Follow on Google News News By Tag Industry News News By Place Country(s) Industry News
Follow on Google News | Community Taps Money-Saving, Environmental and Appetite TrendAbbey Delray South residents, self-taught in the methods of hydroponics, construct an elaborate garden to benefit their community. The hydroponic garden is full of growth, and so are their plans for the future.
By: GlynnDevins Abbey Delray South Residents Construct Hydroponic Garden DELRAY BEACH, FL. – In addition to a $6 million dollar renovation project at Abbey Delray South adding dining options and exterior features, a resident-led construction project is also underway at the senior living community. Neatly arranged rows of hydroponic towers are rising, each about six feet tall, with lush greenery pouring out of the stacked planter boxes. An elaborate watering system hangs overhead this dirt-free herb and vegetable garden. The hydroponic garden is an effort by residents and staff to be more environmentally friendly, save money, eat better, and establish roots in a growing trend across The Sunshine State and around the world. "I get excited and look forward to waking up every day and going out to see how much it's grown,” says John Lawrence, one of many residents who volunteers to help with the garden. But residents say it's easy work, and that's just one benefit of hydroponic over traditional gardening. Hydroponic gardening involves a system that grows plants without soil, only mineral nutrients and water. "It's less work to maintain and uses less than half the water compared to conventional gardening. It's also easier and cleaner to harvest, requires very little fertilizer and practically no pesticides," "We're saving money, and the fresh herbs and other vegetables enhance our menus and a variety of the dishes we offer," says Michel Baptiste, culinary director at Abbey Delray South. The hydroponic garden currently supplies about 10% of the herbs used by the community's chefs, who prepare more than 15,000 meals per month. "We have plans to quadruple the size of the hydroponic garden with 200 towers to supply up to 50% of the herbs needed. We also want to start growing more vegetables in the garden," Koehler says. According to IBISWorld market research, the Hydroponic Crop Farming industry has seen an annual growth rate of nearly 8% over the last five years. And the outlook remains strong because of the increasing number of participants, its value and rapid growth of consumer demand. "It's nice to see our friends and other residents here appreciate our efforts and the fresh produce, and we have great fun doing it," Lawrence says. ABOUT ABBEY DELRAY SOUTH Abbey Delray South, located at 1717 Homewood Blvd., in Delray Beach, Fla., is a community that provides seniors with a liberating lifestyle experience and a variety of residential options, including maintenance- ABOUT LIFESPACE COMMUNITIES Abbey Delray South is owned and operated by Lifespace Communities, Inc. Founded in 1976, Lifespace Communities, based in Des Moines, Iowa, is a not-for-profit corporation that has grown to operate 12 continuing care retirement communities in seven states, serving more than 5,000 residents and employing 2,500 team members. Communities are located in Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas, Illinois, Nebraska, Pennsylvania and Florida. The organization is recognized by the LeadingAge Ziegler Top 100 as the seventh largest not-for-profit senior living provider system in the country. For more information about Lifespace and its communities, visit www.LifespaceCommunities.com. Photographs of the hydroponic garden and participants are available. Additional photo/video, interview and media opportunities are available on site. Contact: Dave Dunn, GlynnDevins, Public Relations ddunn@glynndevins.com, direct: 913-754-2318 End
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Account Phone Number