Mountain Fresh Produce

Prior Challenges

Pinedale, Wyoming, is a small, rural town nestled in the mountains at an elevation of 7,200 feet.

With only one grocery store in town, Pinedale residents have limited access to fresh produce. Before the Freight Farm was introduced, all produce had to travel an extensive distance to reach their small Wyoming town, which unfortunately meant that fruit and vegetable purchases rarely lasted more than a week in the fridge. Additionally, the town’s small size contributed to inflated produce prices, and fresh herbs remained an unattainable luxury.

The Goal

With a very short growing season, limited fresh produce availability, and a lack of hydroponic farming in their community, Savannah recognized an opportunity. Drawing from her experience working in hydroponics, she realized she could use this farming method to grow food faster, enhance its flavor, and prolong its shelf life.

When Savannah and the Mountain Fresh Produce team set their sights on hydroponic farming, they aimed to provide Pinedale residents with an alternative source of fresh, nutrient-rich produce without inflating costs. By establishing a farm directly on-site, they could meet the price points residents were already paying for produce while delivering a much higher quality product.

The Mountain Fresh Produce team set out to find a solution that would help to eliminate food waste, decrease their community’s reliance on the one grocery store in town, and offer produce and herb varieties that were previously very limited or entirely unavailable.

The Process

Upon discovering Freight Farms and recognizing the potential that hydroponic container farming could bring to Pinedale, Savannah and her family set out to bring this technology to their community.

Fortunately for the Mountain Fresh Produce team, Wyoming’s lenient zoning regulations posed minimal hurdles in getting their container farm approved. All they had to do was obtain a shed permit, prep their site, and wait for the farm to be delivered. They also purchased an old building in the middle of town to serve as the location for their storefront, just 2 doors down from the only other grocery store in town.

In addition to their store, they established a 1,000-square-foot grow room next to the container farm site and eventually started monitoring it using Freight Farms’ farmhand® software. In this controlled environment, they grow cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, strawberries, and even experimental plants like avocados, dragon fruit, and banana plants. All crops are grown hydroponically and directly on-site, making it easy to harvest and sell directly in their storefront.

Financing the Farm

Savannah was able to secure multiple loans to finance the Freight Farm, which proved to be incredibly beneficial for their operations. By spreading out the loans, they could manage their repayments while maintaining a financial buffer.

After they started growing produce in their Freight Farm, it took about a year and a half before they started seeing money going back into the business. Between the Freight Farm and the grow room, they anticipate the farm will become self-sustaining within another year. Once they break even, they expect a much larger return on their investment.

Establishing Produce Prices

To set her prices, Savannah broke down her costs for all operations. This included what it cost to run the Freight Farm, an estimated timeframe for recouping their initial investment through sales, and what the other grocery store in town was charging for their produce.

With Pinedale already experiencing high food costs, Mountain Fresh Produce could provide residents access to fresh, high-quality produce at prices comparable to or below what they were already paying. Their ability to price their items competitively not only attracted customers but also contributed to the affordability of nutritious food options within the community.

Implementation

Before their storefront was ready to open, Mountain Fresh Produce introduced their Freight-Farmed produce to the public through farmers markets. Within just three weeks, they started selling out. The customers immediately realized that their produce tasted better, lasted for three weeks or longer in their fridge, and had little to no waste. This led to the development of a loyal customer base, with some customers making regular trips to the farmers market only to stop by Mountain Fresh Produce’s booth.

In addition to farmers markets, the Mountain Fresh Produce team worked with the local Chamber of Commerce to organize events and provide local catering services to promote their products and expand their reach in the community.

The Crops

Mountain Fresh Produce grows a wide variety of crops in their Freight Farm due to how many people they’re able to reach with their grocery storefront.

Right now, they’re growing:

• Lettuce varieties: bambi bibb, butterhead, summer crisp, and red romaine

• Kale varieties: winter boar and red russian (these varieties make a wonderful kale mix that has been popular amongst her customers)

• Bok choy

• Wasabi mustard greens

• Herbs: genovese basil, thai basil, parsley, mint, cilantro, thyme, sage, dill, oregano, rosemary, and one panel of lemon balm

Savannah plans what she grows based on the time of year and demand.

The lettuce grown in the farm sells out every week—they don’t lose anything from their harvest. No one in the community knew what Wasabi Mustard Greens were before Mountain Fresh Produce started selling them, but now this crop sells out every week. 

Thai Basil has emerged as a highly sought-after herb for Mountain Fresh Produce. While dill isn’t always growing in the Freight Farm, Savannah always ensures she has it in large quantities during the summertime and canning season to meet seasonal demand. The lemon balm herb is provided to the grocery store’s cafe to infuse into its tea, which has become incredibly popular amongst its customers and has helped to increase foot traffic into the grocery store.  

Savannah has found her highest profit margins to be basil, leafy greens, and wasabi mustard greens. She also crafts a spicy lettuce bag that consistently sells out which features a mix of bambi bibb, summer crisp, butterhead, romaine, and wasabi mustard green.

Top 3 Tips for New Farmers

Savannah, who’s been operating her Freight Farm since 2022, shares her top three tips for aspiring farmers who are getting ready to launch their own container farm project:

Do Your Market Research

Before diving into your container farming project, conduct thorough market research to identify the local demand for various produce varieties. Tailoring your crops to meet your community’s preferences will increase your chances of success and profitability from the start.

Prepare for Challenges

Operating a Freight Farm involves working with pipes and water, so issues are bound to arise over time. Plan ahead, set some extra time aside to troubleshoot potential issues, and consider keeping spare parts on hand to quickly address any unforeseen complications. 

Listen to the Freight Farms Team

Stay informed with the latest protocols, food safety guidelines, and pest prevention measures provided by Freight Farms. These recommendations are designed to safeguard your operations and ensure the quality of your produce. Regularly reviewing and implementing these updates will help you maintain high standards and mitigate risks to your farm's success.