Urban Farm Plants Roots Near Las Vegas Strip, Partners with Local Chefs

LAS VEGAS (KSNV News3LV) — An urban farm set to revolutionize local food is planting its roots not too far from the Las Vegas Strip.

Urban Seed is poised to change how some of Las Vegas’ premier restaurants get their produce, transforming a three-acre plot located near Tropicana and Wynn into a greenhouse produce farm.

“We don’t have the ability to just put a farm just anywhere so that’s why growing hydroponically makes the most sense in the desert – because we’re not growing into the soil, we’re growing with water,” said Jolene Mannina of Urban Seed.

The idea is simple: grow local natural produce in partnership for local use.

“The goal is to start with the chefs but then to also feed the world,” said Mannina.

Chef Geno Bernardo is one of the several leaders in the Las Vegas culinary world who is eager to partner with Urban Seed for fresh and local produce instead of relying on produce shipped across state lines.

“We can have all this great produce to our restaurant within hours,” said Bernardo, who works at Herringbone restaurant at Aria.

The first Urban Seed crop is expected to yield 20 different types of fruits and veggies.

“It’s going to be another beautiful playground that we can go day in and day out -- talk to the farmer because the farmer is right on the strip,” said Bernardo. “I'm jumping for joy ... this is going to be a great time to be a chef in Las Vegas.”

The first Urban Seed crop is expected to be ready to harvest in about three months.

While the first crops will be available to chefs the group has partnered with, Urban Seed also hopes to build more than 100 greenhouses throughout the Las Vegas Valley in the coming years so that everyone can benefit.