Element Farms is a sustainable farm based in Lafayette, NJ. We grow our greens hydroponically  and without pesticides in a controlled-agriculture environment, which means we can manage the light, carbon dioxide, water, and nutrients we give them. We’ve figured out the perfect levels of each so that we can create the perfect conditions for the perfect fork-sized greens.

We never ever use any pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides, and we use fewer and more efficient resources than conventional or other hydroponic farming. For example, we use 90% less water than conventional farming while yielding 20x more greens per square foot. We also use renewable energy like the sun to power our operations.

We deliver within ~150 miles of our greenhouse so the greens you buy are always ultra fresh.

We’re also one of the only companies to have figured out how to grow spinach consistently and year-round. Seriously!

Yes! Our greens start out in a sterile soil/peat moss and then are moved to large ponds of ultra-filtered water to grow hydroponically. Check out more about how we grow on our “How We Grow” page.

Nope! We grow “horizontally” in a glass greenhouse and let the sun power our plants’ growth. Overall, our greens get about 75% of their average energy needs from the sun! At night (or during the shorter days of winter), we use specialized supplemental lighting to help our greens grow around the clock.

Yes! We never use any pesticides, fungicides, or herbicides, which means no chemicals are going into the earth. We also rely on renewable energy like the sun to power our greenhouse. We use 90% less water than conventional farming while yielding 20x more greens per square foot. We also recirculate our irrigation water so there’s no wastewater. And finally, since we’re not shipping our greens across the country--most other greens are grown on the west coast and then travel by truck for six days before reaching the east coast--we cut down on transportation greenhouse gas emissions.

Our current containers are #1 grade PETE and in recycling facilities, up to 95% of the container can be reclaimed as raw material. We’re working on new types of containers that use less plastic while still keeping your greens as fresh as can be. We’re even looking into compostable containers! For now, these plastic clamshells are the best out there for extended shelf life and less food waste. We ask that you recycle your containers once you’ve finished your greens.

Some pretty cool stuff. In our climate-controlled greenhouse, we use high-capacity intelligent lighting, automated operations with custom machinery, carbon dioxide supplementation, and multi-cycle irrigation. Each of these elements can be monitored and tinkered with for the perfect results we’re looking for.

All. Year. Round. We’re always in season. Because we grow our greens in a greenhouse where we manage light, temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide, water, and nutrients, we’re able to grow year-round. Whenever you pick up your greens, you can rest assured that they’re ultra fresh.

What makes your greens so tender? And even a little bit sweet!?!

We give our greens exactly what they need--nothing more, nothing less-- and harvest them at their best. Because our greens are grown indoors and away from the tougher variables in nature (heat, rain, cold, pests, you name it), they do not have to build the defenses that make field-grown greens tougher to chew, leathery, and even bitter.

The answer here is two-fold:

First, our higher-nutrient baby greens are locally grown and delivered from farm to store within 24 hours. Organic and conventional leafy greens from California often travel about six days before reaching consumers on the east coast, losing a considerable portion of their nutrients along the way.

Second, we asked ourselves the same question so in 2017 we asked researchers at Cornell University to compare multiple brands of field-grown organic spinach with our hydroponically grown spinach. The results were astounding: our produce was shown to be consistently higher in essential micronutrients like magnesium, iron, and zinc and significantly lower in heavy metals like cadmium and copper as well as sodium. (Heavy metal content in fresh produce is not currently regulated by the USDA, but some recent studies showed that organic leafy greens in the American market had heavy metal content exceeding European Union standards. The results of these studies have been presented in several industry meetings and a more comprehensive study is under consideration.)

No. Our greens are grown indoors without pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides, and away from the outdoor contaminants that plague field farmers. We personally don’t wash our greens before eating--that’s another benefit to growing them in an ultra-pure environment--but you’re always welcome to. We don’t pre-wash our greens so they stay as fresh as can be in your clamshell.

A note on other brands’ triple-washed greens: triple-washed greens are most often washed in a chlorine solution and should be washed again at home before eating.

We go beyond organic and never, ever using pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides (synthetic, natural, or organic-approved). It’s important to keep in mind that organic certification is more about soil health and quality. Since we grow hydroponically, those requirements do not apply.

Also, and this is important, “organic” does not necessarily mean pesticide free. It just means that the only pesticides that can be used on a crop must be organic approved. Element Farms greens are 100% pesticide free at all phases of our growing cycle.

Yes. Our produce is not genetically modified and we are non-GMO certified. It looks so perfect because it’s cared for with the utmost precision.

Yes! Our greens are grown indoors without pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides, and away from the outdoor contaminants that plague field farmers. We also harvest, pack, and deliver our greens ourselves so there aren’t extra steps or chances for contamination during processing.

Our irrigation water is ultra filtered and regularly tested for any potential issues. We consistently test below any detectable levels for pathogens.

Our greens are also less vulnerable to pests because our growing cycle is so short that bugs don’t have time to enter the plant canopy. You may, on occasion, find a seed coat or a bit of our growing medium, peat moss, in your container. Feel free to just toss it out.

Our arugula is simply a different variety than the field-grown greens many of us are used to seeing. We’ve been told that our arugula is even tastier than “regular” arugula and that its peppery flavor is more defined without any of the leathery feel or bitter flavor in other greens. Try it and let us know what you think!

Because we give our greens exactly what they need to grow, they can grow in about half the time it takes field farmers to grow the same crops.

A seed! Seeds occasionally hitch a ride on greens during harvest. Don’t worry, it’s edible and totally harmless but if you don’t want a little extra crunch, just toss it out before eating your greens.

Those extra-baby leaves are called cotyledons and they’re the first leaves that emerge from a seed. Just like the bigger leaves, cotyledons are safe to eat and are especially fun to toss in soup. If you find cotyledons, they’ll likely be in our baby spinach.