Cardona is the family name from my maternal grandfather, Louis Cardona. He immigrated here from Colombia when he was only 15 years old, and enrolled in high school in Burbank, California. By the time he was in his mid 20s, married with 3 children, he started his own business – a machine shop named C&M Enterprises. Soon after, in 1965, he opened Cardona manufacturing which still exists today and has been a central part of our family for generations.

His fearlessness and ambition inspired me to take the leap of starting a business, doing something that I truly believe in. I hope that one day Cardona Farms will become an extension of our family business, and will pay tribute to grandpa Louie’s courage and success.

Hydroponic container farming refers to a method of cultivating plants in a controlled environment, within a shipping container or similar modular structure. This approach uses hydroponics, a soilless growing technique where plants receive their nutrients dissolved in water, allowing for efficient and controlled growth. The containers are fully insulated and have no natural light. Instead, LEDs lights provide the necessary light cycles for healthy plant growth.

Container farming allows for year-round growing, conserves water, maximizes plantable space, and provides accessibility to fresh produce anywhere in the world.

The weekly yield depends on which crops are being grown. On average, in an all-lettuce farm the yield is up to 990 heads per week!

The farm is the size of a standard shipping container, 40’ x 8’. Because of the Freight Farms patented vertical paneling design, the total plantable space is 320 sqft – or 2.5 acres!

The variety of crops that can be grown is nearly limitless. Besides almost all varieties of lettuce, herbs, and leafy greens, the farm can also grow microgreens, and flowers!

Cardona Farms will focus on specialty lettuces, trim crops such as arugula and baby kale, and microgreens. We will work with local chefs to customize our plantings to meet their menu needs!

The average water consumption for each container farm is only 5 gallons per day! That is 95% less than traditional outdoor farming. With hydroponics, the reduction in water usage alleviates the pressure on our dwindling water supply in California, which accounts for at least 70% of the nation’s lettuce and leafy greens production. The adoption of indoor, soilless growing not only ensures sustainable food production, but contributes significantly to water conservation efforts.

The Freight Farms container has 3 modes: Standard, Eco, and Performance. The modes range from 160kwh (Eco) up to 205kwh (Performance) per day. While this is considered high, the total carbon footprint of growing hydroponically is still significantly lower than the production and shipping associated with outdoor farming.

Cardona Farms is committed to leading the path for a more sustainable farming future, by conserving our critical water resources, reducing the travel distance of fresh produce, and using clean energy to fuel our farm with a commitment to 100% renewable energy from Marin Clean Power.

We are currently selling direct to restaurants in the Petaluma area. Contact us for a list of which restaurants you can visit to taste our greens!