The Ritz-Carlton, Naples expands its ‘grown on-site menu’ with new crops such as tomatoes, edible flowers and baby zucchini using a revitalised version of its CropBox. Aptly named ‘The Grow House’, it’s a sustainable, self-contained, hydroponic vertical system designed for precision farming.
Farm-to-Fork
The Ritz-Carlton, Naples expands its ‘grown on-site menu’ with new crops such as tomatoes, edible flowers and baby zucchini using a revitalised version of its CropBox. Aptly named ‘The Grow House’, it’s a sustainable, self-contained, hydroponic vertical system designed for precision farming.
Over the past year, The Grow House has produced more than 7,000 heads of lettuce, as well as crops such as cilantro, arugula and assorted micro-greens, providing the resort’s culinary team with fresh and pristine produce. The on-site farm also helps reduce food’s carbon footprint by choosing climate sensitive crops that would otherwise have to be transported from other regions. www.ritzcarlton.com.
Skin Food
Celebrating the Japanese philosophy of chowa – the harmonic coexistence and mutual respect between human and nature – MTM has created the Custom-Blended Harmonious Collection with organically grown plant-derived ingredients, which earned it a five-star ECOFIT from the Organic Cosmetics Certification Association.
The first and only skincare line awarded the accolade, the products feature ingredients harvested from organic farmlands in Japan, such as apple and kiwi water and Echinacea purpurea root extract. These antioxidant-rich ingredients aren’t just great for anti-ageing, but are also said to boost immune system and promote healing. www.mtmskincare.com.
A Win for All
Six Senses Samui turned a landscaping challenge, which included a large volume of organic waste, unutilised grey water and lack of nutrient-rich soil, into a sustainability initiative that benefits the environment, the local community and resort guests.
The Farm on the Hill initiative lends help from 80 chickens, 15 to 20 goats, a natural reed bed system that filters and reminieralises grey water, a waste-to-wealth garden and a module aquaponic system built from reclaimed waste materials. The outcome is a win-win situation: the resort can now produce organic eggs, goat milk and fresh vegetables, while guests and the local community can enjoy meaningful and fun experiences such as feeding the goats at the farm. www.sixsenses.com.
