Salad Days Produce: Fiber internet powering large-scale hydroponic farming

Leigh Bailey and Jamie Redmond first met at a composting workshop in 2015. They bonded over a shared passion for sustainable farming and dream of one day feeding their community through hydroponic farming. This type of agricultural technology uses soilless systems to grow plants in a nutrient solution, uses less water than traditional farming and empowers farmers to grow year-round.

In 2019, Leigh and Jamie were able to make their dream a reality by opening an 18,000 square foot hydroponic lettuce farm in Flora, Mississippi. Named Salad Days Produce after the Shakespeare expression for the days of youth and inexperience, the farm now operates year-round and produces 200,000 heads of lettuce a year. Their produce is distributed to local grocers like McDade's and Freshway, as well as to restaurants throughout the Jackson metro area.