We guide organizations through every stage of launching and sustaining urban agriculture—from the first question to the first harvest.

How We Work

Imagine → Design → Activate

We begin by listening to your goals. Whether you're focused on food access, youth development, tenant experience, or ESG outcomes. Together, we outline what a hyperlocal food system could look like for your site and your community.

Imagine

We develop a clear, actionable plan for your project. From equipment selection, permitting pathways, site layouts, and programming concepts to grant strategy and budget modeling, our team designs a roadmap that prepares your farm for a successful launch.

Design

We manage the full implementation and ongoing support of your farm. This includes coordinating vendors and trades, commissioning systems, training teams, establishing crop cycles, and supporting youth and community programming all the way through your first harvest and beyond.

Activate

Urban Agriculture & Community Food Systems Consulting

We help youth organizations, nonprofits, developers, and mission-driven institutions imagine, shape, and plan meaningful agriculture projects grounded in community impact and operational feasibility.

Our consulting services include:

  • Feasibility studies & site assessments

  • Concept development & early-stage visioning

  • Community engagement strategy

  • Funding & grant support (narratives, budgets, justification)

  • Capital planning & cost modeling

  • Vendor selection guidance

  • Equipment recommendations

  • Programming & impact design

  • Preliminary layouts & flow planning

  • Operational readiness planning

Outcome:
A clear, fundable roadmap that moves your concept from possibility to implementation.

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Farm Activation

We coordinate everything required to turn a vision into a fully operating farm. Whether it's a container farm, micro-farm, or specialized indoor growing system, we bring deep technical expertise and experience across Chicago’s urban agriculture landscape.

Our activation services include:

  • Equipment procurement & vendor coordination

  • Permitting support & compliance pathways

  • Site readiness & utility considerations

  • Delivery & installation oversight

  • Environmental system setup

  • System programming & commissioning

  • Seeding & launching the first crops

  • Safety protocols & contamination control

  • SOP development for daily operations

  • Staff & volunteer training

Outcome:
A fully activated farm built correctly, safely, and sustainably — ready for reliable production from day one.

Operations & Management

We provide ongoing farm operations that keep systems healthy, productive, and ready to serve your community or organization year-round. From weekly visits to remote monitoring and harvest guidance, our team ensures consistency, reliability, and peace of mind.

Our operations support includes:

  • Weekly or biweekly farm visits

  • System monitoring & real-time alerts

  • Nutrient management & water quality checks

  • Crop planning & rotation schedules

  • Seeding, transplanting & harvest cycles

  • Troubleshooting & repairs

  • Cleanings & contamination prevention

  • Youth and staff training

  • Impact reporting & distribution tracking

  • Seasonal or program-specific adjustments

Outcome:
A stable, productive farm with professional oversight — allowing your team to focus on mission, community, and programming while we handle the agriculture.

Farming as an Amenity®

For developers, mixed-use properties, wellness centers, and hospitality groups, food production is becoming a powerful—and unexpected—way to elevate the resident or member experience.

Farming as an Amenity® brings hyperlocal food, wellness, sustainability, and activation programming directly into the built environment.

Freight to Plate designs, installs, and operates on-site food-growing systems that function as both a community asset and an experiential amenity.

What we provide:

  • Concept development & amenity visioning

  • Micro-farm selection & turnkey installation

  • Custom crop plans for culinary or wellness programs

  • Tenant, member, or resident engagement activities

  • Seasonal programming & live activations

  • Educational and ESG storytelling

  • Full-service operations & maintenance

  • Impact reporting for ownership, investors & community partners

Outcome:
A wellness-forward, sustainability-driven amenity that differentiates your property, engages the community, and produces hyperlocal greens on-site—with zero operational burden on your team.

Curious what a food-growing project could look like at your site?

We’d love to explore it with you.

Let's Talk