Scaled Support for Small & Community-Focused Vertical Farms
The Little Greenhouse That Could Method was built to guide growers from concept to operation with clarity, confidence, and the right technical expertise. While our full method was originally developed for commercial greenhouses, we have adapted each phase to support small, community-scale vertical farms—the size that we believe has the greatest opportunity for long-term success.
Over the past decade, the vertical farming industry has seen a high number of large-scale company failures and bankruptcies. These operations grew too big, too fast, and often lacked feasible business models. For that reason, Little Greenhouse That Could does not promote large commercial vertical farm developments, we advise you to start small.
However, we strongly believe in the feasibility and impact of small, mom-and-pop vertical farms—the types of farms that strengthen local food systems, create meaningful community employment, and are financially achievable for new growers.
These are the growers we are proud to support.
Below is how our four-phase method translates into vertical farming development:
Phase One – “Plan”
Our phase one services help you determine if a small-scale vertical farm is feasible for your goals, market, and community. This phase provides the foundation for decision-making and typically takes up to 6 weeks.
Deliverables:
- Farm Credit Canada Business Plan
- Turnkey Starter System Proposal
- Starter Financial Package *Optional*
What’s Included:
- Initial consultation – define your crops, market goals, and operational vision, ensure our starter turnkey system meets your needs.
- Budget guidance – provide a class C cost estimate and 3–5 year financial projections tailored to small-scale vertical farming.
- Site & utility assessment – evaluate your location, power availability, and environmental considerations.
- Market research – speak with local retailers, restaurants, and community partners to confirm demand and secure early interest.
Everyone starts somewhere, and this package helps folks new to vertical farming turn their goals into a sustainable reality!
Phase Two: “Design”
Once feasibility is confirmed, we move into detailed design to finalize your system layout, equipment list, and permitting requirements. For small vertical farms, this phase is shorter and more streamlined than greenhouse developments.
What’s Included:
- Equipment procurement planning – create a schedule for ordering racking, LEDs, HVAC equipment, sensors, irrigation components, and automation tools.
Phase Three: Installation
After we’ve ordered your equipment we will plan a day to install your vertical farming equipment.
What’s Included:
- Onsite Installation – little greenhouse team arrives to your site and installs the equipment. Typically for small farms this will take 1 – 2 days.
Phase Four: Training
Training is the most critical phase of the Little Greenhouse That Could Method. We ensure our clients become confident with the growing process after installation before we stop checking in on you.
What’s Included:
- Onsite Run Through – After installation we will run through all the growing procedures with you in person.
- Standard Operating Procedures Manual – From working with our clients and growing ourselves, we have developed an SOP manual with best practices for new growers.
- Weekly Check in Calls – Eight 30 minute check-in calls, to ensure your first round of growing is successful. We can adjust these calls as necessary until you have a successful first grow!
From Curiosity to Clarity
If you’re still not sure where to start or what your options are, don’t worry! Our $100 Curiosity to Clarity package is designed to take the unknown and turn it into something tangible, starting at the roots. This includes an in-depth call with our founder, Trina Semenchuk, to answer any questions you have about starting up a vertical farm.
