Our Story
GrowFree is a family-owned and operated vertical farm located in Carstairs, Alberta, specializing in fresh herbs, leafy greens, and edible flowers. Using innovative, climate-controlled hydroponic technology, we grow premium produce year-round, supplying businesses throughout Central and Southern Alberta, from Red Deer and Calgary to Canmore and Banff.
Founded by mother-daughter team Sarai and Emma Rose Danby, GrowFree was built on a shared passion for agriculture, entrepreneurship, and strengthening local food production. Our mission is simple: to make fresh, nutritious, locally grown produce more accessible, regardless of the season. By cultivating our crops in a carefully managed indoor environment, we grow without the use of herbicides or pesticides, combining modern agricultural innovation with a commitment to quality and responsible growing practices.
At GrowFree, freshness isn't just a promise—it's at the heart of how we operate. With harvest-to-delivery times measured in hours rather than days, our customers benefit from exceptional freshness, longer usable shelf life, and reduced product waste.
We also recognize that every business has unique needs. Whether you're looking for a dependable year-round supply of fresh herbs or a specialty crop grown to your specifications, we're happy to explore customized growing programs and scheduled wholesale supply.
Locally grown. Thoughtfully cultivated. Delivered fresh.
Sarai Danby
Co-Founder | GrowFree
Sarai brings extensive experience in business leadership, strategic planning, and organizational management to GrowFree. With a Master's degree in Tourism Management and a diverse professional background spanning business development, education, financial services, and agricultural programming, she combines strategic vision with a practical, hands-on approach to entrepreneurship.
As Co-Founder, Sarai oversees GrowFree's business strategy, administration, and overall management while remaining actively involved in farm operations. Her focus is on building a strong operational foundation, developing lasting commercial relationships, and positioning GrowFree as a dependable supplier of premium, locally grown produce.
Having spent the better part of her life in Alberta, Sarai has a deep appreciation for the province's agricultural heritage and entrepreneurial spirit. Together with her husband, she is raising their family on a farm just outside Carstairs, near GrowFree's operations. Surrounded by horses and the rhythms of rural life, her connection to the land complements her passion for innovation, sustainability, and building a business rooted in the local community.
For Sarai, GrowFree represents an opportunity to bring together business experience, modern agricultural technology, and family entrepreneurship to contribute to a stronger, more resilient local food supply.
Emma Rose Danby
Co-Founder | GrowFree
Emma Rose brings a dynamic combination of entrepreneurial drive, agricultural experience, and hands-on leadership to GrowFree. Her passion for agriculture and business began at just eight years old, when she launched her first venture, Emma's Eggs. Alongside learning how to keep her chickens healthy, happy, and laying eggs, she mastered her first cash flow spreadsheet—an early introduction to the balance between animal care, operational management, and running a successful business.
Her entrepreneurial spirit continued with Turquoise Tails, a business providing horseback riding lessons, further developing her leadership, organizational skills, and connection to rural life. With studies at Olds College of Agriculture & Technology and professional experience in the film and television industry, her diverse experiences have shaped a distinctive blend of practical agricultural knowledge, creative thinking, and business acumen that continues to influence her leadership and approach to innovation at GrowFree.
As Co-Founder, Emma Rose leads GrowFree's day-to-day farm operations, overseeing crop cultivation, environmental monitoring, plant health, harvesting, and production quality, and acts as a primary contact for buyers. Her hands-on approach, attention to detail, and commitment to continuous improvement are central to maintaining the consistency, freshness, and high standards GrowFree strives to deliver to its commercial customers.
For Emma Rose, GrowFree is a natural evolution of a lifelong entrepreneurial journey—bringing together her agricultural roots, passion for innovation, and determination to build a forward-thinking business that contributes to a stronger, more resilient local food supply in Alberta.
