You can taste Michelin-star ingredients without a restaurant reservation by joining a botanical tasting tour at Farm.One! This indoor urban farm has been using the latest agricultural technology to grow rare herbs, edible flowers, and luxury salad greens for the best chefs in New York City since 2016. On a recent tour of the farm with Untapped New York Insiders, our members learned about this innovative approach to urban farming, tasted many samples of the crops, and enjoyed a delicious mocktail!
Check out photos from the tour below and join us for the next tasting tours in December.
Hydroponic Farm Tour & Tasting
More than 150 different types of plants are grown at Farm.One‘s 10,000-square-foot warehouse in Prospect Heights. The farm was previously located below the Manhattan restaurant, Atera. In the new Brooklyn space, the farm has expanded and now includes a 1,500-square-foot showroom and private event space – The Pavilion – where a variety of fun and informative public events and classes are held. Visitors can learn about the farm and its plants at interactive displays, browse the retail store, and grab a non-alcoholic drink at the new Brew Lab.
Visitors to these public spaces can peek into the farm through a giant window. Before heading behind the window, our guide mixed up a refreshing drink of hibiscus and cherry with a splash of seltzer for us to enjoy, topped off with a sprig of purple nepitella. We also had to put on our safety gear – hair caps, booties, and long-sleeve coats – before entering the Bio-Secure Zone.
Once inside, the expansive growing space is very impressive! There are seemingly endless rows of colorful plants and greens arranged neatly on towering shelves beneath bright grow lights. As we explored the rows and rows of plants, we got to smell and taste them. Our expert guide plucked the plants for us right off the stem and instructed us on how to get the best scent and flavor out of them. One of the highlights of what we tasted was the Dragon Wing Begonia, a pink flower with a sour, citrusy taste.
Farm.One’s unique indoor growing techniques allow crops to grow all year round in a sustainable way. Zero pesticides and far less water are needed compared to traditional farming methods. Farm.One plans to eventually achieve net carbon-zero farming.
At the end of the tour, we all got to enjoy a colorful mixed salad. You can take home fresh plants from Farm.One to enjoy for yourself by purchasing their weekly “greens boxes,” available for delivery within the local community. Packaged in reusable and returnable containers for maximum sustainability, the boxes are stuffed with the freshest greens, herbs, and flowers, all harvested the day they are served.
Join Untapped New York for another botanical tasting tour and try these edible plants for yourself this December!
Hydroponic Farm Tour & Tasting
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