Key Takeaways:
- Wellstar Hospital in Georgia operates an onsite container farm called “WellFarm” through a partnership with FarmBox Foods.
- The vertical farm supplies fresh herbs and greens for patient meals, the hospital bistro, and the gift shop.
- Produce grown onsite is used for nutritional therapy, particularly for immunocompromised patients.
- The farm supports community engagement and wellness programming.
- WellFarm illustrates one approach to integrating food production with healthcare infrastructure and dietary programs.
Wellstar Health’s Vertical Farming Model
Wellstar Health, based in Georgia, has implemented an onsite vertical farming system called “WellFarm” using a shipping container farm developed by FarmBox Foods. The unit is designed to produce pesticide-free leafy greens and culinary herbs within hospital grounds.
The WellFarm initiative is intended to support hospital food programs and provide additional opportunities for community outreach and wellness engagement.
Food as Medicine in Practice
According to FarmBox Foods, the produce grown in the container farm serves several functions:
- Patient meals: Crops such as kale and cabbage are incorporated into patient menus.
- Hospital bistro & gift shop: Fresh herbs like basil, thyme, and rosemary are packaged and made available for purchase.
- Nutritional applications: Some produce is used in dietary therapy for patients with specific nutritional needs.
“They’re growing basil, thyme, kale—packaging herbs for use in dietary therapy,” said Brynne Doughten, Sales Program Development Manager at FarmBox Foods. “Vitamin-rich greens are especially important for patients with complex nutritional needs.”
WellFarm: Community and Wellness Integration
The WellFarm also serves as a platform for additional hospital-based activities:
- Community engagement: In some cases, produce is distributed through local programs.
- Therapeutic environment: The farm space is accessible to staff and patients as part of wellness activities.
- Visibility: The presence of the farm on campus may contribute to broader public engagement with hospital nutrition practices.
Operational Integration and Support
Hospital personnel are trained by FarmBox Foods to manage the farm. The container system is structured for ease of use and typically requires one trained operator, often drawn from existing hospital staff.
Wellstar monitors production for consistency, which may support food service planning and internal reporting.
“It’s an investment in patient outcomes and organizational resilience,” said Chris Michlewicz, VP of Communications at FarmBox Foods.
Considerations for Scalability
As vertical farming continues to be evaluated by healthcare systems, the WellFarm initiative provides an example of how such systems can be integrated into existing healthcare infrastructure.
Federal incentives and ongoing discussions around food-as-medicine may influence the future adoption of similar programs.
📘 For more information on this topic, read our article: Container Farms for Healthcare.
