I’m thirsty for details when a shipping container gets a complete makeover by Nick Fisher (@sickfisher). He posted photos of it on Instagram, so naturally, I had to get the scoop. I became more excited when I learned that greens are growing inside this quaint facility. The luscious menu includes Lin Ren Choi, Golden Frills Mustard Greens, Benefine Endive, Starbor Kale, Cegolaine Lettuce, Space Spinach, and Bright Lights Swiss Chard.

Eat more plants – photo courtesy Freight to Plate

Who is responsible for this brilliant idea?

Freight to Plate is a female, family-owned business in the Fulton Market District consisting of sisters Mary and Jacqueline Scala. You can’t miss it, thanks to Nick’s identifiable style of painting. The shipping container was converted into a hydroponic farm, which allows them to grow fresh, organic produce year-round. Find out why freight farming works by exploring their website.

Per Mary – “Jacqueline and I grew up in Chicago and are excited to bring something to the city that will benefit all of our communities. Our mission is to work with urban developers, nonprofits, and the city of Chicago to bring farms, food distribution, and unique programming as not only an amenity to communities but a way to truly solve food deserts and hunger in our city.”

So many details!

How did they choose Nick?

Despite being a perfect fit, I wanted to know how Nick came to paint the structure.

“Jacqueline, my sister and business partner, and I have been fans of Nick’s for years. We live in Ukrainian Village and Humboldt Park, so his work is pretty saturated around here. We felt that if we could get him to paint our farm it would be a dream come true. We started by stalking him on Instagram. Then, Jacqueline went into a resale shop that he was coincidentally painting and “fangirled” him. Our friendship started there. The process with him was so smooth and collaborative. He’s a one-of-a-kind artist, not just because of his skill and unique style, but he is professional, reliable, and believes in teamwork. I can’t imagine having worked with anyone else. So much of our brand was solidified in the art he created.”

I want a home like this!

I consume a plant-based diet, so this is fascinating to me. Hats off to Mary and Jacqueline for taking the initiative to grow fresh food in an urban setting. I can’t wait to see how things move forward from here. You can follow their progress on Instagram and Facebook.

What a beautiful sight – photo courtesy Freight to Plate