It’s always a perfect spring day at Blake Bennett’s farm. Seriously — it’s programmed that way.
Located in an unassuming shipping container south of Raleigh is B3 Roots, a fully-automated, vertical hydroponic farm filled from floor to ceiling with leafy greens. In just 320-sqft, Blake operates a three-acre farm from seed to harvest with no soil. He can grow more than 500 different crop varieties like arugula, lettuce, kale, chard, mustard, basil, and edible flowers.
All of the greens are harvested and delivered in less than a day to local families and restaurants around the Triangle including O-Ku, Hawthorne & Wood, and the soon-to-open East End Bistrot. This year, Blake plans to begin a regular greens donation to A Place At the Table.
Blake launched his farm in 2022 and will celebrate its one-year anniversary in February. For now, B3 is a one-man show, but he hopes to grow the farm to three shipping containers and hire employees.
Click through the gallery below to explore inside the farm. Then, check out what’s growing and place an order.
