Steven Dring and Richard Ballard
Growing Underground, London
Meet the World's First Underground Farmers
"It is fantastic to grow sustainable produce so fresh in the heart of Britain's largest city"
Welcome to the agricultural revolution! 33 metres below the busy streets of London’s Clapham Common, you will find Steven and Richard heading up Growing Underground, the world’s first underground, urban farm.
In what was once a former World War II air raid shelter, the pair have transformed the space to apply the most advanced growing technology to produce mouth-wateringly fresh micro greens, herbs and salad leaves for customers to enjoy.
With its pink futuristic glow, Growing Underground uses hydroponic systems – where plants are grown without soil – and using LED technology.
They're grown year-round in a pesticide-free environment, and are unaffected by the weather and seasonal changes.
Their team of 24 people grow around 20 different types of greens to choose from, including broccoli, pea shoots, rocket, red mustard, pink stem radish, garlic chives, fennel and coriander.
Their produce is now stocked in major supermarkets and used by top chefs and has attracted huge interest from consumers, scientists and urban planners worldwide.