NEW YORK CITY – Steven Hoffen, 15, founded the nonprofit organization Growing Peace to provide food and education about hydroponics to communities in need.
Hydroponics is a method of farming that involves growing fruits and vegetables vertically, rather than horizontally in a traditional farm or greenhouse.
Additionally, hydroponics does not require soil. As its name implies, hydroponics uses water to nourish the plants, rather than soil.
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Together, these factors allow hydroponics farmers such as Hoffen to grow food without needing a large space and to do so while saving water.
Hoffen said he became interested in hydroponics after creating a documentary about the organization Sindyanna of Galilee, an Israeli organization that had a hydroponics project. He then went on to install one hydroponics system in Israel and two in New York City.
“We’re hoping to provide food and educate the people at these organizations about hydroponics,” Hoffen said.
Hoffen noted that his organization first grew leafy greens, such as kale, basil, mint and various types of lettuce. Now, the crops grown have expanded to include tomatoes, peppers and strawberries.