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This farm uses no soil and 95% less water


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As urban populations continue to rise, innovators are looking beyond traditional farming as a way to feed everyone while having less impact on our land and water resources. Vertical farming is one solution that's been implemented around the world. How do they work? Check out this vertical farm in Newark, New Jersey, and then continue onto other sections to learn more, interact, act and share.

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Additional Resources for you to Explore
Head back to the Quest to finish our lesson, or continue exploring these videos to learn about sustainable farming. Learn how researchers and innovators are making farming super-efficient in the cities and countryside using everything from bugs to robots to keep us well-fed and healthy:

Watch 1: The Story of Agriculture and the Green Economy (Farming First)
Watch 2: What Is The Future of Farming? (Nature.com)
Watch 3: The Futuristic Farms That Will Feed the World (FreeThink)

LEARN + INTERACT

Dress the part. Farmers always need to get ready before they head out to work on the farm so make sure you’re dressed for the part before you get started too! See if you can make your own farmer’s hat out of materials lying around your house. Click here to download all you need to make your own hat using our #EarthSchool inspired design! (for ages 5-8)

Make a list of the foods in your fridge and pantry that look like they may have come straight from a farmer’s fields. Now see if you can find a farm near your house that sells these items and write down how far away the farm is from your home. What do you think about the distance that your food has to travel to make it to your plate? How important do you think buying local ingredients is in ensuring you and your family are doing your part to support sustainable agriculture? Use this activity sheet to write down what you find! (for ages 5-12)

Reflect on sustainable agriculture in your life.The videos you watched earlier had so many interesting facts about the how, what, where, when, and why of sustainable farming. Use this activity sheet to note anything new you learned about sustainable farming, what questions you have, and what comes to mind when you think on why sustainable farming matters to you. (for all ages)

ACT + SHARE

Design a comic book inspired by today’s introduction video. Check out the short stories Farmer Charlie and The Chicken Chasers and Farmer Charlie and His Crazy Chickens! (written by students just like you!). Now it’s your turn! Click here to design your own comic and create an adventure for Farmer Charlie and his chickens. Don’t forget to share your comic with your family and friends, and post it on social media using #EarthSchool and #FarmQuest! (Pssst: Want to learn how to draw super cool speech bubbles? Check out this awesome video here.) (for ages 5-15)

Grow your own food. Community Supported Agriculture is an approach to growing and sharing food that connects the people who eat the food (you and me) directly to the people that grow it. Want to see what it takes to grow your own food? To get started, learn how to grow your own food from the scraps of what you eat. Then, explore what you can grow from pantry staples like legumes, seeds, nuts, and beans. When your crop is ready to eat be sure to make a delicious meal with it and invite your family to share it with you! How can you make this meal sustainable too? Do you think you can use the scraps or the seeds leftover from this meal to produce your next crop? (for all ages)

WANT MORE?

Watch: Learn why soil is so important to sustainable crop production in the TEDx Talk, Stop Treating Our Soil Like Dirt! (for ages 9+)

Join Earth Protector Communities for resources on how to protect nature with every bite you take. (for ages 10+)

This Earth School Quest was created by the following incredible educators and environmental experts: Kathryn Sforcina, Andy Middleton and Jessie Oliver. We’d also like to thank Jasmine Middleton for the graphic design and artwork for all the beautifully designed activity sheets used in this Quest!

We look forward to seeing your Quest in action! 

If you enjoyed learning more about the nature of farming make sure to head back to the main Quest page to finish the lesson.

And don’t forget to document your Quests! Take photos of the experiments, activities, drawings, and writing prompts you tried and share your journey with the Earth School team and students by using #EarthSchool. We'll feature some of your photos and stories on our social channels, hopefully encouraging others to join the cause!
Watch the video to complete the lesson.
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Lesson Creator
Could you create small versions of vertical farms in your community? How could citizens maintain these gardens and distribute the food it produces?

05/01/2020
Avatar for Pranav Anil
Pranav Anil • COMPLETED LESSON

we can create small versions of vertical farms by involving volunteer private schools and taking help from local farmers and giving food in the midmeal of government schools.

the food can also be distributed by local vendors and supermarkets.

but, vertical farming will decrease employment, and once the vendors get their items for a lesser prize, the will stop buying from poor farmers or even stop referring to them for anything.

this will create unemployment and even riots.

05/05/2020
Avatar for Lilian Camila Huarcaya Lujan
Lilian Camila Huarcaya Lujan • COMPLETED LESSON

It would take too much time than the expected but I think it is possible at all. In our community we can create those versions of vertical farms by the assistance of engineers and farmers also.
It is known that children are the main hope for a better future, so we can teach them how important are vertical farms for us and Earth. Therefore, they can make a multiplier effect at their homes, families and schools. Everybody would be implicated at maintaining vertical farms and maybe trying to have one at their own homes.
Relating to food distribution, I consider that it has to manage by a proportional way according to the number of members per family. In a case that a family needs more than another, one family can donate without any problem.

05/19/2020
Avatar for Aditya Singh
Aditya Singh • COMPLETED LESSON

It would take too much time than the expected but I think it is possible at all. In our community we can create those versions of vertical farms by the assistance of engineers and farmers also.
It is known that children are the main hope for a better future, so we can teach them how important are vertical farms for us and Earth. Therefore, they can make a multiplier effect at their homes, families and schools. Everybody would be implicated at maintaining vertical farms and maybe trying to have one at their own homes.
Relating to food distribution, I consider that it has to manage by a proportional way according to the number of members per family. In a case that a family needs more than another, one family can donate without any problem.

05/23/2020
Avatar for Nadia Solis
Nadia Solis • COMPLETED LESSON

con la ayuda de la comunidad podríamos tener una granja pequeña y hortalizas

06/16/2020
Avatar for Sofia Beckmann
Sofia Beckmann • COMPLETED LESSON

I believe there are a couple places around my community that we could use to make vertical farms, and We can distribute the food it produces to local supermarkets and stores. There is a Costco that is pretty close to most people in my community, and I think that they would gladly take an easier and more affordable way to get food for their stores.

06/16/2020
Avatar for Kaylie Childers-Schaefer
Kaylie Childers-Schaefer • COMPLETED LESSON

I think we could in like our basements because they remain damp am year around (at least mine does) and you can fit maybe a five foot or maybe even a seven and a half foot holders for the trays in them. I know some people don't have basements so they could introduce this idea to the village board to make one that is accessible to all. Even schools to make one, so students can actually get a salad that doesn't look like it was already half dead before the lettuce was picked.

06/23/2020
Avatar for Bianna Andrade
Bianna Andrade • COMPLETED LESSON

I think that vertical farms would need a lot of organization, but it would be easy to make if everybody agrees and helps; the food should be distribute to the local markets.

07/25/2020
Avatar for Suyash Satrawala
Suyash Satrawala • COMPLETED LESSON

Yes, We can create small vertical farms in our community for serving farm products to the residents of our communities. We can deliver such farm products from our small vertical farms through a system just like we use for delivering milk in every morning in our community.

07/27/2020
Avatar for Rahaf Abdelmanan
Rahaf Abdelmanan • COMPLETED LESSON

yes, we can‼ with the help of the universities or people who know vertical farms systems very well citizens can maintain by training them by of the universities or people who know vertical farms and then they can distribute locally

08/08/2020
Avatar for nilda canencia
nilda canencia • COMPLETED LESSON

Yes, we can of our government will apply or implement this kind of vertical farm and people will cooperate specially who have knowledge in this method of farming.

12/28/2020
Avatar for Margie Figueroa
Margie Figueroa • COMPLETED LESSON

It is possible to create small versions of vertical farms here in our community but you still have to do it all at your pace because of govt.'s lack of budget. This could certainly increase crop production and but only those who can afford and who has the expertise can do it and the products will privately be distributed to the markets. But you have to willingly share knowledge to others by helping them to start it up.

01/24/2021
Avatar for Veda Haas
Veda Haas • COMPLETED LESSON

I think that vertical farms would need a lot of organization, but it would be easy to make if everybody agrees and helps; the food should be distribute to the local markets.

02/03/2021
Avatar for Roberto Carreon Jr.
Roberto Carreon Jr. • COMPLETED LESSON

Yea, we can cause people in universities, who know very well about these farms can make them and them like in private schools and in other places and the government can donate.

03/05/2021
Avatar for Bella Haas
Bella Haas • COMPLETED LESSON

I think that vertical farms would need a lot of organization, but it would be easy to make if everybody agrees and helps; the food should be distribute to the local markets.

03/17/2021
Avatar for Elli Ramirez
Elli Ramirez • COMPLETED LESSON

Vertical farms are good in urban areas to sustain and have poor people an opportunity to have nutritious foods on their table. It can be maintained through the help of local government or organizations. When it comes to distribution, it can prioritize poor people and those in need for produce.

04/04/2021

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About Earth School

Today, over 1.5 billion children aren’t able to go to school. In response to this education crisis, UNEP and TED-Ed – with the support of an incredible array of educators and partner organizations – launched Earth School, which consists of 30 days of nature-focused content and environmental adventures for learners of all ages. Each Quest includes a discovery video and quiz, combined with a series of engaging learning resources — all curated by environmental experts. Read more

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