Hearts of Glass

HEARTS OF GLASS tells the story of a state-of-the-art hydroponic greenhouse that provides meaningful employment for people with disabilities. An innovative experiment in food production, Vertical Harvest is an urban farm located in Jackson Hole, Wyo. Built on just one-tenth of an acre at an elevation of 6,237 feet, the high-tech greenhouse grows an amount of produce equivalent to 10 acres of traditional farmland. Using technology to overcome Jackson Hole's short four-month growing season, and extreme seasonal fluctuations in weather and population, Vertical Harvest is able to sell fresh vegetables to residents of the mountain town all year long. To help execute this mission, Vertical Harvest employs adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, who receive a competitive wage and have the opportunity to work in their community year round. The documentary weaves together the story of the farm's first tumultuous 15 months of operation with the personal journeys of several employees. Plants and people grow together in HEARTS OF GLASS, an intimate portrait of one community's attempt to address timely and pressing issues around local food production, inclusion and opportunity.

Episode Duration: 56 minutes and 47 seconds

Episode Number:

NHPBS Over-the-Air Broadcast