A visit to the SoulFood Greenhouse - Tomato Paradise!

A couple of weeks ago, a group of gardeners and friends had the privilege of touring North Park Presbyterian Church’s SoulFood Greenhouse. The takeaway was unanimous—WOW!

Opened in 2017, the SoulFood Greenhouse was founded with a mission to provide hydroponic, pesticide-free tomatoes to hungry children and families in Dallas, specifically through Vickery Meadows Food Pantry. Their operation is nothing short of impressive - producing continuous tomato harvests year-round.

Today, they proudly yield up to 670 lbs. of tomatoes per week, 16,000 lbs. per year, and an astonishing 150,000 lbs. over the greenhouse’s lifetime. Yep, WOW again!

We were fortunate to have Keri McCall, the greenhouse manager (or as we like to call her, the guru), as our guide. Her passion for the project is undeniable—so much so that she even went back to school to earn a hydroponics certification to further the mission. She spends countless hours babysitting these tomatoes and they show for it.

The Greenhouse: A Perfectly Controlled Ecosystem

Stepping inside the greenhouse, we were met with a warm, buzzing space filled with advanced technology, water systems, specialized lighting, and even bees! The 2,500 sqft. facility includes a concrete pump house and a beautifully maintained greenhouse. The core of their growing system is a soilless controlled atmosphere where each detail is “tomato-tuned” to perfection.

Here’s a definition:

A soilless controlled atmosphere is a method of agriculture—often using hydroponics or aeroponics—where temperature, humidity, airflow, light, and nutrient levels are carefully controlled to create optimal conditions for plant growth without relying on traditional soil.

Rebelski Tomatoes: The Stars of the Show

The team at SoulFood Greenhouse has chosen to exclusively grow Rebelski tomatoes, a variety that thrives in controlled environments and produces abundantly. Initially they considered other crops, such as peppers or eggplants but decided to focus solely on tomatoes to best serve the community of people and to optimize their growing process. Their success lies in a meticulously monitored air and water delivery system:

Each root ball is grown in coconut bark and receives precise water and nutrient doses every 30 minutes.
A climate control system maintains temperatures at 65°F at night and 75°F during the day, with added CO₂ to support plant health.
Special red and blue grow lights create a pink glow, giving the greenhouse an almost disco-like ambiance.
Pollination? No problem! The greenhouse has its own colony of large bumblebees, ensuring that pollination happens naturally.

These tomatoes are always living in harmony.

Growing and Harvesting: A Labor of Love

Dedicated volunteers work hard to prune and train the tomato vines, ensuring their continued growth and productivity. The process is fascinating! The tomato plants are pruned from the bottom up as they grow. A wire support system helps guide the vines vertically and then horizontally. Each plant grows a foot per week! The vines are carefully adjusted at the top to allow for continuous vertical growth.

Each plant grows a foot per week – YES! It takes some tomato muscle to keep up with these vines!

AWE ... What struck us immediately was the size, color, and beauty of the tomatoes. They are large, vibrant red, and perfectly healthy, with lush green vines. It truly felt like a tomato paradise.