In the late 1960s, Shreveport was brimming with independent geologists who had ideas on how to get the oil and gas from the ground; they just didn’t have the staff and operating knowledge to operate themselves. That’s where L.R. “Bob” Brammer Jr. came in.

A farm? Yes. A farm. An indoor farm. Cotton Street Farms – a top-five finalist last year and an entry in this year’s Louisiana Start Up Prize competition – is the brainchild of Michael Billings, a 35-year-old graduate of Caddo Magnet High School. Billings has bought a vacant building at 406 Cotton St.

As a registered dietitian, one of the main complaints I've heard from clients of all social classes has been “eating healthy is just so expensive.” Much to my frustration, it can seem very expensive to the average consumer when walking through the organic section at the grocery store.