Babylon Micro-Farms: Bringing Hydroponic Farming to Communities and Classrooms
May 14, 2024 Shortly after meeting at the University of Virginia in 2016, Alexander Oleson and Graham Smith discovered they shared a common goal: to grow food where it was never thought possible. Just one year later, they developed miniature hydroponic farms that simplify indoor farming for everyone, regardless of age.
When Oleson and Smith first teamed up, they brainstormed different ways to make hydroponic farming simple and accessible. They quickly became determined to answer one question: how small can a farm be to support an entire community?
“We started thinking how amazing it would be to start micro-farming here in the U.S.,” says Oleson, CEO and Co-Founder of Babylon Micro-Farms. “Could we build modular farms that allow people to grow food on-site at the point of consumption rather than building these big commercial structures? That’s essentially what we set out to do.”
They soon achieved their goal, as they founded Babylon Micro-Farms in 2017. The company sells customizable Galleri Micro-Farms that can grow over 45 different types of leafy greens. Each farm is 67 inches wide, 79.75 inches tall and 29.75 inches deep to accommodate compact spaces.
Growers can keep track of their garden’s progress using a mobile app, though Babylon Micro-Farms ensures each farm runs how it’s supposed to. The company provides new growers with a series of training videos when they order, but a dedicated support manager is available to help when needed. “We basically provide them with a series of alerts, reminders, tutorial videos and so forth to make sure their farm is successful,” he says.
Every micro-farm comes with double-leak protection sensors, food-safe cleaning supplies and dishwasher-safe growth trays to make upkeep easier. Each unit is also encased in safety glass, so growers can watch their plants grow while monitoring them on the mobile app.
Oleson and Smith developed these farms with sustainability in mind, as each one has several eco-friendly benefits. According to them, growers have saved over 900,000 gallons of water, reduced almost 2,000 pounds of food waste and kept over 150 pounds of nitrogen from reaching waterways by using micro-farms.
In March 2024, Oleson shifted his focus to a younger demographic. He and Smith created miniature STEM Gardens to promote hands-on learning and food-safe cultivation in the classroom. Each garden has the space to grow 90 plants and is more compact than the original micro-farm. Its specific dimensions are 40 inches wide, 62 inches tall and 28.5 inches deep.
STEM Garden
“We created the STEM Garden with schools in mind,” says Oleson. “We hope elementary schools will be a bigger segment for us moving forward – having this modern tool right in the classroom will get kids engaged at an early age.”
While Babylon Farm’s STEM Gardens are geared towards schools, other groups can benefit from them too. This includes healthcare settings, urban communities and senior living facilities. “Senior living continues to be a big group for us,” says Oleson. “There area lot of reasons why seniors love gardening. It’s fun, nutritious and engaging for them.”
Whether it’s an elementary school student or senior citizen using a STEM Garden, Oleson hopes to connect everyone to food cultivation in some form. “Growing food is an innately human experience that many of us are detached from,” he says. “Our STEM Gardens help bridge that gap and teach people about where their food comes from.”
To learn more about Babylon Micro-Farms, their mission or their upcoming STEM Gardens availability, check out their website.