I grew up on a 40-acre corn farm in Iowa, so I've watched the rise of vertical farming with a mix of curiosity and skepticism. Last year I visited a vertical farm in Chicago that grows lettuce in stacked trays under LED lights, and the yield per square foot was impressive—but the energy costs were staggering. Can vertical farming realistically replace conventional agriculture for staple crops like corn and wheat, or is it just a niche solution for leafy greens in urban centers?