"Anything we can't use, we try to push to the local agencies," Palawasta said. Items that aren't used by the convention center are donated to LifeCare Alliance, a Columbus nonprofit that runs a Meals on Wheels program. "There's something to be said about the flavor profile of something you're literally snipping from a hallway as opposed to ordering it from a company that's getting it from a farm in Arizona and shipping it. Basil, which is snipped every two weeks - and then grows back - is used in pasta dishes or even to flavor the water. "The herbs influence bigger items," he said.Ĭhives are sometimes grown and used to season croutons for salads. The harvest from the garden makes it into about 20 percent of the food served at the convention center, Smith estimated. Now that the convention center is growing bok choy, there's a Thai noodle salad using the leafy green sautéed with a spicy peanut sauce. "Almost every item has some influence in there," he said. Smith, executive chef for the convention center, typically makes nine or 10 menus a week for various clients. "We try to rotate so nothing is ready at the same time," Palawasta said. The garden cost approximately $125,000 when it was set up a year ago. The convention center's garden, dubbed the Smart Farm, has shortened growing cycles, allowing for six harvests in a year. That's becoming the standard," Palawasta said. For whatever reason, it helps them grow better. "There's been research, and we've found that's actually beneficial for the plants to have that separated spectrum. At night, when no one is around, the lights are turned up to the brightest levels. The plants receive lowered light levels during the day, with each of the three hues at 25 percent brightness levels and then all three colors at once. That wasn't an option for Columbus, which lacks sufficient sunshine.Ĭenter employees worked with food scientists to perfect the amount of light that crops need to grow and flourish, without the light being too bright for guests. Originally, the possibility of a rooftop garden was discussed, but Palawasta said he liked the idea of a hydroponic garden where convention guests could view the plants.Ī convention center in Orange County, Florida, has a hydroponic garden in the atrium that uses natural light. "It’s like going to the farm and eating." It can’t get any more local than that," he said. “People want to know where their food is coming from. It’s the only convention center in the country to have a hydroponic garden using LED lights, said Daniel Palawasta, general manager of Levy Restaurants at the center. Just 75 feet away, the leafy greens and herbs are used in the convention center’s kitchen. Three large windows provide a view from a common area inside the Greater Columbus Convention Center near a coffee counter. The white room, where temperature, humidity and carbon-dioxide levels are controlled, resembles a lab. In each tower, there are eight columns on one side with an irrigation system where water trickles down to the rows of plants, including basil, mustard greens, rainbow chard and bok choy. Bright LED lights in white, red and blue hues gradually glide on a sliding track and shine on three doubled-sided 8-foot towers.
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