‘Vertical farm’ lettuce, herbs, above Farmacy ceased operating; Jeff Flagg: ‘We proved it works,’ seeking operator

By Ben Wescott, Cronicle Staff Writer

The City of Glens Falls is seeking someone to resume growing lettuce and herbs at the “vertical farm” it pioneered on the third floor at 22 Ridge Street above Farmacy restaurant.

“We finished the grant project and successfully demonstrated that it works,” Economic Development Director Jeff Flagg tells The Chronicle.

He said the project’s budget was around $209,000, including a Smart Farm grant the city received in 2020 for $96,000 and American Rescue Plan Act funds the city received in 2021-22.

“So there were no city funds used for the project,” Mr. Flagg asserts.

But that’s not how Ward 4 Councilmember Ben Lapham sees it.

At a Planning & Development Committee meeting, he said, “During COVID, the City got a grant to do a vertical farm, but the City ended up spending more than the grant was for all of these unforeseen things.”

He asked, “Is the city really a farmer?”

Later in the conversation, Ward 3 Councilmember Dan Rice said, “We have to stay in our lane.”

Mr. Flagg said the project’s goal was “to demonstrate its operational viability.”

“After many delays, we finally got the farm up and running during the middle of last year,” he said.

“We didn’t have the entire facility growing produce at any point.

“We grew small batches of basil and arugula, along with Red Oak Leaf and Little Gem lettuces, primarily in order to test the various parts of the system more than anything else. I believe we grew a few small batches of microgreens as well.”

He said he didn’t have exact figures on how much produce was grown “since that wasn’t part of the demonstration project.”

But he said the program provided samples “several times” to “a few places like Morgan & Co., Radici, Mint, Farmacy, and Talk of the Town.”

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