US (MD): Local farm diversifies with hydroponic lettuce

Andy Holloway, a sixth generation farmer and owner of Baywater Farms in Salisbury, started using hydroponic farming in 2011 hoping to find some stability year round and to help with the unpredictable weather that comes with living on the eastern shore.

"We founded the company growing sod back in 2003 and then of course the housing market crisis hit during the recession and we were tied into that. When we came out the other side of the recession, we knew we needed to diversify so we didn't have all our eggs in one basket."

"Within three months we had sold out and we had to expand and doubled the size," says Holloway.

Even though it may not look that big, there's 24 acres worth of conventional crops inside this ½ acre greenhouse and over 20 variations of lettuce.

"It was a reaction to try to diversify our farm and stay viable for multiple generations."

And with the success of the hydroponic lettuce, in 2014 Holloway ventured outside and now grows over 75 crops and over 20 acres of heirloom tomatoes.

Read more at WMDT (Dani Bozzini)