Capital Region — It was about six years ago when Kathy Lanni, Broadview Credit Union’s Chief Community Officer, heard about ‘container farms’ and she knew instantly, the company wanted in.

Lanni and Broadview CEO Michael Castellana were introduced to the idea of hydroponic farming in 2016 and by 2017, the first Freight Farm was installed at the credit union’s Patroon Creek location in Albany. Since then, three more container farms have made their way into the Capital Region, thanks to Broadview. The Boys and Girls Club in Troy, Regional Food Bank of Northeastern NY and the Schenectady City Mission now all have Freight Farms and Lanni says in addition to meeting each organization’s needs, a portion of the produce is also donated to other local non-profits.

Container farms create the opportunity to grow “any crop, anytime, anywhere.”

Located in all 50 states and 40 countries, Freight Farms’ hydroponic container farms are converted shipping containers outfitted with LED growing lights and soilless farming equipment with a climate-controlled environment, allowing for leafy greens such as lettuce, kale, collards and arugula, and herbs such as basil, chives and parsley to grow and flourish without needing access to large amounts of land.

This ‘new generation of farming’ is ideal for spaces in cities and suburbs, as they allow for farming year-round, including vertically, and without soil, anywhere in the country. One container farm can grow hundreds of high-value crops, resulting in an average annual harvest of 2-6 tons of food, or 1,000 heads of lettuce per week, according to the company.

The company’s mission is centered around “democratizing access to food.”