Parking Lot Gardening
There's a decline in car ownership in Paris, leaving a web
of unused underground parking lots empty. Three lots have
sprouted new life as organic farms as part of a government-
funded initiative in partnership with Cycloponics, a Strasbourg,
France-based business that develops urban agriculture concepts.
Below the city street, certified organic, non-GMO, and pesticide-
free produce like shiitake, oyster, and white button mushrooms,
endive, and microgreens, are flourishing, with almost 67,000
pounds of mushrooms cultivated each year. Jean-Noël Gertz,
thermal engineer and founder and CEO of Cycloponics, says,
"We need about 33,000 square feet minimum to operate a farm,
and devote 50 percent to the mushroom culture rooms," which
love the dark underground terrain. The hyper local, affordable,
and sustainable produce is delivered to organic grocery stores in
the city via electric bikes or cars.—D.S.
Adopt a Farm
A new crop of young farmers in
Europe have figured out that selling
directly to consumers is the future.
CrowdFarming.com is their platform.
Shoppers learn about a wide variety
of participating farms online, and then
"adopt" their choice, such as a beehive,
almond tree, or salt pit, and receive
a portion of the harvest. Or they can
order a bundle box. Since early 2020,
they've serviced more than 200,000
customers and continue to offer
logistics and customer service to the
farmers, ensuring success.—D.S.
PHOTOS: ICF LA SABLIERE / CYCLOPONICS
PHOTOS: CROWDFARMING.COM
12 SPECIALTY FOOD SPECIALTYFOOD.COM
TRENDS & HAPPENINGS
