The "Aeroponics - The Future Of Farming?" Story

The Aero Development Corp. greenhouse in Gap, PA.

It was an ordinary day.  Trying to find 5541 Old Phila- delphia Pike in Gap, Pennsyl- vania.  My grandson, Caden, and I are going to visit an aeroponics farm which is located along a country road in an area where many of the farms are owned by Amish.  After searching mailboxes for street numbers, we finally located 5541 and pulled into the drive of an Amish farm.  After a few minutes we found our way towards a very large greenhouse at the rear of the house, parked the car and headed toward the open doorway.  

The vertical tubes with grow cups stand in rows in the greenhouse.

As we entered we encount- ered a group of young Amish siting at a table planting seeds in small squares of what looked like styrofoam.  One woman who was in charge asked if she could help us and soon pointed to a nearby garage where the office was located.  Shortly we found the administrative director of AERO and our tour guide, Michelle Deller.  

Rockwool sections can be separated into sections to
be placed in the grow cups.

She took us back to the greenhouse and began telling us about how they raise vegetables, herbs and fruit in vertical units made from PVC hollow tubing with small triangular grow cups attached to the sides of the vertical units.  The original vertical tubes used to be round, but have now been redesigned and are square.  The grow cups hold seeds that have taken root in a material called rockwool which is a porous insulation product.  

This shows a section of rockwool with lettuce.

The young Amish people we first saw were planting seeds into the rockwool which would be kept in a heating unit for a few days and then in water trays for a few weeks before being placed in the grow cups.  Nutrient-rich water is released through a timed-system from the top of the vertical unit to allow the water to reach all the grow cups on the vertical units.  My wife Carol and I visited a hydroponic farm on the island of Anguilla a few years ago and this is somewhat similar with the exception of the amount of space it needs to grow the crops.  

This unit is ready for harvesting.

Hydroponic farming is also done without soil, but is spread on tables throughout the greenhouse, taking up space the same as traditional farming.  The aeroponic farming I am looking at today takes very little space to grow the same amount of crops as traditional or hydroponic farming does and the only items needed are the vertical growing tubes, water soluble nutrients and light.  The leaf lettuce, basil and even tomatoes looked fantastic and without any soil needed.  Every thirty minutes the nutrient-filled water drips down through the vertical columns for up to 10 minutes.  And, the results are unbelievable!  The amount of food that can be grown in such a small space makes aeroponics the future of food production.  

One of the units offered for sale.

What Sam Stoltzfus and Frank Fendler, co-owners of Aero Development Corp. have developed in 2009 will make growing food on rooftops and small greenhouses a possibility for people all over the world. Michelle showed us the different units that can be purchased for personal use.  As Caden and viewed the units for sale, we heard a rousing rendition of "Jesus Loves Me" sung by the young seed planters at the other end of the greenhouse.  Was almost tempted to join in!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.