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🌎💙 Today is World Autism Day, a time to recognize and celebrate the diverse experiences, strengths, and perspectives of the autistic community. At Vertical Harvest, inclusion isn’t just a value—it’s the foundation of how we grow together.

Meet Johnny Fifles and Thibaud Sanchez, two of our incredible team members.

For Johnny, Autism isn’t something to be "overcome"—it’s simply a part of who he is. He resonates with the words of advocate Kerry Magro:
"Autism is not a curse; it`s a different way of thinking and feeling."

Reflecting on his own journey, Johnny shares:
"I never gave autism very much thought, but I know that autism never was a disease and it never will be."

Thibaud sees his identity as an autistic person as something to be embraced. His journey with Vertical Harvest has deepened his awareness of ableism and the barriers that still exist in society. As he puts it:
"I accept autism as a unique part of me. Vertical Harvest opened my eyes about ableism."

At Vertical Harvest, we celebrate neurodiversity every day by fostering a workplace where differences are strengths, inclusion is standard, and every individual has the opportunity to grow.

💙 Join us in recognizing the power of neurodivergent voices, advocating for accessibility, and creating a world that welcomes everyone as they are. #WorldAutismDay #AutismAcceptance #InclusionMatters #GrowTogether

🌱💚 Wrapping Up Farmworker Awareness Week 💚🌱

As Farmworker Awareness Week comes to a close, we want to extend a heartfelt THANK YOU to the dedicated farmworkers who keep our communities nourished every single day. Their hard work, resilience, and passion often go unseen, but their impact is felt in every meal we share.

At Vertical Harvest, we honor these unsung heroes—not just this week, but every day. Let’s continue to support fair wages, safe working conditions, and a more sustainable food system for all.

💬 Drop a ❤️ in the comments to show your gratitude! #FarmworkerAwarenessWeek #ThankAFarmworker #GrowWithUs #VerticalHarvest

🌱 The Culinary Circle: Local Chefs Get a First Look at Vertical Harvest Maine!

We were thrilled to welcome some of Maine’s most passionate chefs for an exclusive tour of our soon-to-open Vertical Harvest farm in Westbrook Maine! Led by our CEO, Nona Yehia (@nonayehiawy), and Facilities Specialist, Chris Eckerson (@ceckerson), these culinary leaders got an inside look at how we’re growing fresh, local, and sustainable greens year-round. 🌿

This is just the beginning! As part of The Culinary Circle, these chefs will be among the first to taste our greens, provide feedback, and help shape the future of Maine’s food landscape. With only 35% of Maine’s fresh produce demand met by in-state sources, we’re working to strengthen local food systems—with year-round, nutrient-dense greens.

We can’t wait to see Vertical Harvest produce making its way onto menus across Maine!🍴💚

#VerticalHarvestMaine #FarmToTable #LocalChefs #SustainableFood #InclusiveEmployment #MaineEats

We had an absolute blast connecting with teachers, students, and community organizations at the Portland High STEM Expo last week! 🚀💡 Huge thanks for having us—we loved sharing our passion for sustainable farming and local food. Can’t wait to grow more connections! 🌱✨

Can’t wait to join our next one at Deering High this Friday!

[Image Descriptions: Image one is of Lindsay standing behind the Vertical Harvest Farms booth. Image two is of the bulldog mascot on center court in the gymnasium.]

#VerticalHarvestFarms #StemEducation #HydroponicFarming #Maine

📢 Overheard at the Native Maine booth... 👂🌱 @nativemaineproduce

We had an incredible time at the Native Maine Food Show in Portland yesterday! Meeting so many passionate chefs, buyers, and food lovers reminded us why we do what we do—growing fresh, flavorful greens year-round. Here are just a few of the things we overheard at our booth:

🥗 "I can’t remember the last time the first thing I put in my mouth in the morning was green!"
🌿 "So many different flavors just from greens!"
👀 "We will definitely be on the lookout for you!"
🔥 "Best micros we’ve had year to date. They actually taste like something!"
💚 "Oh my gosh, that’s so cute!"
📍 "The future of food is local."
🥄 "I would just eat microgreens all the time."

We look forward to bringing the power of local food to kitchens across Maine—one bite of fresh, flavorful greens at a time. 🌱✨

Swipe through to see some snapshots from the show! 📸 Photo Credit: Kathleen Pierce

#VerticalHarvest #NativeMaineFoodShow #LocalFood #EatFresh #Microgreens #FarmToFork #Hydroponics #MaineEats #SupportLocal

Who says Pi Day has to be all about sweet treats? We are breaking the mold with this vibrant leafy green Frittata idea! It`s a delicious twist on a classic, and the perfect way to sneak in some extra veggies. 😉 Check out this recipe and celebrate #DIFFERENTLY !

Filling:
5-6 large eggs
1-1.5 cups heavy cream or half-and-half (or a dairy alternative)
4-5 cups of mixed leafy greens (spinach, kale, Swiss chard, etc.)
1 cup of other vegetables (peas, green onions, etc.)
1 cup shredded cheese (Cheddar, Gruyère, feta, etc.)
2-3 green onions, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: nutmeg, garlic, or other spices
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
Prepare the greens:
Wash and chop the leafy greens.
Sauté the greens in a pan with a little olive oil until wilted. Drain any excess liquid.
Prepare the filling:
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, salt, pepper, and any desired spices.
Add the cooked greens, other vegetables, and cheese to the egg mixture.
Assemble and bake:
Pour the filling into a cast iron skillet
Bake for 20-35 minutes, or until the quiche is set and the top is golden brown.
Let the quiche cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving.

#PiDay #SavoryPie #UnexpectedRecipes #HealthyComfortFood #QuicheT

The most brilliant solutions come from embracing our differences...

Vertical Harvest had the great pleasure of working with Author Robert Ludke, presenting key insights and case studies from our inclusive workplace model (Grow Well, if you haven`t heard ;-)

You can purchase "Case Studies in Disability-Driven Innovation: A Better Future Through an Inclusive Economy" on Amazon or ask your local bookseller to order it for you!

"This book is a roadmap for how we can combine our many skills and collective brainpower to solve some of the world`s most challenging problems today – poverty, climate change, resource scarcity – to name just a few.

To be clear, disability-driven innovation is not about imposing one’s values on others.

This is not about telling people who to hire. It is not about quotas. And it is most certainly not about treating disability as a charity. Disability-driven innovation is about bringing together our unique talents in a way that creates long-term value for companies, investors, and, ultimately, every one of us.

We need to focus on maximizing our talents, and not dismissing people and what they bring to the table. "
- Robert Ludke

Couldn`t have said it better ourselves! Grab a copy today!

#Diversity #Inclusion #WorkplaceInclusion #GrowWell #Inclusivity #Disability #Research #CaseStudies #People

It is National Employee Appreciation Month!! We are shouting out this rock star team of VH employees who hosted two Ready Set Grow learning sessions geared towards job seekers in Maine with disabilities who are new to the workforce or new to farming. We held our events at the CareerCenter in Portland, Maine. Big thanks!! And a huge thanks to Liz from the Vocational Rehabilitation who joined us and followed up each session sharing information about how to get connected to jobs in Maine and how to receive support during that process. The room was packed two days in a row with job seekers excited about meaningful job opportunities at Vertical Harvest Maine!!

[Image Description: Image one is of Caroline and Nikki and Mycah speaking and sharing information with the group.]

#VerticalFarmingJobs #VerticalFarm #Agriculture #JobsME #Career #FarmingCareers #Inclusivity #Disability #Inclusion #PortlandME #WestbrookME #Employment #NationalEmployeeAppreciationDay