Basil

I went on a trip this morning to a farm in Indiana this morning. On the way there, bouncing across potholed roads, I remembered why I love this job, and also why I like writing this blog. I see so much interesting stuff.

Now this pot of basil might look fairly ordinary to you, but it was grown entirely indoors in a climate and light-controlled building in an industrial park in the middle of nowhere. I saw its leafy friends growing there this morning at Green Sense Farms.

As I munch this basil straight off the plant, it is comforting to know that the leaves do not need washing because no pesticide has ever been applied. For the simple reason that no pest ever gets into the building--the air is purified, humidified and sanitised before it ever brushes the surface of a leaf. Kale, perfect baby lettuces, chives, coriander (oh, cilantro if you must) all lined up in perfect rows under weird pink and blue LED lights designed to give these plants exactly what they need 22 hours a day. Stacked ten rows high, the plants are harvested around the year, to order.

This, my friends, is part of the future of farming. Just a little part of it. You will not see towers of tomatoes, or corn growing in indoor facilities--too heavy apparently. But there are many economies to growing this way under LED lights, so if you want local, organically grown leafy vegetables this is the way to go.

I tell you the kale was the best I ever tasted--although I admit the standard is low. Green Sense's kale was soft and and enticing, more like lettuce than that chewy wrinkly thing that usually ends up in my salads.

Perfect little lettuce from Green Sense Farms in Indiana.