7 of the Best Vertically Farmed Crops You’ve Never Heard Of
Leafy greens and microgreens constitute the vast majority of crops grown in vertical farms, and with good reason: they grow quickly, they’re in great demand year-round, and they tend to be highly profitable. But while these qualities make greens a particularly smart choice if you’re an indoor farmer who’s just starting out, you shouldn’t feel like you have to limit yourself to boring old lettuce.
A recent article from container farming startup Freight Farms showcases a whole round-up of unique and exciting greens that you’ve probably never heard of, but that indoor farmers could consider experimenting with. Variety is the spice of life, after all, and embracing it could help new growers differentiate themselves from other farming operations and have something distinctive (and potentially lucrative) to offer prospective customers.
These tantalizing crops include:
Okinawan spinach
As you probably already know, most types of spinach are highly nutritious, and Okinawan spinach is no exception: this variety is loaded with vitamins A and C, iron, potassium, and calcium. Unlike typical spinach, however, Okinawan spinach offers a distinctive nutty taste with a slightly pine-y flavor. Encourage your customers to try this variety raw in a fresh salad, or lightly sautéed in an omelet.
Wasabi arugula
Customers who enjoy the peppery bite of ordinary arugula will get a kick out of the spice levels in wasabi arugula. Contrary to what its name suggests, wasabi arugula is not a crossbreed of wasabi and arugula, but simply a naturally occurring plant. Interestingly, although it is usually finicky and difficult to cultivate, wasabi arugula can thrive under the carefully controlled conditions of an indoor farm, making it a particularly apt choice for indoor growers. With a spicy horseradish bite that transitions into an almost sweet finish, wasabi arugula is an excellent addition to salads, poke bowls, or homemade pizzas.
Glasswort
A seaside plant commonly found in the coastal areas of the UK and France, glasswort goes by many other names, including salicornia, sampire, and sea beans. Because it grows next to the seashore, as well as salt marshes, glasswort has a naturally salty taste that makes it a delicious garnish or side for seafood. You can also use it in just about any dish as a substitute for asparagus or green beans. The plant has a slightly unusual appearance: it more closely resembles something you’d find in a fish tank than on your dinner plate. Though its look may take some getting used to, its special flavor is sure to win customers over.
Mexican pepperleaf
Locals refer to Mexican pepperleaf as “hoja santa” or “sacred leaf,” which should tell you all you need to know about the importance of this aromatic herb. Offering a unique flavor that is part root beer, part anise, and a perfect complement to typical Mexican flavors such as lime, cilantro, and chilis, Mexican pepperleaf is used to elevate all kinds of traditional dishes. The herb frequently features as a seasoning for mole, soups and stews, eggs, and even chocolate drinks, but it can also be used as a wrapper for tamales, seafood, meat, and cheese. In the latter application, the wrapped food becomes infused with the delicious flavor of the Mexican pepperleaf, which is then discarded before the food is eaten.
Lovage
Customers with an interest in food history are sure to be curious about lovage, an herb whose long history in Southern Europe goes all the way back to the Ancient Greeks. It was used then as a digestion aid and is used today by herbalists in tinctures, lozenges, and other concoctions to treat everything from sore throats to arthritis. However, lovage is more than just a medicine: it’s also a distinctly aromatic herb that can lend an unusual punch of savory flavor (strongly reminiscent of celery, which the plant also resembles) to everything from soup to Bloody Marys.
Mitsuba
Global flavors are a booming trend in today’s food scene. Get in on the trend by offering your customers mitsuba, a type of wild Japanese parsley. Although mitsuba is often found in contemporary gardens, many Japanese people still hunt for the herb in the wild: in Japan, foraging is an important food tradition, once performed as a necessary task to acquire food and now a way for people to get in touch with nature. Encourage your curious customers to sample mitsuba’s flavor, a blend of celery and chervil, in a tamagoyaki, a traditional Japanese omelet.
Red-veined sorrel
If we really eat with our eyes, as the saying goes, then your customers will be ready to gobble up an entire plateful of red-veined sorrel, whose bold appearance can visually elevate anything from salads to cocktails. Furthermore, its tart lemony flavor makes it a perfect accompaniment for fish, ingredient in salsa or pesto, or unusual addition to classic favorites like spanakopita. You can also try muddling up red-veined sorrel instead of mint for a fresh take on a mojito.
