Farm-fresh produce was once merely a seasonal option, and only truly available to restaurants within driving distance of rural farming communities. But technology is now happily intersecting with the consumer demand for farm-to-table dining, making it possible for year-round local produce to become a restaurant staple.

Climate-controlled indoor farms, rooftop gardens, and even upcycled shipping containers are changing the urban landscape, bringing fresher dining options for consumers and a brighter palette of ingredients for city chefs. Rather than sourcing from warm climates—even internationally—with availability changing every few months, produce can be on diners’ tables in mere hours, directly from local purveyors.

Growing conditions vary, with several methods and technologies employed:

• Soil-less methods providing nutrients through water: hydroponics, aeroponics, aquaponics
• Sunlit greenhouses or LED-lit vertical gardens
• No pesticides or herbicides used (or needed)

But in addition to proximity, another great benefit is repeatability—crops are no longer bound to seasonality, but are available throughout the year, and in surprising quantities: a humble shipping container can be outfitted to produce as much as a traditional 2-acre farm.

Where open land and soil are scarce (in the concrete jungle of metropolitan areas), urban farming is a necessity, if there is to be farming at all. And in drought-prone regions, the water-sipping nature of these farms is advantageous too: up to 95% less water is used, and water runoff and soil erosion are non-existent.

The whole approach marks a dramatic shift in farming, and some traditional farmers see it as a threat. But there is clearly room (and need) for both types of farming, and they can coexist to adequately supply the tables of both restaurants and homes. Local urban farming is still new and growing—and some major grocery retailers are showing support by investing.

So what do these urban farms look like?

• Rooftop greenhouses
• Converted factories and shipping containers
• Dedicated indoor facilities
• Small-scale in-restaurant shelf- or wall-based systems, maintained by the restaurant or managed by an urban farming supplier

Even with growing interest and support, and the expectation that this industry will boom, some early pioneering farms have already come and gone. Sadly, these kinds of casualties are commonplace at the dawn of new industries. But the success stories booming in major urban areas like New York, Chicago, Denver, and various locations in California, are encouraging.

How would your restaurant benefit from year-round access to farm-to-table produce? Is urban farming an appealing produce source for you? Would you choose it over traditional farmed produce, or use a mix to supply your restaurant?

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