A 9,000-square-foot glass greenhouse adjoins Overstock.com’s headquarters, next to the campus’s primary office building. It originated with a vision set out by the CEO and president of company, Dr. Patrick Byrne, who decided while planning the campus that a multi-use space would promote overall employee wellness, as well as produce fresh, healthy food for the community. Employees are encouraged to bring their laptops or meetings into the greenhouse, take meditation or yoga classes amongst the plants, or alternatively walk away from work within the bright airy space to seek clarity or inspire creativity.
The greenhouse is managed by two full-time horticulturists who maintain the planters and neatly organized wooden raised beds that run the length of the greenhouse. They employ organic methods and grow year round, tending and harvesting a wide variety of crops including cucurbits (a family of gourds that include both pumpkins and melons), tropical passion fruit, brassicas, and bright bouquets of flowers. Last year they produced over 11,000 pounds of fruits and vegetables.
Where does all that produce go? Much of it is utilized through the greenhouse’s close partnership with the Bon Appétit team at Overstock.com, who manage the food at the onsite cafe. The team features greenhouse-grown ingredients on the salad bar daily and hosts cooking classes featuring ingredients grown onsite. Pop-up farmers markets are held regularly, where Overstock.com employees can purchase produce directly from the greenhouse. And, valuing a chance to contribute to the community around them, some produce is donated to a senior center near Overstock.com’s campus.
