American Underground Helps Sustainable Mini-Farm Plow rough Challenges, Place One-of-a-Kind Market on Campus

American Underground Helps Sustainable Mini-Farm Plow Through Challenges, Place One-of-a-Kind Market on Campus

The Farmery Opens, Inviting Consumers to Understand, Purchase Local Sustainable Produce

From Burt's Bees' natural personal care research and development lab to McKinney's branding tower, American Tobacco has dug into the challenges presented by clients looking to transform their piece of the historic campus. The American Underground, the campus' entrepreneurial hub, got into the game recently when it made way for an innovative start-up called The Farmery.

The Farmery is a self-contained hybrid urban farm and market that grows and sells produce at the same site to create an ideal retailing system for local food. This system includes sourcing from local producers as well as growing a portion of the crops onsite, a new challenge for the destination campus focused on Class A office space, family concerts and other community gatherings.

The American Underground is all about facilitating an ecosystem for entrepreneurs creating the innovations that will propel our economy and lives forward, says Adam Klein, chief strategist, American Underground. One specific result is the ability to have a working farm in the middle of a bustling community like American Tobacco.

The Farmery at American Tobacco is a smaller version prototype of the larger facilities the company plans to create. The project is located in the courtyard adjacent to Burt's Bees headquarters and will be open to the public from 11-7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Saturday.

The Farmery at ATC represents our huge ambitions on a smaller scale, says Ben Greene, founder, The Farmery. We look forward to building on the momentum Durham has as a food destination by showing our community where and how our food originates.

The Farmery at American Tobacco has features like living walls, a green roof planted with sunflowers and u-pick crop displays.

The Farmery is partially sponsored by campus tenant and global industry leader Burt's Bees.

Over twenty five years ago, Burt's Bees was founded by social entrepreneurs, and we're delighted to be able to help bring this innovative concept in roving, growing and pick-your-own farmer's market to downtown Durham, says Paula Alexander, director of sustainable business, Burt's Bees. The Farmery will feature a pollinator-friendly roof and information about bees and the vital ecosystem services they provide.

About Burt's Bees

Burt's Bees has been offering earth-friendly, natural health and beauty care products for nearly 30 years. From a beekeeper's backyard in Maine to the leading edge of natural, Burt's Bees knows natural health and beauty care solutions from head-to-toe. The brand creates products for total skin health that keep The Greater Good top of mind. Burt's Bees has approximately 400 employees with products available in the United States and over 40 countries worldwide as well as on its website http://www.burtsbees.com.

Thanks to ATCs Valerie Ward for this capcom story & photo.

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POSTED: July 2, 2013

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