A Tempe class on hydroponic farming teaches basics of what was once a NASA-exclusive technology

KJZZ’s segment Voices of Arizona spotlights everyday Arizonans who help make our state an extraordinary place to live.

The city of Tempe offers free food education classes through its Food Forest program, and a recent class taught the basics of what was once a NASA-exclusive technology.

“How many of you have been able to germinate a tomato by seed in the soil? Nobody, right? It’s very difficult to do, you usually go buy a plant," Hedberg said."

Kelly Hedberg is teaching a class about hydroponic farming — a soil-free, indoor method to growing foods like lettuce, strawberries, herbs, and tomatoes.

"So the roots are suspended in water and you’re feeding nutrients directly into the water either in a liquid form or a powder form, and then there’s a motor that sits at the bottom that is circulating and oxygenating the water," Hedberg said.

Photo by Jill Ryan

And the units can be compact.

“When it’s 115 outside you can still be germinating things, in your kitchen, in your laundry room, in your bedroom. Wherever you want to put these, these units, there’s always a space for them," Hedberg said.

Helene Tack is with the city. She says this hydroponic class is a part of a food education program funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“People wanted to learn how to cook, they wanted to learn how to grow food, they wanted to learn how to harvest food,"
Tack said.

They both say these compact hydroponic units offer Arizonans accessibility to gardening and cheaper alternatives to certain foods.