By containerizing the small garden concept employed by urban farms, we are able to introduce a protective, fully controlled growing environment, initially using highly rated aeroponic grow apparatus. We estimate that this will increase production and yield by fourfold. This project would allow us to also complete design work to scale up an even more advanced, patented (we own it) growing system, called "Enviroponics(R)" that could generate another 30% in yield increases. Our innovation is being put to task in a local initiative to address a massive "food desert" problem that is associated with a myriad health, social and economic problems affecting mostly the poorest people and elderly persons in our area. We are working jointly with an existing local garden program that wants our innovation, but does not have the funding to acquire it. This project is expected to produce a "proof of concept" that could help change the minds of local health and municipal funding sources.

What we'll deliver:

• Build four urban farm units, using 40' shipping containers to create aprotecte, controlled environment
• Create demand for our innovation within community gardening programs, allowing them to feed greater numbers of people
• Increase the amount of fresh, locally grown, non-GMO foods available to poor and elderly persons in our local area
• Raise capital to allow us to produce our urban farming units economically sustainable, and socially responsibly.

Why it's a great idea:

It is great because it has the potential to help thousands of individuals and families who do not have access, to nor are able to afford healthy foods reverse this condition. In the long run our urban container farm concept could also revolutionize farming as we know it, by enabling urban populations to grow large amounts of their foods, close to home and with the assurance of knowing that it was produced without chemicals, or other contaminants, and without doing any harm to the surrounding environment. Our systems are cost effective (two other startups are marketing similar systems, but offer them at over twice the price that we are anticipating) and out design will have a long term positive impact on land use, urban design, and individual health, just to name a few of it potential benefits. Current migration patterns, are increasing the numbers of people moving to urban areas, and in the USA, the use of Genetically Modified food products underlies the need for new source of food

Steps to get it done:

• upon receipt of funds, the completion of assembly work on four demonstration farm containers, ready for production

Feeding an increasingly larger population, worldwide, is one of the most pressing challenges facing our modern society. In the US it has given rise to the development and widespread use of genetically modified plants and seeds. In spite of government claims regarding the safety of GMOs, the majority of people remain skeptical of their long term safety. already in places like Japan the application of the type of technology we are proposing to introduce is being used to create huge robotic farms that are turning out safe, wholesome foods. unfortunately, this pattern follows the existing "agri-business models" that keep food prices high and out of the control of average people. ur system aims to give local communities and average people a stake in producing their own food and forcing prices to fall inline with their capacity to spend. If successful, our model could help to usher in an entirely new and different way of looking at and handling the feed of the world's population.