By: Kevin Santos
OMAHA, Neb. — As Nebraska approaches colder weather, an Old Market restaurant is using an underground hydroponic farm to continue growing fresh produce throughout the year.
Gather Omaha operates a vertical farm beneath its restaurant, where leafy greens and herbs grow in towers supplied with nutrient-rich water rather than traditional soil.
The operation allows the restaurant to grow certain ingredients even as outdoor growing becomes more difficult during Nebraska’s winter months.
Laura Houfek, the restaurant’s farm manager, said the ability to grow year-round is one of the biggest advantages of the system.
“Obviously we can grow year-round, which is amazing,” Houfek said.
The growing process begins with seeds planted in a separate growing area. Once the plants reach the appropriate size, they are transferred into hydroponic towers.
Houfek said the towers contain basins holding approximately 20 gallons of nutrient-rich water, which circulates through the system at regular intervals.
Depending on the crop, some leafy greens can begin producing harvestable leaves within several weeks.
The farm grows ingredients such as romaine lettuce, arugula, and other greens that can be used in the restaurant’s kitchen upstairs.
Houfek said growing produce on-site also reduces the distance some ingredients must travel before reaching the kitchen.
“It’s great to shorten the chain of transportation,” Houfek said.
Executive chef Jeff Everroad said the farm gives the kitchen more flexibility when selecting ingredients for its menu.
Everroad works with Houfek to determine which crops to grow, including Swiss chard and baby spinach.
That arrangement becomes particularly useful when certain produce is not available locally during the winter.
“A lot of stuff’s not in season in the wintertime,” Everroad said, explaining that restaurants may otherwise need to purchase ingredients from suppliers in states such as California or Arizona.
Everroad also said the farm helps the restaurant manage some food expenses because its growing operation represents a fixed cost.
However, the indoor farm cannot always produce enough to meet the restaurant’s demand.
Everroad said limited growing space occasionally requires the kitchen to purchase additional ingredients from outside suppliers.
Houfek also acknowledged challenges associated with maintaining an enclosed growing environment, where problems affecting plants can spread and require immediate attention.
Despite those limitations, the farm provides an example of how certain crops can be grown locally beyond Nebraska’s traditional outdoor growing season.
As winter approaches, Gather Omaha’s operation illustrates both the possibilities and challenges of producing fresh ingredients within an urban restaurant.
