Vertical Harvest will be a Wyoming based agri-business that will enhance the local economy by operating year round to sell, for profit, fresh, locally grown produce to the community through multiple venues at a competitive, consistent price.
Inclusive employment opportunities for our citizens with disabilities.
Premium grade vegetables and fruit in Jackson all year round.
An economically self sufficient business that will serve our community for many years to come.
Vertical Harvest of Jackson Hole is an innovative, sustainable agri-business that will fill an ever-increasing market demand for locally grown, fresh produce by building a three story, 13,500 sq.ft. hydroponic greenhouse in the heart of the Town of Jackson.
The greenhouse will be a year round business that will create private sector jobs, strengthen the bottom lines of businesses and establish an innovative model to employ an under-served Wyoming population: adults with developmental disabilities.
Vertical Harvest will place an emphasis on economic self-sufficiency and community integration.
The site for the greenhouse is a currently unused 30’ x 150’ lot owned by the Town of Jackson on the southern edge of a public parking garage in the center of Town. From this site, Vertical Harvest will grow and sell, locally grown vegetables year-round in Jackson Hole via restaurants, local grocery stores and directly to consumers. Vertical Harvest will generally not compete with local growers. Instead, we will lower the need for out of state produce imports into Jackson Hole by providing a stable, consistent source of produce, year-round at competitive prices.
To ensure our success, Vertical Harvest has partnered with a nationally recognized, well well-established greenhouse called Arthur and Friends. Arthur and Friends has been in operation for five years and employs adults with disabilities to operate their greenhouses. This partnership provides Vertical Harvest with a proven hydroponic greenhouse production, training and employment model for our project.
• Develop a Wyoming-based approach to sourcing fresh, healthy, locally grown food.
• Create a nationally recognized business that positively impacts individuals with developmental disabilities in their pursuit of achieving happiness, success, and employment.
• Implement and expand on nutritional and educational programs and initiatives within the community.
How big is Vertical Harvest and how much will it be able to produce?
Vertical Harvest is situated on a site that is 1/10 of an acre, but due to the efficiency of hydroponics and Vertical Harvest’s innovative growing carousels, the greenhouse will be able to produce the equivalent of 5 acres of traditional agriculture. We will grow approximately 44,000 lbs of tomatoes, 20,000 lbs of lettuce, 4,400 lbs of herbs, 10,000 lbs of microgreens, 7,500 lbs of baby specialty greens and 4,725 lbs of strawberries annually.
Why is Vertical Harvest a L3C instead of a 501c3?
Vertical Harvest is a low-profit limited liability (L3C) company which is a for-profit, social enterprise venture that has a stated goal of performing a socially beneficial purpose along with , maximizing income.
For-profit firms often face pressure to abandon social goals in favor of increasing profits and non-profit firms and charities are needlessly restricted in their ability to raise capital when they need to grow. Therefore, Vertical Harvest sees the L3C as the most powerful model to support it as a sustainable business that will stand the test of time.
Will Vertical Harvest be able to function in Jackson’s extreme winters?
Vertical Harvest has been designed specifically for Jackson’s altitude, latitude, climate and location. After a feasibility study, which determined it was possible to locate a greenhouse in Jackson Hole, Vertical Harvest retained a well-respected greenhouse engineer, Larssen Ltd. to help with the project. Larssen Ltd. has 20 years of experience in the field, and has built successful greenhouses in other places with climates as harsh or harsher than our own, such as Maine, Siberia and Iceland.
How did Vertical Harvest determine its cost of utilities?
Vertical Harvest’s utility cost is based on the historical energy costs of a greenhouse designed by our greenhouse engineer Larssen Ltd. that operates on the same latitude as Jackson Holel. Our greenhouse consultant increased the electricity costs for Vertical Harvest by 20% at the outset of developing our utility costs and . after a business plan review by Scott Kornberg, the Chief Technology Officer at American Hydroponics, the largest hydroponic distributor in the U.S., it was suggested that we increase our utility costs by another 30%. The current numbers included in the business plan include this increase.
Will Vertical Harvest hire an experienced grower?
Once Vertical Harvest is fully funded, the first thing Vertical Harvest will do is hire an experienced Director of Production. There is a large pool of qualified candidates that Vertical Harvest has access to and we intend to retain a person with extensive experience in all aspects of the Hydroponics Industry including experience in system design, operations, crop selection, scheduling/production, pest control, specialty produce troubleshooting and marketing.
Why is Vertical Harvest using hydroponics to grow?
Hydroponic farming is a highly productive, environmentally friendly, and space efficient means of farming which offers numerous benefits for both the producer and consumer. Hydroponic crops use 90% less water than the same crops do in traditional farming and their growing systems take up 1/4 of the space as traditional agriculture. Some hydroponics crops can grow twice as fast as traditionally farmed crops as they receive exactly the correct amount of nutrients, water and oxygen. Hydroponics crops can use no herbicide or pesticide chemicals which significantly impact the environment and our bodies.
Will Vertical Harvest compete with local farmers?
Vertical Harvest produce will not compete with area growers, but instead will compete with currently imported produce from large-scale distributors whose supply is from distant states. Vertical Harvest will grow locally, but the target sales will supplant produce imported to restaurants and local grocery stores, making existing Wyoming businesses, as local customers, more profitable and stronger, since they won’t have to pay costly up charges for transportation. Vertical Harvest will highlight the importance of local food sources, our success will only bring increased attention to all who provide fresh, nutritious produce to our community.
To learn more about our L3C please click here.
Proposed site of the Vertical Harvest Greenhouse
Vertical Harvest fundraiser summer 2011
Vertical Harvest has raised approximately $1.2 million in private investment, public grants and donations towards the project costs (approximately half). Almost all the work on the project to this point has been done pro-bono or at a highly reduced cost for some of the experts, such as our greenhouse engineer, to complete the preliminary design of the structure and growing systems, as well as a comprehensive business plan. Vertical Harvest is in the process of applying to the Wyoming Business Council for a Business Ready Grant which will commit up to $1.5M for construction funding. Our application clearly outlines the pledge membership donations by our community for the required start-up capital and costs that covers six months of operation totaling $214,000. Vertical Harvest is still offering pledge memberships that will honor your commitment to Vertical Harvest and include you as part of this unique project. Pledge memberships (as described below) are still being accepted and will be collected upon successful completion of our WBC Business Ready Grant.
VH Starters: $100 pledge membership: 250 memberships
-Benefits: – recognized on rotating ‘living wall’ in lobby of Vertical Harvest
-invitation to ‘First Harvest’ opening party for Vertical Harvest
VH Community: $500 pledge membership : 100 memberships
-Benefits: – receive Vertical Harvest tee shirt
- recognized on website and VH brochure as Community supporter of VH
- recognized on 8” x 12” floor tile in retail space of VH
- receive ‘first harvest’ basket of vegetables 1 time per year
- invitation to ‘First Harvest’ opening party for Vertical Harvest
VH Cultivators: $1000 pledge membership : 100 memberships
-Benefits: – receive Vertical Harvest tee shirt
- recognized on website and VH brochure as cultivator of VH
- recognized on 12” x 16” floor tile in retail space of VH
- receive ‘first harvest’ basket of vegetables 2 times per year
- invitation to ‘First Harvest’ opening party for Vertical Harvest
VH Pollinators: $5000 pledge membership : 6 memberships
-Benefits: – receive Vertical Harvest tee shirt
- recognized on website and VH brochure as pollinator of VH
- recognized on 12” x 24” floor tile in lobby space of VH
- receive 10% discount at VH market
- receive ‘first harvest’ basket of vegetables 3 times per year
- invitation to ‘First Harvest’ opening party for Vertical Harvest
- granted access to Vertical Harvest all year long
VH Gardners: $10,000 pledge membership : 6 memberships
-Benefits:-Receive VH T-Shirt
-Recognized on website and VH brochure as a ‘Pollinator’ supporter of VH
-Recognized on 12″ x 24″ floor tile in VH
-Receive ‘First Harvest’ basket of vegetable 6 times/year
-Receive 10% discount at VH market for 1 year
-Invitation to ‘First Harvest’ opening party for Vertical Harvest and invitations to exclusive events within the greenhouse
VH Builders: $25,000 pledge membership : 4 memberships
-Floor naming opportunities exist at this level, please contact us for more information
* These memberships are pledges only. If Vertical Harvest receives its funding by June 2013 all pledges will be collected and put towards the Start up funds. If Vertical Harvest has not received funding by this time, none of the pledges will be collected.
Click here to fill out our pledge membership form.
Executive Director•
Penny McBride, a cofounder of Vertical Harvest, will act as the full-time Program Director and will report directly to the Board of Directors at each monthly meeting. Penny specializes in systems organization and strategic planning for environmentally based projects. Penny will utilize the comprehensive resources provided by the Arthur and Friends model to oversee the general operations of the greenhouse, initiate, ensure and maintain positive customer relationships, as well to develop and expand educational partnerships within the community. The Program Director will work alongside the Director of Production to oversee the Employment Facilitator, the Production Employees and the volunteers for the organization.
Director of Production•
The Director of Production will be an experienced hydroponic grower in charge of health and production in the greenhouse. Vertical Harvest will fill this position well before it is open for business. We have received many qualified resumes for this manager with experience in all aspects of hydroponic production including commercial growing, system set up, crop scheduling, workforce training, produce marketing, troubleshooting and pesticide free insect/disease control.
Employment Facilitator•
Caroline Croft Estay will be the part-time Employment Facilitator will in charge of training and managing the production employees. The Employment Facilitator will work closely with the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation staff utilizing employment support programs as well as Support Providers with the Wyoming Medicaid Waiver Program. Caroline Croft Estay has been a Case Manager and a Provider for the Behavioral Health Division of Wyoming specializing in care for children and adults with developmental disabilities since 1999.
Production Employees
Vertical Harvest will employ nine citizens and disabilities part-time (4.5 Full Time Equivalent) per day referred from collaborative organizations. The employees partake in highly structured training programs that will teach them the process of hydroponic farming, including skills such as planting, harvesting, crop management and customer service, which will equip them with transferable works skills that they can use in their futures.. This highly structured and supervised work environment will foster the development of skills for individuals with a wide range of disabilities in order for them to become economically independent and marketable in the workforce.
Partner: Arthur and Friends
Vertical Harvest has partnered with the New Jersey Program Arthur and Friends by purchasing its licensing model. This license includes access to their Business Plan, assistance in hiring vital personnel including the Director of Production, oversight of the installation of the growing systems, a complete vocational training program which includes a comprehensive curriculum and train-the trainer program, support with growing, sales, and marketing. They will work with Vertical Harvest on everything from inception to product sales, giving us all the tools and instruments necessary for success and assessment. The goal of our partnership with Arthur and Friends is to ensure the overall sustainability of our business and program.
Business Structure:
Vertical Harvest will generate modest profits to ensure its fiscal sustainability instead of soliciting charitable contributions year after year from our community. Vertical Harvest has been incorporated as a low-profit limited liability (L3C) company, which is a legal form of business entity in Wyoming and throughout the United States that was created to bridge the gap between non-profit and for-profit investing. An L3C provides a structure that facilitates investments in socially beneficial for-profit ventures. It is a hybrid structure that combines the legal and tax flexibility of a traditional LLC and the social benefits and tax benefits of a nonprofit organization. Vertical Harvest will prove to be a fiscally responsible business that will serve our community for many years to come.
Vertical Harvest has assembled an active Board of Directors and Advisory Board, representing seasoned business leaders, horticulturists, distributors, and representatives of the food service industry. We will hire an experienced head grower with extensive experience in all aspects of the Hydroponics Industry, including experience in system design, operations, crop selection, scheduling/production, pest control, specialty produce troubleshooting, and marketing. The business plan has been reviewed by key figures in the national hydroponics industry, as well as respected business leaders in our community. Their thoughtful comments and suggestions have been integrated into our business plan.
Vertical Harvest Board of Directors
Vertical Harvest Advisors
Greenhouse Engineer:
Thomas Larssen has more than 20 years of experience in the greenhouse industry serving more than 18 of those years as a prime consultant for investors, governments and private owners of green industry projects. Larssen Ltd greenhouse engineers (www.l-ge.com) have been involved with greenhouse projects on four different continents designing greenhouses in harsh climates such as Siberia, Iceland, Greenland and Maine all which operate at a profit. Experts at integrating the newest growing trends into their designs, Larssen Ltd has the ability to leverage their experience with emerging technologies to create state-of-the-art agriculture systems that can operate in any kind of climate. Larssen Engineers have worked on the development of Vertical Harvest for 2 years and have been integral to holistic design of the greenhouse including: growing system, lighting, mechanical system and greenhouse shell design.
Architectural:
E/Ye Design is an architectural firm based in Jackson Hole, Wyoming who is acting as the architect of record for the project. Working with Vertical Harvest from the outset, E/Ye Design has developed the general approach to the greenhouse design and coordinated the work of the consultants crucial to the successful development of the project. E/Ye Design has also worked diligently with the local building department and the Town of Jackson to ensure that the design of the greenhouse adheres to all local building codes and requirements set forth by Town.
Structural:
KL&A is a Colorado-based company of structural designers, steel detailers, and builders. They are transforming the way structures are designed and built by rethinking the traditional structural design process, and integrating it with our involvement in the construction process. KL&A Structural Engineers have designed the foundation and steel structure of the greenhouse to comply with Jackson’s stringent seismic code and conditions.
Becoming a member of the Vertical Harvest community will not only help us with our Business Council application process,but will give you access to a project that will provide you with fresh produce that has retained all of the essential vitamins and minerals that normal produce loses as it goes through the process of being shipped to Jackson. Please join today. Thank you to those that have given already!
Vertical Harvest is very pleased to announce the partnership of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and 1% for the Planet. JHMR has graciously chosen Vertical Harvest to be the beneficiary of the proceeds earned through this partnership. Please visit JHMR this summer, take the free gondola ride up and dine at The Couloir or The Deck this summer to support this amazing initiative! The Deck happy hour from 4:30 – 6:30 with 2 for 1 margaritas, mojitos, draft beers and wine by the glass is the perfect spot to unwind after an adventurous day! Read more about the new partnership below!
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A supermarket that offers organic and conventional groceries. Features special foods sections, recipes, events, a glossary, store specials, and news and events.
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Fine Dining Restaurant Group consists of a diverse mix of restaurants with something to satisfy every craving. Rendezvous Bistro is a classic American Bistro with entrees ranging from Duck Confit to Veal Marsala. Q Roadhouse serves up tasty and fresh comfort foods, live music and two happy hours every night. The Menu at Il Villaggio Osteria features contemporary Italian cuisine in a rustic slopeside atmosphere in Teton Village. And Bistro Catering will exceed your expectations catering to any event, whether for 2 or 200.
1% for the Tetons funds efforts furthering the long-term sustainability of the Tetons region’s extraordinary natural resources and related essential qualities. Member businesses donate one percent of their sales to 1% for the Tetons. These donations are aggregated and granted to fund projects supporting the long-term sustainability of the Tetons region.
Penny McBride - Project Administrator
307 413 6797
verticalharvest@verticalharvest.org
Vertical Harvest
PO Box 7290
Jackson, WY 83002