USA - IOWA - VIDEO: GROW Kazimour Collaborates With Metro High School Students To Build Hydroponic System
by Gracyn Freund
January 14, 2026
GROW (Growing Real Opportunities for Work) at Kazimour Farm & Orchard is making strides in Cedar Rapids by providing horticultural education that creates meaningful employment for local students, as well as individuals with disabilities, while addressing community food insecurity.
GROW offers year-round programs focused on growing, harvesting, and selling fresh produce and farm-made products.
Recently, GROW's Core Crew members collaborated with students from Metro High School's STEAM Academy to construct a hydroponic growing system.
"Hydroponic means growing plants just in water, with no soil. It’s amazing how quickly they grow and very vibrantly, as well. They grow in about four to six weeks, a very short growing period and you can continually harvest during that time," Vice President of GROW, Kory Kazimour said.
Core Crew members and students working on building hydroponic growing system{ }
The students began by researching system options and selecting equipment before building the four-tier structure on site.
They chose a hydroponic system because of the many benefits. They offer faster growth, higher yields, and less water usage by delivering nutrients directly to plant roots in a soil-free environment. Because this type of growing system is commonly done indoors, it allows for year-round production.
This project was funded by a donation from the RRAF Organization.
"Next steps are to finish building and then we will put in the water, the nutrients, and then we have pods that we will then place in," Kory explained. "Then we’ll be kind of experimenting to begin with and see what grows best, see how quickly it grows."
Ultimately, their goal is to connect with buyers, like local restaurants or vendors, who are seeking fresh greens and herbs.
GROW Kazimour and Metro High School students build a hydroponic growing system
Kory and her sister, Kim, founded GROW in 2022, although the farm has been in their family for over a century. The GROW initiative was inspired by their acknowledgement of the lack of employment options for adults with disabilities.
Kory explained why horticulture became the foundation of their mission: "Bringing people together, horticulture just naturally leads to teamwork, collaboration, a willingness to help one another, which are all just wonderful skillsets. And the end result is wonderful, you get fresh, nutritious food."
She further emphasized the importance of instilling core skills, such as accountability, teamwork, and reliability, as these skills will help support long-term success in future employment opportunities.
Student working on gluing parts
GROW also offers a range of volunteer opportunities, from gardening to retail, for those interested in supporting their mission.
Click here or visit their website at https://growwithkazimour.org/ for more information.