How a Denver Marketplace Is Localizing the Food Economy

"There's little things we can do to all take a step in the direction of changing and localizing our food economy. I think only when we start there is there ever going to be change," says Kathryn Ardoin, food distribution coordinator at the GrowHaus, an indoor open farm, education center, and marketplace located in a Denver-based food desert called Elyria-Swansea Globeville. If you recall from our first episode of "Sustain," the GrowHaus is located in the same space as aquaponics farm Flourish Farms, helmed by Colorado Aquaponics. In addition, the GrowHaus has its own on-site hydroponic farm. Part of the GrowHaus' mission is to provide the residents of Elyria-Swansea Globeville with at-cost crops. According to its website, the remainder of the crops are then sold to restaurants and specialty markets. The GrowHaus breaks up customer segments into three main zones. Zone One is the community of Elyria-Swansea Globeville; Zone Two are those living in other nearby food deserts or low-income neighborhoods; and Zone Three is the affluent communities throughout Denver and Colorado.