May 6, 2019

Clarke, New England’s Official Sub-Zero/Wolf/Cove Showroom and Test Kitchen, has invested in a 40-ft. self-contained hydroponic farm to exemplify the importance of fresh food as part of a healthy lifestyle.

“Our farm was delivered outside our Milford, Massachusetts, showroom eight weeks ago, and our farmer Francesca Mazzilli has been planting and tending to our crops inside the corrugated shipping container ever since,” said Sean Clarke, president of the family-owned company. “We are really excited about our first harvest happening on May 7.”

Built by Freight Farms, an innovative Boston-based company launched in 2010, Clarke’s initiative will allow every showroom visitor to go home with a gift of fresh butter Bibb lettuce. The farm will also supply fresh produce –preserved in Sub-Zero refrigerators – to be used by the Clarke Culinary Team for cooking demonstrations, events and daily tastings in all three of its showroom locations: Boston Seaport, Milford and South Norwalk, Connecticut. In addition, every Clarke employee will enjoy a weekly share of the produce to take home for their families.

Farmer Francesca’s first harvest will include a lettuce mix, mint, parsley, thyme, Swiss chard, mixed radishes, red veined sorrel, sorbet mix viola and arugula. She will continue to add new crops to the mix and harvest fresh vegetables every week throughout the year.

“When I learned about Freight Farms, I could think of no better way to exemplify the Sub-Zero and Wolf mission of superior food preservation and preparation than launching a year-round Freight Farm right here,” said Clarke. “As New Englanders, we crave fresh food year round, and many of our own employees can’t wait to get back into their gardens each year. Now we will have fresh produce all year round to cook with in our showrooms and share with customers and employees.”

The arrival of Clarke’s Freight Farm launched the Live Deliciously initiative to encourage all members of the design community and the homeowners they serve to remember that kitchens are about gathering to enjoy fresh, delicious meals. As the icing on the cake, Clarke is powering the farm with the solar panels that provide electricity for the company’s entire Milford complex.

“We achieved net zero electrical consumption in Milford when we installed 2304 solar panels on our Milford headquarters in 2011,” said Clarke. “It makes it all the more satisfying that we are now also able to power a hydroponic farm from this source.”