The root report: introduction
The root report: introducing the hometown harvest smart garden
Ever wondered if if you could grow a garden with zero gardening experience, a laptop, and a little help from AI? Neither did we – until Max Crawford, senior marketing and communications education manager, decided to find out.
For Max, the idea was born out of need.
“Our local food drive partners told us they are always looking for more fresh fruits and vegetables to give to families across the Upstate,” he says. “So, I thought, ‘what if we grew some ourselves?’”
Only catch? He’d never gardened a day in his life.
How it started
So Max did what any of us would do. He got on the internet, leaned on a little help from ChatGPT and Google, and came away with a real plan for how to get this garden started. No green thumb required, just a willingness to figure it out.
That is how the Hometown Harvest Smart Garden was born.
Why a “smart” garden?
“We couldn’t resist leaning into our roots as your local internet provider,” Max says.“This isn’t just any garden. It’s a smart garden.”
“Smart” Highlights:
- Built with a little AI help. Max used ChatGPT to help plan the layout and get planting instructions suited to our exact space.
- It’s got a soundtrack. “We have an Alexa out there keeping the plants – and the employees tending them– company,” Max says.
- Wifi-controlled watering. A sprinkler system connects over wifi and takes care of the schedule itself, keeping the plants hydrated without anyone having to think about it.
- Powered by outdoor wifi. A residential outdoor wireless extender keeps all the devices powered out in the field.
Turns out a stronger connection is good for more than just smooth streaming – it’ll help grow your favorite veggies too.
What we’re growing it for
This garden is planted and maintained by employees, and everything it produces is going straight to local food banks to help stock fresh fruits and vegetables for our neighbors right here in the Upstate. What started as a small idea is hopefully going to do a lot of good for our community.
what’s next
This is just the first post in a series where we’ll be following along as the Hometown Harvest Smart Garden grows. Literally.
Expect updates on:
- Progress (and probably a few lessons learned the hard way)
- Who the harvest is helping
- What makes the garden so “smart”
- The employees getting their hands dirty to make it happen
Got a gardening tip for Max? We’d love to hear it, so reach out and let us know. He’ll take all the help he can get.
The Hometown Harvest Smart Garden is just getting started; come grow with us.
