettuce, microgreens, cucumber, tomatoes, and so much more. For now, enjoy these photos of Garden Culture’s inspirational tour of one of Lufa’s revolutionary greenhouses.

 

Lufa Farms doesn’t use any pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides in its greenhouses. Instead, it enlists the help of ladybugs and wasps to control pests, and of bumblebees to pollinate the crops.

Lufa Farms grows all of its produce hydroponically; it’s growing medium of choice is coconut fibre substrate.

Learning about all of the incredible technology and software used to grow the produce at Lufa Farms. From energy curtains and HPS lamps to NFT and grow bag hydroponic systems, Lufa has growing down to a science.

Vertical rows equipped with LED lights are home to all of Lufa’s fresh herbs and microgreens.

We visited Lufa’s greenhouse on a cool, rainy day in Montreal, but we’re told it gets incredibly hot and humid in the greenhouse in the summer.

To minimize the risk of contamination, anyone entering the greenhouse must dip the soles of their shoes in a sterilizing solution at the door.

Lufa Farms is proud to practice sustainable farming; it recirculates 100% of the water it uses, and also collects rain and melt water in tanks stored in the basement. Nutrients are added to the water and fed to the crops.

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Author

Catherine Sherriffs

Editor at Garden Culture Magazine

Catherine is a Canadian award-winning journalist who worked as a reporter and news anchor in Montreal’s radio and television scene for 10 years. A graduate of Concordia University, she left the hustle and bustle of the business after starting a family. Now, she’s the editor and a writer for Garden Culture Magazine while also enjoying being a mom to her three young kids. Her interests include great food, gardening, fitness, animals, and anything outdoors.