KSA-Based Natufia Makes It Easy To Grow Food In Your Home With Its Hydroponic Tech

By Pamella de Leon

August 10, 2021

Can you imagine growing your own salad in your kitchen? This is what KSA-based enterprise Natufia is daring to achieve. Founded in 2015 by Gregory Lu and Nadim Taoubi, Natufia is a multi-awarded research lab specializing in hydroponic kitchen appliances. With its fully integrated and automated indoor smart hydroponic kitchen garden, especially created for restaurant kitchens and households, Natufia enables people to grow an assortment of the freshest plants, vegetables, flowers and herbs all year round right in the heart of their kitchen.

Offering a holistic solution to healthy living, this smart garden nestled in your kitchen provides the optimal combination of water, lighting, nutrients, and even music (as the team’s research found that it helps to stimulate more growth). The fridge-sized appliance is easy to use: seed pods -which can be compared to the size of Nespresso capsules- are placed in the nursery drawer where it will grow for about 10 days, after which, the pod will be moved to grow in another cabinet. After 20-30 days, you are ready to harvest, and every 3-4 months, you just need to refill the nutrients. All other steps are automated as the Natufia smart kitchen garden creates the perfect environment needed to grow plants. It can grow 32 different types of plants, such as basil, lettuces, cilantro, kale, dill, cherry tomatoes, mint, and more, simultaneously, producing 1-2 plants per day. 

Gregory Lu, co-founder and CEO, explains how the startups aims to solve the huge multifaceted problem in the food industry. “The plants that will grow in your kitchen are free of pesticides, preservatives, and because of [its] freshness, they will give you up to 400% more vitamins.” He adds, “Because they are grown right where they are consumed, you will rediscover a wider biodiversity, true original taste of the greens vegetable, whilst they are being accessible anywhere and from the proximity of one’s kitchen." The startup aims to minimize the prevalent environmental impact by reducing food waste, packaging, pollution, and food miles. It also addresses the gaps of food security and traceability awareness, a prevalent issue for the region’s food security sector.  “We are disrupting the way people relate to their food and reinventing the consumer meal journey by allowing communities to take control of their food- produce where it is consumed," Lu says, explaining the startup’s mission. "By using Natufia, we encourage people to change their food habits by consuming a diet rich in vitamins and nutrition-dense vegetables and greens, improving their health and helping our planet.”

Source: Natufia

For Lu, taking on the path to entrepreneurship was inevitable, he says. “I have been an entrepreneur from a young age, so that’s something that’s always been inside of me.” Beginning his career in the property development and investment sector, the entrepreneur accumulated over 25 years of experience in the real estate sector and decided to diversify his businesses by diving into the food industry. Upon buying an olive plantation in Sicily to produce olive and tomato sauce, Lu faced the common issues of needing to use pesticides and fertilizers, which contradicted his views on healthy food and showcased the significance of the organic food industry. “I felt people needed to experience what I experienced in these hills of Sicily- the freshness, the connection of growing your own food and the quality,” adds Lu. “My real estate background also thrusted me into following up the idea. If people could grow food in their own homes, offices, schools, or hotels, all year around having fresh quality food easily accessible, then the world would be a much better place.” Lu is joined by co-founder and COO Nadim Taoubi, whose background includes advising tech companies at Deloitte and LD&A, as well as founding his own Estonia-based e-commerce platform, Ooolala which has been sold to an undisclosed buyer in 2016.

Originally launched in Estonia, the co-founders bootstrapped the concept and built a basic prototype to show to a few European fairs and evaluate initial reception. It kickstarted the first phase of their journey, which was focused on developing the technology: “It took us years to do that, but we accumulated over 20 patents.” This was followed by proof of concept and field-testing phase, wherein the duo invested in R&D and grew its team. “We have sold dozens of our Natufia [product] to the US, Europe and the Middle East to receive feedback and analyze large amounts of data.” As the company grew, the co-founders looked outside Estonia for investment partners. In 2018, the startup was accepted into the Techstars Dubai accelerator program, held in partnership with GINCO Investments. This proved to be an advantageous step, as the startup was able to raise US$1.2 million in a seed funding round, led by Butterfly Ventures, Techstars, and GINCO Investments, as well as several angel investors from US, Europe and the Middle East. The capital was set to pave its expansion plans to Europe and the US. “We spent a lot in Dubai with Techstars and understood that the region is a great market for Natufia,” says Lu. Later on, the CEO met representatives from the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) at a conference in London. After months of discussions, KAUST announced it would lead a $3.5 million investment in a Series A funding round, though its venture capital investment arm KAUST Innovation Fund, with Butterfly Ventures also participating in the round. This puts Natufia’s total funding to $4.7 million, with previous investors Butterfly Ventures, Techstars and GINCO Investments, remaining as minority shareholders.

As part of the new capital infusion, the startup is also relocating to Saudi Arabia, basing itself at the KAUST Research and Technology Park (KRTP) to help grow its R&D capabilities. Lu explains, “We felt it would be a huge opportunity being in the heart of the region to develop the market, but also being at KAUST on campus could give us the possibility to keep working on our technology to make it even better and advanced.” Lu commends KAUST’s distinctive infrastructure and tools, which can be greatly beneficial for the startup’s innovative solutions. “I give you an example: for us, it is very important to test the quality of our plants -the vitamins, nutrients, minerals, etc. In Estonia, it was a long and complex process. We had to reserve the test well in advance, transport the plants, which come with a lot of paperwork, expensive fees and long waiting times, before getting the result without being sure it was fully accurate.” He continues, “Today, at KAUST, we simply have to go across the street and get the result the same day. It means our research is more efficient. The other major factor is the community we continuously interact with, exchanging ideas with professors on pertinent topics like sensors, biology, botany, technology and so on- and that’s extremely enriching for new ideas and technology developments. We might even use KAUST technology in our future developments.”

Natufia botany lab  

Besides furthering its R&D development, Lu is also keen to help create job opportunities and align themselves with Saudi’s Vision 2030, which inevitably establish the Kingdom’s status as a top choice for businesses in the Middle East. “And we want to be a part of that,” Lu points out. At the moment, Lu notes that it’s all about the production of the newly upgraded Natufia smart kitchen garden model in Saudi and scaling its distribution locally and internationally. Next up, the team hopes to move towards mass production and develop new Natufia models. Having partnered with KAUST and Jumeirah Group, today, the startup now consists of a team of 12 people and is focused on its prime model, the Natufia smart kitchen garden, retailed at $7,955 and is available worldwide. With distributors in the USA, Europe, Australia and Saudi Arabia, the team have more lined up for next year- a model for those keen on a smaller budget, and another model to cater for commercial settings. On facing hurdles, Lu comments, “I personally work and build companies in different countries and contrary to what people might think, a lot of things are online and work smoothly. The biggest challenge was to get the residency for the core team who were not Saudi native and a bank setup for the company. It takes perseverance and patience.” However, the key benefit that the co-founders found (“and a pleasant surprise”) was the quality of local talent they found to work at Natufia, “The young generation is very well-educated, studied abroad and eager to work in the type of environment that Natufia creates- high tech, fast-moving and with big growth potential.”

As newcomers join the industry, Lu is focused on its USP: “Compared to our competition, we offer automation, quality and design. Our robust technology runs the whole process automatically and its high-end design that can be integrated into any kitchen design." And as for the future, Lu states it’s just the beginning of agritech. “We are just scratching the surface, because in the last 60 years, the industry was only focusing on quantity, price, shelf life and transportability. Since organic products came on the scene, people started to understand the importance of food quality, we opened up a new horizon. Freshness, taste and nutrient value is something that [people] will follow.” He dreams of having Natufia’s product everywhere, “We want to see Natufia in every home, in every school, in every office, hospital, airport. We want people to be able to experience the real taste of greens and vegetables and connect with nature on a daily basis from everywhere they are.”

Lead Photo: Gregory Lu, co-founder and CEO, Natufia

2021 Global CEA Census Will Measure The Impact of Sustainability

The 2021 Global CEA Census has launched with a focus on growers’ perspectives on sustainability and how they are measuring specific ESG (environmental, social, and governance) outcomes.  

This year Agritecture Consulting will partner with AgTech leader WayBeyond who has taken over the responsibility of the Census from automation business Autogrow.   

“Our WayBeyond ethos for sustainable crop production technology fits perfectly with this year’s Census. Understanding the impact of CEA (Controlled Environment Agriculture) on the planet allows us to continue highlighting the growers doing remarkable work to reduce environmental impact while producing quality crops.

There’s clear evidence showing consumers, particularly Gen-Z, are making decisions based on the sustainability factor of not only the food they eat but also the packaging, distribution and producers themselves. This Census will give a clear view of the role CEA can play in creating a more sustainable planet.”

— WAYBEYOND CEO & FOUNDER DARRYN KEILLER

This is the third year the Census has run with increasing participation each year from greenhouse, indoor vertical, and tunnel house growers. Past Census reports have brought forward key information on the state of the industry, tactics being used, and the people behind its many operations. For example, the 2020 report showed that there was plenty of optimism despite the pandemic, with 95% of respondents having an “excellent” or “good” outlook for the 12 months ahead, and only 5% indicating that the business’ future was uncertain.

“We work hard to encourage as many growers to participate as possible and, with a focus on sustainability, we hope to gain an even better uptake this year, especially from large-scale operations.

This is the most comprehensive global survey of CEA operations running, and the published findings will provide valuable insights that may affect policy, financing options, operational practices, and new technology. That is a benefit for all of us in the industry.”

— AGRITECTURE CONSULTING FOUNDER AND CEO HENRY GORDON-SMITH

The 2021 Global Census will run from 7 July 2021 until 20 August 2021.

Take the survey: Global CEA Census

Survey Terms and Conditions can be found here.

La Sierra University Celebrates First Hydroponics Harvest

By La Sierra University News

July 27, 2021

During La Sierra University’s beginnings in the early 20th century, the school farm, especially its dairy, alfalfa fields, and watermelon patch, was a critical source of income for the institution and its student laborers. In 2021, farming returned to the campus in Riverside, California, United States — on a big rig.

During the 2019-2020 school year, the university’s student Enactus team based in the Zapara School of Business began work on its Freight2Table project through the Boston-based Freight Farms program. The project involves growing varieties of lettuce and leafy green vegetables, herbs, flowers, and roots inside a 40-foot shipping container repurposed and designed with hydroponics technology.

The Freight Farms container arrived on March 30, 2021, hoisted by a crane and set down on a slab of recycled concrete and asphalt. Three months later, the Enactus team harvested its first crops — approximately 540 heads of red leaf lettuce on July 12 and roughly 550 heads on July 19, a first bounty donated to campus and community members. The team also planted baby leaf lettuce, Swiss chard, and butter lettuce in various growth stages. The Enactus team aims to establish produce-supplier agreements with local businesses and organizations and is communicating with markets in Riverside and with the university’s Dining Commons.

Nancy and Hermogenes Guerpo arrive to pick up containers of fresh red leaf lettuce during the Enactus team’s distribution event in the Sierra Vista Chapel parking lot on July 12, 2021. [Photo: La Sierra University]

A crane lifts the Freight Farms shipping container onto a slab at La Sierra University on March 30, 2021. [Photo: Natan Vigna, La Sierra University]

Megan Eisele (left), president of La Sierra’s Enactus team, and Aaron DesJardins, team marketing vice president, plant the first tiny lettuce seeds on May 17, 2021, inside the Freight Farms hydroponics container. [Photo: La Sierra University]

Enactus member Max Proebstle, a health-care management and finance graduate student, describes the transplanting process for red leaf lettuce seedlings shown in vertical growing panels. [Photo: La Sierra University]

Red leaf lettuce continues to mature in vertical panels inside the Freight Farms hydroponics container. [Photo: La Sierra University]

Enactus members left to right, Brandon Ching, Max Proebstle, and Aaron DesJardins conduct the first harvest of red leaf lettuce on July 12, 2021. [Photo: La Sierra University]

La Sierra Enactus team members Natasha Thomas (left) and Andrew Léon package freshly harvested red leaf lettuce on July 12, 2021, for distribution to campus and community. [Photo: La Sierra University]

Packages of Freight2Table lettuce branded with the Enactus team’s “Two-Bit’s Best” product labels. [Photo: La Sierra University]

The growing process involves a reverse osmosis water filtration system purchased and installed inside the container. A timed and regulated supply of electricity and nutrient-infused water along with growing lights for plant photosynthesis forms the basis for how the hydroponic farm operates. University faculty and staff oversee the system processes and container technology. Freight Farms in Boston has real-time virtual access to the container’s systems for providing assistance if needed. For students, the hydroponics farming venture has provided a plethora of learning opportunities, starting with an introduction to hydroponics agriculture.

“While I had heard that term thrown around in the past, I was never really quite sure what it meant, but after having spent so many hours tending to a hydroponic garden, I feel I have a pretty clear picture of how the whole system operates,” Aaron DesJardins, a dual marketing and graphic design major, who this year serves as the Enactus team’s marketing vice president, said. His efforts include designing the farm’s logo and branding as “Two-Bit’s Best,” in reference to the hill overlooking the university campus known as Two-Bit Mountain.

“Another big thing I've learned while working with the Freight2Table project has been the importance of coordination, communication, and team management,” DesJardins said. “There is a much higher likelihood that the crop will not turn out good if it is not managed correctly.” 

Since May, DesJardins and his teammates have dedicated several hours each week working with crops in the container and in team meetings planning produce distribution. Inside the container, they wear masks for health and safety purposes, as well as gloves and protective lab coats, to reduce the risk of contamination to the plants and growing system.

Marvin Payne, associate biochemistry professor and project director for the Title V grant-funded Guided Pathways to Success program, and Richard Rakijian, summer program coordinator and chemistry/biochemistry lab manager, oversee the operations of the hydroponics farm. “Dr. Payne and Richard have been a huge help in being there to help us navigate the freight operations,” DesJardins said. “They have also been a big help in helping us decide which crops to plant and scheduling things such as harvests and transplant dates.”

The new Title V program, Guided Pathways to Success in STEM, incorporates STEM education into a summer curriculum designed to help incoming first-year students become inspired to pursue STEM degrees and succeed in college. Botanist and university biology professor John Perumal will lead activities in germinating seeds for experiments under different conditions and in plant growth and development assessments. The Enactus team has developed partnerships with other campus groups and programs, such as the Hispanic Business Incubator.

The Enactus Freight2Table project will also offer agricultural technology education to elementary students in local school districts.

With Freight2Table, the Enactus team is entering an agricultural technology market that is expected to grow substantially in coming years. Food producers are looking to feed the planet's burgeoning population in more controlled and easily accessible ways in the face of extreme weather and drought, and as individual growers seek alternatives to traditional gardens. Hydroponics agriculture comprised about half of the vertical farming marketing in the U.S. in 2018, according to an industry outlook and forecast through Research and Markets in Dublin, Ireland. It is forecasted to grow 22 percent during the period of 2019 to 2024. The report states that the overall U.S. vertical farming market is projected to reach a value of around US$3 billion by 2024.

Hydroponic agriculture’s water-conserving process is an important consideration in drought-prone regions, including the western U.S. and, in particular, California, where a years-long, historic drought is stoking anxiety over water supplies. Hydroponic farming systems capture and re-use water, and as such, can use as much as 10 times less water than what is used with field crops, according to Powerhouse Hydroponics. 

Currently, Enactus students are volunteering their time to establish and maintain Freight2Table. In the future, the team aims to hire students to manage the container farm as it increases production. The eight-week crop-growing process is labor intensive. During the first week, tiny seeds are planted by hand in small peat pods and then germinated in seedling trays in a top trough. In the second and third weeks, the germinates mature in the seedling trays in a bottom trough. During the fourth week, hundreds of juvenile plants are transplanted to vertical growing panels one at a time and left to grow and mature four to five weeks before harvesting. The moveable vertical growing panels, which occupy most of the shipping container space, provide four sides for growing plants, with each side accommodating between 576 and 990 plants, depending on the variety.

The hydroponics farming project and its results are included in the team’s Enactus annual report and multi-media presentation during annual Enactus competitions. Enactus, a global non-profit organization based in Springfield, Missouri, is focused on economic and educational empowerment through business innovation and collaboration. It has teams at 1,730 campuses in 36 countries. Since joining in 1991, the La Sierra team has won seven Enactus national championships and two world cups. During national competitions in April, which were held virtually, the La Sierra team placed among the top eight teams in the nation and received the Excellence in Project Management Award from the U.S. Enactus organization.

La Sierra Enactus member Max Proebstle will enter his second year of graduate study this fall and served as part of the presentation team this past school year during competitions. He is earning dual MBAs in health-care management and finance and has been involved in the hydroponics farm since October 2020. Going forward, he will work with other students in maintaining a steady flow of crops from the farm and building up its customer base.

“Before this project, I didn’t even know that hydroponics existed. So, everything has been relatively new for me. It’s been quite the experience learning how to grow plants in this way,” Proebstle said. “The hardest part is learning the system and then getting a feel for nutrient and pH levels. Another thing I’ve learned is that more people care about this form of sustainable farming and food production than I would have thought. We’ve gotten such great feedback from donors, sponsors, the school, and the community; it’s really been a blessing.”

Lead Photo: Freight2Table recasts the Adventist school’s century-old tradition of farming.

The original version of this story was posted by La Sierra University.

PODCAST: This Weeks Episode - Season 3 Episode 39

Join Harry Duran, host of Vertical Farming Podcast, as he welcomes to the show, CEO and co-founder of Fifth Season, Austin Webb. Fifth Season is a consumer tech company and indoor farming pioneer with Carnegie Mellon University roots that is creating a new era of fresh foods. Its commercial-scale indoor vertical farms use proprietary robotics, AI, and smart operations technology to grow leafy greens and herbs at affordable prices year-round. 

Today, Harry and Austin talk about the origin story of Fifth Season, the relationship he has with the city of Braddock, and how Austin initially got involved in vertical farming. Austin expounds on the concepts of smart manufacturing and pest pressure and speaks to the learning curve he’s experienced as a first-time CEO. Finally, Austin speaks to the mission of Fifth Season and what excites him most about his future endeavors.

Listen & Subscribe

SINGAPORE - VIDEOS: How IoT And Machine Learning Are Automating Agriculture

A New Generation of Farmers Is Tapping The internet of Things And Machine Learning To Operate Self-Sustaining Urban Farms With Minimal Supervision

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By Aaron Tan, TechTarget

21 Jul 2021

A new generation of farmers is turning to technologies such as the internet of things (IoT) and machine learning to automate agricultural production, alleviating the need to toil on the land while keeping a watchful eye on their crops.

Joining their ranks is Phoebe Xie, director, and co-founder of Singapore-based agrotechnology startup AbyFarm. Teaming up with technology service provider SPTel, Xie is building a smart hydroponics farm in a greenhouse that uses a plethora of IoT sensors, including video cameras, to keep the farm humming around the clock.

“To run a self-regulating farm at the optimal temperature with optimal water and nutrient supply, and to control the quality and taste of vegetables and fruits, we need IoT sensors,” she said, adding that the farm and its sensors collect and monitor thousands of data points, including humidity and temperature.

With the data and in certain environmental conditions, processes and actions are automatically triggered to protect crops from the elements. For instance, if the temperature or humidity gets too high, fans, water curtains, and roof shades are activated in the greenhouse.

Xie said the smart farm, located at a rooftop carpark in Singapore, is also equipped with sensors that monitor the pH and electrical conductivity levels of water. Among the sensors, which are connected to a Lora low-power wide area network, is a dozer that automatically releases acidic or alkaline nutrients to maintain optimal pH levels. 

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Whereas the farmers of old had to physically inspect their crops, AbyFarm’s agronomists and farmers can do so remotely using video cameras and image recognition technology to identify crops that might be succumbing to disease.

“If the image recognition finds that a plant is likely to be sick, the farmer will be alerted to go onsite to check how the plant is right now,” said Xie, adding that agronomists will also advise farmers on taking corrective actions to prevent disease or restore the health of their crops.

Like any machine learning system, AbyFarm’s algorithms get smarter over time. Each time a crop is affected by disease, data about the occurrence and corrective action is fed into the system, enabling its algorithms to formulate solutions for other farmers with similar crop issues – without consulting an agronomist.

With that, said Xie, even those who are new to the field can use the system to guide them on treating diseased crops, which can be isolated from other crops to prevent cross-infections.

AbyFarm’s automated farming system, which is hosted on SPTel’s private cloud, can also advise farmers on the best time to transplant their crops after germination and harvest them later for sale, said Xie.

Heng Kwee Tong, vice-president for engineering and customer solutions at SPTel, said the company has built up a software-defined platform to help companies like AbyFarm overcome the challenges of deploying applications such as IoT.

“The common struggle that companies like AbyFarm face with building an IoT solution is that it is quite intensive in terms of ICT infrastructure,” said Heng. “You’ve got to find the radio connectivity like Lora, subscribe to a service provider, and connect your sensors to a sensor collector.

“We make it easy by investing in a platform and because we are a service provider with edge hub assets for deploying radio connectivity, all AbyFarm needs to do is to bring their sensors onboard.”

Going forward, Heng said SPTel is looking to support next-generation video analytics capabilities through edge cloud services that can be used to crunch workloads closer to where they reside, reducing latency.

AbyFarm was one of six companies to win contracts from the Singapore Food Agency last year to build urban farms at nine rooftop carparks in public housing estates across Singapore.

The goal is to collectively produce about 1,600 tonnes of vegetables a year in a bid by the city-state – where less than 1% of the land is used for agriculture – to become more self-sufficient in meeting the nutritional needs of its people.

That could well be achievable with technology that makes farming more efficient, scalable, and less labor-intensive than before. “We are willing to train and educate the next generation in agrotechnology because now you don’t need 10 farmers to take care of one farm,” said Xie. “It’s just looking at the dashboard and, with the alerts, doing what is required.”

SOUTH AFRICA: “The Face of Future Farming” Aeroponic & NFT Systems

Impilo Ponics is a South African based enterprise and was formed 3 yrs ago with a mandate to design various vertical growing towers to meet the ever-increasing demand for sustainable fresh nutritional food security produce especially in rural poverty-stricken areas on the African continent, consequently, we identified that our designs are also in demand for Urban based populace by means of individual residential units that allow for space-restricted dwellings Ie residential apartments, townhouse dwellings, underutilized rooftop areas to name a few.

The tower systems are made up of modular panels made from recycled plastic with various additional additives for color and UV stabilization, the unique design of the panels have the advantage of “flat Packing” which allow for compact packaging reducing logistical transportation costs both locally and Internationally, the tower designs allow for a very simple DIY assembly in a very short period of time with minimal effort and no tools involved.

We have two discipline options in the way of Aeroponics ( high pressure misting irrigation 30 >>50 Micron mist) and NFT ( a low pressure spraying irrigation 200 > 250 Micron spray), the modular design allows for additional tower segments to be added as tower height extensions as and when the users want to increase growing capacity for higher yields of the cultivars planted in the towers, we promote “multi planting” in the growing pockets of the tower for example:- Chillis x 3 plants, Basil x 3 plants, Spinach x 3 plants, Peppers x 3 plants, etc, this means that in an 84 pocket tower, for instance, you can plant up to approx. 250 plants vertically in a 1.5m2 footprint area, the system is a soilless growing method that reduces the need for fertile soil as a growing medium and allows the flexibility of dead space utilization.

The Aeroponic system only requires a timer-based irrigation time cycle that drastically reduces both energy and water source consumption - the towers only consume on average 2 litres of nutrient water source per day and the pressure pump energy usage as little as 30 watts per day, this lends itself to utilizing a small affordable solar panel system to run the towers, rainwater collection can also be utilized to sustain the water source, the end result being that we have an “off the grid” solution especially for areas with limited resources.

The NFT solution uses more or less the same amount of both energy & water consumption and again can be utilized into an “off the grid” solution.

The main difference between the two systems is that the Aeroponics generates a highly oxygenated nutrient-based mist that adheres to the root zone and during the ‘rest period between cycles” allows up to 90% of absorption of the Nutrient based nutrient solution, this encourages a shorter maturity of both plant growth and yield. 

The NFT system has continual spray irrigation of root zone very much on the hydroponic principle but in a vertical environment instead of a horizontal environment, however, the irrigation cycle can be setup through a programmed timer at prescribed time periods before dehydration of the root zone takes place, all this depends on the cultivar for hydration requirements for example:- lettuce requires regular irrigation where chillis/peppers/tomatoes, etc require less

The tower designs also allow for a very simple conversion from NFT to Aeroponics at the discretion of the end-user.

The Impilo panel system also allows for a multitude of tower sizes and designs to client specifications for example:- we can create square towers, hexagonal towers, Cylindrical towers of any size and height.

Our latest designs are introducing Aeroponic Living walls,  horizontal “tuber” aeroponic growing chambers (baby potato yields of up to 20Kgs per m2 surface area on a conservative 100 day growing cycle -comfortably 3 growing cycles per annum).

We also design and manufacture modular greenhouses as a turnkey solution for Micro farming to commercial size operations, budget-related affordability for a new generation of smart farming entrepreneurs, and micro-farming opportunities.

"Precision Indoor Propagation For High Quality Transplants" - August 3rd Tuesday 11:00 AM Eastern Time

August Indoor Ag Science Cafe

August 3rd Tuesday 11:00 AM Eastern Time

Please sign up, thank you!

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by
Dr. Ricardo Hernandez
North Carolina State University

• Please sign up to receive your Zoom link.

• Indoor Ag Science Cafe is an open discussion forum, planned and organized by the OptimIA project team.

• OptimIA (Optimizing Indoor Agriculture) is a project funded by the USDA Specialty Crop Research Initiative and supported by many of you receiving this email (thank you!).

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VIDEO: Foundation Farms, Corp., Reports A Second Harvest Is Currently Underway

NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / July 15, 2021 / Foundation Farms, Corp., ('Foundation Farms') a subsidiary of GME Innotainment, Inc. (OTC PINK:GMEV) today reported that the second harvest is currently underway at the company's E-ROOTS CENTRE located in the Red Deer, Alberta area.

Following an overwhelmingly positive response from customers who purchased the first crop last month, the word is spreading throughout the surrounding communities and this second crop is already sold even before harvesting has been completed. Consumers have been delighted with the "no blemishes" produce and we have had numerous reports that the flavors and palatability of the vegetable greens are, "much better than anything that we have ever purchased at local supermarkets."

In response to the market demand, the company has expanded from an assortment of six basic leafy greens and herbs in the first crop to a total of 14 leafy greens and herbs, two fruits (strawberries and cayenne peppers), and four varieties of edible flowers in this second crop. Management and on-site staff also report the very successful functioning of the E-ROOTS system with minimal labor input.

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When asked about these results, Ed Kroeker, CEO of Foundation Farms stated "I am pleased to report that, if anything, we may have under-estimated the expectations we have held until now. There is a lot of attention paid to tangible benefits of vertical farming including environmental sustainability, low water usage, ability to convert urban waste spaces to food production, and reduction of food transportation logistics. Our E-ROOTS CENTRES are demonstrating that we can produce plant-based food products whose culinary qualities supersede anything currently available in conventional food markets. We plan to have the same impact on the plant-based food market as Angus-beef branding has had on the red meat market. This will soon become even more evident as we are getting ready to announce several new joint ventures."

Yves R. Michel, CEO of GMEV further added, "In just a few short months of production at the Red Deer area vertical farm, Foundation Farms is demonstrating an ability to set a new standard of excellence in this industry and the demand for the products supports profitability projections. With product demand this high for smaller population centers, I am excited to see what happens once some of the larger population centers get hold of this technology.

CONTACT:

Yves R. Michel
Chief Executive Officer and Director
208 East 51st St., Suite 170
New York, NY 10022
www.srcorpgroup.com
OTCPink: GMEV

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release constitute forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties and on information available to the Company as of the date hereof. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those stated or implied, due to risks and uncertainties associated with its business, which include the risk factors disclosed in its latest Annual Report on OTCMarkets.com, it’s Regulation A+ Offering Statement, and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the sections entitled "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" contained therein. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding the Company's expectations, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future, and can be identified by forward-looking words such as "plans," "anticipate," "believe," "could," "continue," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "should," "will" and "would" or similar words. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to disseminate any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statement contained herein to reflect any change in the Company's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.

SOURCE: GME Innotainment, Inc.

Optimizing Resource Use Efficiency In CEA System

Date: July 29, 2021
Time: 2 p.m. - 3 p.m. EDT
Presented by: Murat Kacira (The University of Arizona)

Click Here To Register

Webinar Description

An important factor affecting the profitability of vertical farming is a grower’s ability to consistently deliver a predictable product. To achieve this, growers must create an environment that supplies all the crop’s needs over its entire growth cycle by identifying and co-optimizing environmental variables such as CO2, light, humidity, airflow, and other parameters. This presentation will focus on real-time sensing, monitoring, and climate control strategies with system designs for environmental uniformity leading to enhanced resource use efficiency in CEA system.

Dr. Murat Kacira (Professor)

Murat Kacira is director of the Controlled Environment Agriculture Center and he is a professor in the Biosystems Engineering Department at the University of Arizona. He received his B.S. degree in Agricultural Engineering in Cukurova University in Turkey and M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees from Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering from The Ohio State University in USA. His research involves automation, environmental control, alternative energy integrated CEA systems and resource use optimization in controlled environment agriculture systems including greenhouses and vertical farming-based plant factories with artificial lighting. He is a member of American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE), American Society of Horticultural Sciences (ASHS), and International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS). He serves as Chair of the Division Precision Horticulture Engineering under ISHS.

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If you have any questions or would like to know more about GLASE, please contact its executive director Erico Mattos at em796@cornell.edu

RMA Authorizes Emergency Procedures To Help Drought-Impacted Producers

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By TOM KARST

July 13, 2021

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is authorizing emergency procedures to help agricultural producers impacted by extreme drought conditions.

The USDA’s Risk Management Agency is working with crop insurance companies to streamline and accelerate the adjustment of losses and issuance of indemnity payments to crop insurance policyholders in impacted areas, according to a news release.

The agency said the new crop insurance flexibilities are part of USDA’s broader response to help producers impacted by drought, in the West, Northern Great Plains, Caribbean and other areas. 

“Crop insurance helps producers weather natural disasters like drought,” RMA Acting Administrator Richard Flournoy said in the release. “We recognize the distress experienced by farmers and ranchers because of drought, and these emergency procedures will authorize insurance companies to expedite the claims process, enabling them to plant a new crop or a cover crop.”

Emergency procedures allow insurance companies to accept delayed notices of loss in certain situations, streamline paperwork, and reduce the number of required representative samples when damage is consistent, according to the release.

Producers should contact their crop insurance agent as soon as they notice damage, the agency said.

The insurance company must have an opportunity to inspect the crop before the producer puts their crop acres to another use. If the company cannot make an accurate appraisal, or the producer disagrees with the appraisal at the time the acreage is to be destroyed or no longer cared for, the insurance company and producer can determine representative sample areas to be left intact and maintained for future appraisal purposes, according to the release. Once an insured crop has been appraised and released, or representative strips have been authorized for later appraisal, the producer may cut the crop for silage, destroy it or take any other action on the land including planting a cover crop, the release said.

Additional information on these emergency procedures is available on RMA’s Crop Insurance and Drought Damaged Crop webpage.

AppHarvest: Firing On All Cylinders

Written by Jamie Louko

July 12, 2021

AppHarvest, Inc. (APPH)

Summary

• AppHarvest is trying to reimagine how consumers see produce.

• With sustainability as one of their key focuses, AppHarvest separates itself from the pack of traditional farmers, and its size, scalability, and offering selection separate itself from other agtech players.

• In this article, I am going to examine some of the most recent news AppHarvest has shared with investors, as well as looking back at AppHarvest compared with other agtech players.

AnnaStills/iStock via Getty Images

Investment Thesis

The agtech and sustainable farming industry has proved to be more efficient and sustainable compared to traditional farming. However, the difference and competitive edge lie between each sustainable farming business. These agtech businesses achieve similar sustainability and efficiency goals, so the competitive advantage comes in other forms. AppHarvest's (APPH) competitive advantage comes in the form of the size and scale potential of their farms, as well as their broad expansion of product offerings. Because of this, AppHarvest is one of the stronger players in the agtech space, and investors who want to play in this industry should be considering AppHarvest before other competitors.

Where We Last Left Off, and What's New

In my last article about AppHarvest, a large-scale indoor farming business operating in central Appalachia, I focused on the competitive advantages over traditional farming operations. Since then, other indoor farming businesses similar to AppHarvest have come out of the woodwork and announced plans to trade as public companies. Some of these businesses include AeroFarms (SV, will become ARFM), a sustainable farmer focused on vertical farming, Local Bounti (LIII, will become LOCL), an indoor farming business located in the pacific northwest, and Infarm, a German-based distributor who has become the world-leader in indoor farming. Infarm has rumored to becoming public via SPAC with Kernel Group Holdings Inc. (KRNL), but nothing definitive has been reached.

As these businesses show their superiority, they all claim similar sustainability and efficiency metrics. Most businesses claim that their use of water is extremely efficient, as is their optimization for crop growth, and their LEDs allow for optimal sunlight. Simply, all of these businesses have very similar technology that makes them superior to traditional farming, but this does not mean success for any individual business within the agtech industry. They all show that the agtech industry is superior, but rather they should focus on what makes their business superior to other agtech players.

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Source: Investor Presentation

In my opinion, traditional farming is a dying industry, and it is sensible that sustainable farming and greenhouses will be the future of farming. Therefore, it is sensible that the agtech business should be demonstrating its competitive advantages over other agtech competitors, rather than traditional farming.

AppHarvest, even in this sense, does stand out from the competition. They are slowly becoming a bigger player in this space, and one that is starting to run ahead of the pack. While other agtech businesses are busy constructing their first farm, AppHarvest has jumped ahead with the production of its next 4 farms. While its competitors are starting small with only 1-2-acre farms, AppHarvest has positioned itself well with 15-60-acre farms. AppHarvest's competitors are currently focusing on one product category, yet AppHarvest is rapidly expanding its product offerings.

In an industry that is growing rapidly, AppHarvest is executing everywhere it needs to, and it is allowing for AppHarvest to set itself apart from the competition.

Competitive Advantages Over Agtech Businesses

AppHarvest has three quality characteristics that show it is stronger than most of its agtech competitors. Due to the size and scalability of its farms, expansion in offerings, and consistent execution, AppHarvest is proving to investors that they are one of the stronger players in this industry.

Size and Scale of Farms

One of AppHarvest's strongest competitive advantages within the agtech space is the size of its facilities. These facilities are absolutely massive, with their first facility 60 acres in size. This allows for mass production of sustainable-grown produce at a scale that no other agtech business has. These facilities can often take longer to construct, but once constructed, there is a long runway for growth and full-scale operations for it. It would take substantially less time to fully scale a farm this size compared to building and scaling 60 1-acre greenhouses.

The second option is what Local Bounti is doing, for their facilities are only 1-2-acre facilities. They plan on constructing 9 facilities by 2025, 8 of which will be roughly 5 acres, which would only lead to a maximum growing capacity of 42 acres. This goal of 42 acres would be less than AppHarvest's currently operating growing capacity.

Clearly, the size of AppHarvest's farms is a massive advantage for them. The scalability of these farms gives them an even greater lead. AppHarvest expects production of their first facility in Morehead, Kentucky to be fully scaled by the end of 2021, whereas Local Bounti's 42 acres would not be fully operational and scaled until at least 2025. AppHarvest would then have 4 years of fully-scaled operations to build a brand, strengthen the balance sheet, and fuel more growth for AppHarvest.

The scalability shows itself through guidance estimates for FY 2021 as well. By the year's end, at full-production, AppHarvest expects to make $21 million in revenue, whereas Local Bounti only expects to make $13 million by the end of 2022. The size and scalability of AppHarvest's farms are simply unmatched by its competitors, and as they build more farms (I will dive into that shortly), these size and scale advantages will only become more prevalent.

Offering Expansion

Compared to its competitors, AppHarvest is planning to expand its product offerings at a faster rate. One of the keys to success for these agtech businesses is having a successful brand, and one way to grow a brand is to put it in the eyes of more customers. One way to do this is by expanding the products offered. That way, both salad enthusiasts can eat the leafy greens and tomatoes produced, while berry lovers (like myself) can also recognize the brand. If a business were to only focus on leafy greens, then they would not achieve brand recognition from people like me as much.

AppHarvest's offering expansion is happening fast, and it will only be a matter of time before AppHarvest can offer products in various categories, rather than simply tomatoes. Their primary facility in Morehead, KY, solely produces tomatoes, but they have 4 facilities under operation that will be producing a wide variety of offerings. Here are the 4 facilities being constructed, along with what they will be producing:

Facility LocationProduction CategoryAcreageExpected Construction Completion DateBerea KYLeafy Greens15Q3 2022Richmond KYVine Crops60Q4 2022Somerset KYBerries30Q4 2022Morehead KYLeafy Greens15Q4 2022

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Source: Press Release

Considering that AppHarvest currently focuses solely on tomatoes, expansion into 3 other product categories is a wonderful step in growing its brand recognition. This is something that few of its competitors are doing. Local Bounti does not have any structural plans on expansion out of leafy greens, and AeroFarms has plans to expand into berries for its primary leafy greens production.

As previously mentioned, I believe that offering expansion is important to the brand growth for these agtech businesses. As they expand their offerings, they will be able to get their products and their name in front of more consumers. AppHarvest has started showing signs of doing this well, where its competitors have failed to do the same.

Signs of Execution

One of the risks I mentioned in my last article was about the ability of management to meet or exceed guidance they put out for themselves. This included construction guidance. In their investor presentation, they expected to have 4 facilities up and running by the end of 2022, including their main facility in Morehead. Recently, they announced plans to construct two additional facilities, meaning that they are now expecting to have 5 facilities up and running by the end of 2022.

This seems small on the surface, but this is the exact type of execution proof that I look for in small businesses like AppHarvest. The fact that management was able to start construction on more farms than expected and thus increase their timeline shows that they are executing and exceeding the guidance they set out for themselves.

For investors, this should demonstrate that AppHarvest management can be trusted, for their guidance was beaten. Management was able to beat their own guidance, and that should show investors that AppHarvest is not just a pipe dream, but it actually has something tangible to run with and build.

A Look at My Risks: What Risks are Still Present, and What Risks Have Grown

In my last article, I noted many risks that are potential with the business:

• AppHarvest is unable to grow its factories at or faster than projections.

• Their Mastronardi partnership goes awry.

• They are unable to educate the broader public on what makes them special.

• AppHarvest is unable to lower prices.

• Management leaves the company.

For the most part, all of these risks are still prevalent today, if not even more important. Although they have begun to prove they can beat their own guidance, they will still need to continue to prove this, both in quarterly and yearly financial estimates, but also through construction estimates.

Their Mastronardi partnership is still fragile, and if anything were to happen with that partnership AppHarvest would have no way of distributing its product to local grocers, which could potentially decimate this business.

Although the offering expansion will make it easier to gain brand recognition and thus educate the broader public about their business, this will likely always remain a risk as long as traditional farming produce dominates grocery store shelves. Gaining brand recognition will also go a long way in being able to lower prices. So, while their offering expansion has the potential to increase brand recognition for AppHarvest, risks still remain and likely will remain for a long time.

Even though management seems very happy at AppHarvest, and loss of a major figure, Jonathan Webb specifically, would greatly damage their business. Management is the face of the business until they are able to bring products to shelves at a very large scale, so management impressing investors is largely how they will gain capital to subsidize the financing of their farm construction. If the face of AppHarvest were to leave, it could hurt their ability to receive financing and thus their ability to develop their facilities.

After seeing many agtech businesses come to the market via SPAC, there has been more concern about competition in this space. Because of this, I would likely add competition as a risk to AppHarvest. While many of its competitors are pre-revenue and are not far along on facility construction, they do have a competitor that is much larger than AppHarvest. Infarm is a German-based sustainable food producer that sells its product internationally, with the U.S. being its most recent expansion area. They have expanded broadly in Europe, and they seem to have their eyes set on the United States. This could pose a tremendous risk for AppHarvest, for there is no agtech player that comes close to the size of Infarm. They have $19 million in sales across the world compared to AppHarvest's $2 million last quarter.

AppHarvest's competition is fierce, and there is no doubt that the competitive threats will slow as time goes on. Therefore, I am confident to say that AppHarvest will have to fight against fierce competition in order to gain market share in the U.S., but their competitive advantages listed above will be able to help them do so.

Recent Stock Decline: Buying Opportunity?

AppHarvest's stock price has plunged in recent months, falling roughly 58% since February 2021.

Data by YCharts

This has put AppHarvest's market cap roughly around $1.5 billion and dropped their valuation down from extremely high multiples to still high, but comparatively lower multiples. Currently, it is trading over 600x sales, but it is trading at 73x forward sales if investors are looking at FY 2021 revenue estimates.

A business that just got its first revenue in Q1 of 2020 is obviously going to have extremely high valuation multiples, but revenue is growing extremely fast, and it is expected to continue to do so. Considering that the stock price has had a tremendous fall from grace, and revenue is expected to grow rapidly, today could potentially be a wonderful time to invest in this business at a very low price.

Conclusion

As I have said before, an investment in AppHarvest is not for the faint of heart. It is valued at very high multiples, and the number of risks for this business is high. AppHarvest will need to continuously execute at a strong level, for there is little room for slip-ups. With plenty of competition in the agtech market, AppHarvest will need to hold onto its competitive advantages tight if it wants to be a market leader in this industry.

Despite all of this, AppHarvest is one of the better investments for investors who want to get in on the agtech industry. They are one of the few companies with strong competitive advantages, and there are very few companies that could construct what AppHarvest is constructing. Their valuation is high now, but as they grow revenue it is likely that it will rapidly decrease, and it will be much more reasonable in the future. The risks associated with this business are plenty, but management has begun to prove they can efficiently execute.

For risk-tolerant and volatility-tolerant investors who wish to capitalize on the sustainable produce transformation, AppHarvest is one of the best bets to make. Their competitive advantages are strong, and they are one of the only businesses that have proved they have the ability to accomplish what they say they can. Because of this, I am recommending that risk-tolerant and volatility-tolerant investors who wish to invest in agtech should consider AppHarvest before any other competitors.

Lead photo: Source: Investor Presentation

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This article was written by

Jamie Louko

I am a college student who has found a deep thirst for learning and investing. Being very young, I have leaned toward very long-term investments and growth stocks, primarily in tech. I do, however, love consumer goods companies as well. Currently, I am studying International Business and Economics.

Long Only, Growth, Long-Term Horizon, Tech

Contributor Since 2021

Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

2021 Global CEA Census Will Measure The Impact of Sustainability

7 July 2021: The 2021 Global CEA Census has launched with a focus on growers’ perspectives on sustainability and how they are measuring specific ESG (environmental, social, and governance) outcomes.  

This year Agritecture Consulting will partner with AgTech leader WayBeyond who has taken over the responsibility of the Census from automation business Autogrow.   

“Our WayBeyond ethos for sustainable crop production technology fits perfectly with this year’s Census. Understanding the impact of CEA (Controlled Environment Agriculture) on the planet allows us to continue highlighting the growers doing remarkable work to reduce environmental impact while producing quality crops.

There’s clear evidence showing consumers, particularly Gen-Z, are making decisions based on the sustainability factor of not only the food they eat but also the packaging, distribution and producers themselves. This Census will give a clear view of the role CEA can play in creating a more sustainable planet.”

— WAYBEYOND CEO & FOUNDER DARRYN KEILLER

This is the third year the Census has run with increasing participation each year from greenhouse, indoor vertical, and tunnel house growers. Past Census reports have brought forward key information on the state of the industry, tactics being used, and the people behind its many operations. For example, the 2020 report showed that there was plenty of optimism despite the pandemic, with 95% of respondents having an “excellent” or “good” outlook for the 12 months ahead, and only 5% indicating that the business’ future was uncertain.

“We work hard to encourage as many growers to participate as possible and, with a focus on sustainability, we hope to gain an even better uptake this year, especially from large-scale operations.

This is the most comprehensive global survey of CEA operations running, and the published findings will provide valuable insights that may affect policy, financing options, operational practices, and new technology. That is a benefit for all of us in the industry.”

— AGRITECTURE CONSULTING FOUNDER AND CEO HENRY GORDON-SMITH

The 2021 Global Census will run from 7 July 2021 until 20 August 2021.

Take the survey: Global CEA Census

Survey Terms and Conditions can be found here.

All You Need To Know About Hydroponic System

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By: Harold Camaya

July 12, 2021

Many people use hydroponics to grow plants that use nutrient-rich solutions in water, so there’s no use of soil. Instead, some materials support plant roots, such as peat moss, rock wool, perlite, and clay pellets.

Hydroponics has existed in various forms for thousands of years, from Babylonian hanging gardens to ancient Mexican Chinampas.

Only in the past 70-80 years have we understood the science behind this technique. While we have practiced hydroponics in various forms for centuries, some places have sometimes been more developed than others. For example, people use ac infinity to ventilate their growing space. 

In this article, you’ll learn all you need to know about hydroponic systems. We will aim to answer these questions that include:

What is hydroponics?

How do you set up your hydroponic systems?

What systems do people use in hydroponics?

What are the advantages of hydroponics?

What is hydroponics?

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Photo by Lyn Ong from Pexels

Hydroponics refers to any growing of terrestrial plants that delivers nutrients directly to the roots rather than having the roots seek them out by digging in a soil body. 

We derive the word hydroponics from the Greek word hydros, which means water, and pon means work. The plant’s roots receive nutrients from water-based nutrient solutions.

How do you set up your hydroponic system?

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Photo by Jatuphon Buraphon from Pexels

Depending on what your tastes are, your hydroponic system can be simple or very complex. It is possible to set up several approaches that require little effort and set up some that require a significant investment.

The three elements of hydroponic design include: 

1. Growing containers

2. Sump tank

3. Pump

Systems used in hydroponics

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Photo by Anna Tarazevich from Pexels

Selecting a hydroponic system involves choosing from six different types. They all revolve around the use of water and nutrients. Each design addresses the core elements but in slightly different ways.

1. Water culture

Water culture is a simple and inexpensive system. We place plants in a basket above reservoirs filled with nutrient solutions. After hanging in the solution for a while, the roots descend entirely into the soil. They will need regular aeration leading to faster growth to prevent suffocation because of constant submersion. 

1. Nutrient Film Technique (NFT)

The system comprises a shallow, downward-sloping stream of nutrient solution. This stream contains roots that absorb nutrients from its steady flow. Growing lettuce, herbs, and baby greens in this system are excellent for plants with a short growth cycle.

1. Aeroponic

By creating an aeroponics system, we expose roots to as much oxygen as possible. Growing chambers without growing medium allow roots to hang upside down in midair, exposing their entire root system. As the roots grow, we mist them periodically with aeroponics misters within this section. It has proven successful commercially propagating seed potatoes, growing tomato plants, growing leaf crops, and growing microgreens using aeroponics techniques.

1. Ebb and Flow

A water pump runs on a timer in Ebb and Flow, also known as Flood and Drain. Water and nutrients flood and then drain the root system. The overflow tube allows the excess water to drain through. What’s left is a dry pond with soaking roots and an overflow tube to drain water away. 

1. Drip

We use perlite or gravel as a drip system for supplying the roots with nutrients. We then pump water and nutrients into them via tubes from a reservoir. Soaking the growing medium and roots makes the solution drip back into the container and the pool. 

1. Wicking

Plants grow in wicking media, such as vermiculite or perlite. You can find them in a container next to the water and nutrient reservoir. To connect a wicking medium to a solution, we use wicking ropes or strips of felt.

What are the advantages of hydroponics?

Hydroponic gardening offers many benefits. Among the most important are:

• Total control over nutrient supply

Because the soil is not a source of minerals or nutrients, it is easy to adjust mineral or nutrient levels based on plant needs.

• Climate or season is not a constraint

Regardless of the weather outside, you can grow hydroponically whenever during the year.

• Better results and higher yields

If we calibrate the hydroponic system and maintain it well, it can effortlessly produce a higher product quality and quantity than a soil-based system.

• Hydroponics offers significant environmental advantages

Not only does hydroponics take up much less space than traditional horticulture, but it also uses much less water. And it allows nutrient solutions to be recycled.

• It is possible to grow all plants hydroponically

You can grow vegetables like potatoes, carrots, onions, etc., that grow on the earth using hydroponics.

Determining Your Best Method

It would be best to have some ground understanding of each system’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as your hydroponic needs, before choosing one of these systems. 

For example, wicks and water culture systems are excellent options for home growers who want an easy setup system. 

Drip systems and NFT systems may be the right choice if you want to grow various plants. Examine each hydroponic system’s pros and cons to pinpoint the best one.

Conclusion

Growing your fruits and vegetables is a fun way to do so from the comfort of your own home using hydroponics. 

The process can become complicated and expensive, but you do not have to make it so if you don’t want to. With all the essential information in this guide, you can better decide for yourself. 

Lead photo: Photo by Anna Tarazevich from Pexels

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Look Out For The Farm. One Electric Vehicle on NYC Streets!

We're sure you won't miss it. We're saying goodbye to gas for good with this all-electric car. With this new mode of transportation, we'll be able to expand our local delivery range and keep our zero-carbon footprint deliveries. We'll continue to deliver by bike, foot, and public transportation!

Signify Announces New Philips Horticulture LED Partner Hortipar

June 28, 2021

Eindhoven, the Netherlands – Signify (Euronext: LIGHT), the world leader in lighting, has signed a partnership agreement with Hortipar, an expert in realizing lighting projects for the horticultural sector worldwide. Hortipar is based in ‘s Gravenzande, the Netherlands, and operates mainly in North America, Canada, Eastern Europe, and the Netherlands.

Hortipar will now add Philips GreenPower LED grow lights to their global portfolio. Focussing on quality, flexibility, knowledge, and expertise, Hortipar offers their customers a complete solution for their greenhouse from the beginning till the end of a lighting project. With their independent advisors and team of dedicated experts, Signify is proud to add Hortipar to the global partnership network of Philips Horticulture LED.

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“We are excited to be a partner of Signify and offer the range of Philips GreenPower LED grow lights to our customers”, said Aad van Ruijven, director at Hortipar. “Sustainability and innovation are of great value to us and to our network. Our customers expect the highest quality, and that we offer them the full package for their lighting installation, together with high-end advice and project management. The expertise of the team at Signify and their Philips GreenPower LED grow lights fit perfectly within these expectations and in our ambitions for the future.”

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“Adding Hortipar to our global network of certified Philips Horticulture LED partners is something we are proud of”, said Udo van Slooten, Business Leader Horticulture at Signify. “According to our estimates, about 30% of the world’s greenhouse surface will be lit by 2025, and LED technology will light more than half of that surface. Therefore, we are continuously pursuing further development of our Horti LED partnerships worldwide, and Hortipar is a valuable addition.”

Signify continues to expand its Horticulture partner network, further demonstrating its commitment to lead the horticulture industry as the innovative LED lighting systems provider for greenhouses and indoor farming. 

--- END ---

 For further information, please contact:

Global Marcom Manager Horticulture at Signify

Daniela Damoiseaux

Tel: +31 6 31 65 29 69

E-mail: daniela.damoiseaux@signify.com

www.philips.com/horti

About Signify

Signify (Euronext: LIGHT) is the world leader in lighting for professionals and consumers and lighting for the Internet of Things. Our Philips products, Interact connected lighting systems and data-enabled services, deliver business value and transform life in homes, buildings and public spaces. With 2020 sales of EUR 6.5 billion, we have approximately 37,000 employees and are present in over 70 countries. We unlock the extraordinary potential of light for brighter lives and a better world. We achieved carbon neutrality in 2020, have been in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index since our IPO for four consecutive years and were named Industry Leader in 2017, 2018 and 2019. News from Signify is located at the Newsroom, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. Information for investors can be found on the Investor Relations page.

Polygreens Podcast Episode: 32 - Mark Thomas - Garfield Produce

Mark's background in operations and finance, mixed with his entrepreneurial spirit, makes him a dynamic leader. He always takes the time to get to know both his employees and customers, adding a personal touch to the company.

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Why Does Energy Efficiency Matter When Selecting LED Grow Lights?

Exclusives From Urban Ag News

June 29, 2021 Chris Higgins

Learn the 3 things to consider when choosing energy-efficient lighting in your greenhouse or vertical farm. 

Before we get started, let’s set some ground rules for this article. 

1. I want to believe that everyone wants to do what’s right for the planet as long as they think their business can afford it, so we will not focus on energy efficiency and its impact on sustainability. 

2. In this article I will not post the name of suppliers or the price of the lights. The price of the light will definitely impact people’s decisions and will vary widely based on the volume of lights being purchased and the supplier providing it. 

3. This article is not about light quality or light spectrum. To look for information on spectrum please read this article: Why I Still Believe in Red/Blue LED Grow Lights

4. This article is written with commercial greenhouse produce growers in mind, but we do include a model which shows high output led grow lights running for long hours per day which could imply a greenhouse cannabis crop. 

5. We are fully aware that when you change the amount of energy going into the light as well as the type of electric light (HPS vs LED) one is using, it will have an impact on the climate in the growing/production area. Factors like heat and relative humidity would need to be taken into consideration if one was taking a holistic approach to energy savings on the farm. 

6. All lights have different output (measured in PPF.) In this article we are going to make the assumption that a grower is using the same amount of fixtures per acre regardless of output. For simplicity we are also going to assume that the grower is running the lights for the same amount of time. We are fully aware that this will have an impact on the potential yield of the crop. 

7. All greenhouses can require a different amount of lights per acre to achieve the target light intensities. I am using an average of the amount of lights per acre. Height of the greenhouse, width of the bays, placement of walkways, crop layout, crop density, as well as many other variables will impact the exact number of lights per acre. 

__________

There is a growing amount of discussion around the environmental sustainability of a greenhouse or a vertical farm. Much of this discussion is being driven by two or three big energy hogs inside these production facilities. This includes the grow lights and climate management equipment like heaters and cooling units. 

We all know that LED grow lights are more efficient than the older HPS lights that growers have used for decades, but do we know just exactly how to measure that? And do we understand how that will have a direct impact on not only energy savings but the operational cost at the farm? For those growing in a greenhouse, understanding these numbers during dark winter months can have a huge impact on electricity bills.

3 FOCUS POINTS 

1. Start by understanding the amount of light you need.
Urban Ag News recommends going to websites like Suntracker or the ESRI DLI maps site. These websites allow anyone to determine the historical DLI monthly averages for their individual locations. For this example I am going to use the area where my grandparents farm is located in southwestern Michigan. As one can see this is an area of the United States that has very dark winters. 

2. Work with a trusted advisor or extension specialist to determine the amount of hours your crop needs to grow consistently year round. Remember not all crops have the same light requirements and some crops have very specific photoperiods which can determine the amount of hours one can light their crops. Use all of this information to see when you will need supplemental light and how much light you will need to supplement with. 

For this example I am going to use 1 acre of greenhouse tomatoes in a glass greenhouse located in southwestern Michigan.

3. Now let’s calculate how much it’s going to cost you to run the grow lights for the estimated hours you and your advisor determined were needed per year to get the desired yields. 

• a) To provide a baseline, we started with traditional 1000w HPS lights which are highlighted in yellow.

• b) Then we chose six different LED grow light fixtures. Because the light spectrum has an impact on how efficiently the lights run, we chose three broad spectrum fixtures and three that are red and blue only.

• c) Since HPS is the baseline, the final column labeled “savings” shows how much the total savings per year one would achieve when replacing traditional HPS with the latest LED grow light technology.

• d) We made a few important assumptions in this example. First, the cost per kwh is around the USA national average of $0.09/kwh. Second, the same amount of grow lights would be used even though there would be some relative differences in umols/m2/s measurements for two of the samples. We decided not to change them because that would have an impact on uniformity (the even spread of the light over one’s entire crop) and associated capital cost not addressed in this article.

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IMPORTANT NOTES! 
It’s important to remember the 7 assumptions made at the beginning of this article and that lights are not equal. This chart only compares ppf (output) and w (watts). We elected to account for the difference in output by changing the amount of hours we estimated you would need to run the lights. Another way to look at this would be to remember the Golden Rule of Light in which 1% increase in light is equal to 1% increase in yield. 

Running these simple calculations will show you why you need to look at energy efficient lighting and in general the importance of researching energy efficient equipment in general. What these calculations do not show is the quality of some fixtures over others. Buyers must always be aware of the value of warranties, ease of returns, durability and quality of product plus accuracy of your vendor to create detailed information on the best way to use and install fixtures. We understand that this topic is intimidating for most, but this is a major purchase for your farm. Make sure to take the time to learn the math and do your homework before purchasing. 

Diving into these calculations will also highlight how much energy will be required to grow a wide variety of crops consistently with uniformed yields year round in climates with low light. Hopefully in articles to come we can discuss what this means for our environment and how we might develop additional ways to lower that ecological footprint. 

For help in calculating the energy efficiency of grow lights you are considering, please email us and we will connect you with professionals capable of helping you make an informed decision.

Chris Higgins is the founder of Urban Ag News, as well as General Manager and co-Owner of Hort Americas, LLC a wholesale supply company focused on all aspects of the horticultural industries. With over 20 years of commercial horticulture industry experience, Chris is dedicated to the horticulture and niche agriculture industries and is inspired by the current opportunities for continued innovation in the field of controlled environment agriculture. Message him here.

Tagged GreenhouseGreenhouse TechnologyIndoor Ag TechnologyTechnologyVertical Farming

Hydroponics Giant Hydrofarm Plans New Northern California HQ After IPO, 3 Acquisitions

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JEFF QUACKENBUSH

THE NORTH BAY BUSINESS JOURNAL

June 25, 2021

Becoming a publicly-traded company, moving its headquarters from Petaluma temporarily to the East Coast, spending $343 million to acquire three more companies, prepping to return to a larger North Bay hub. It’s been a busy seven months for indoor farming equipment maker and distributor Hydrofarm.

On Dec. 14, nearly 10 million shares of Hydrofarm Holding Group stock started trading on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the ticker symbol “HYFM,” harvesting proceeds of $182.3 million, according to the March 31 annual report. The company did a follow-on offering of 5.5 million shares ended May 3, netting $309.8 million more.

After peaking at $92 in mid-February, the share price was $56.96 at the close of trading Friday.

Then early this year, Hydrofarm shifted its headquarters to its Philadelphia-area distribution center. It’s one of nine totaling 900,000 square feet that the 4-decade-old company operates in the U.S., Canada, and Spain. Hydrofarm also has offices in China.

That happened because Hydrofarm was lining up a larger location elsewhere in the North Bay, something it has been looking for over the past few years.

Hydrofarm had planned to relocate its headquarters from Petaluma to the 250,000-square-foot Victory Station warehouse south of Sonoma, but that deal didn’t materialize amid the rapid cooling of demand for real estate from the newly legal cannabis industry, according to real estate sources.

Hydrofarm couldn’t be reached for comment on its North Bay plans.

While cannabis has become a key driver of demand for controlled environment agriculture products, Hydrofarm got its start in Marin County during the disastrous drought of 1977-1978, the Business Journal reported in 2010. Founder Stuart Dvorin developed water-saving hydroponics that gained traction among gardeners.

The product line expanded to energy-efficient grow lights and germination kits. Then Hydrofarm moved into manufacturing and distributing indoor gardening equipment for both professional growers and hobbyists.

Today, key markets are growers of cannabis, flowers, fruits, plants, vegetables, grains and herbs. The portfolio now includes 26 internally developed, proprietary brands with about 900 product variations under 24 patents and 60 registered trademarks. The company also has over 40 exclusive and preferred brands totaling another 900 stock-keeping units.

Company brands account for about 60% of sales. The total catalog, which carries products from over 400 suppliers, includes over 6,000 SKUs.

“Our revenue mix continues to shift towards proprietary brands as we continue to innovate, improving overall margins,” the annual report said. “Further, our revenue stream is highly consistent as, in our estimation, we believe that approximately two-thirds of our net sales are generated from the sale of recurring consumable products including growing media, nutrients and supplies.”

Net sales last year were $342.2 million, up 45.6% from 2019. The company speculated in its annual report that the coronavirus pandemic shelter-at-home public health orders contributed to this jump in sales. Net revenue the previous year grew only 11.0% from 2018.

First-quarter net sales were $111.4 million, up 66.5% from a year before. The company attributed that to a 59.6% increase in the volume of products sold plus a 6.9% increase in price and mix of those products.

A sign of its commitment to remain in the North Bay, Hydrofarm earlier this year secured a lease for a 175,000-square-foot new distribution warehouse at 2225 Huntington Drive in Fairfield. Meanwhile, Hydrofarm founder Stuart Dvorin was preparing to sell the 110,000-square-foot main Petaluma facility at 2249 S. McDowell Blvd. Extension, a $17.5 million deal that closed June 7.

“We also intend to relocate our existing distribution operations in Northern California from the existing Petaluma building to a larger distribution center in the surrounding area,“ the company wrote in its annual report.

Started in Marin County in 1977 as Applied Hydroponics, Hydrofarm moved the headquarters to Petaluma in 1994, employing 65 at the time. It gradually expanded to 150,000 square feet there with a staff of more than 150 employees by 2010 and then to 195,000 square feet in the city in 2017. The company employed 327 full-time in all locations as of the end of February, it reported.

2017 is when Hydrofarm made a big expansion into Canada with the acquisition of Eddi’s Wholesale and Greenstar Plant Products. That deal helped Hydrofarm become a top supplier of hydroponics gear in Canada, the company said.

This year, Hydrofarm has acquired three more companies. Los Angeles-area premium nutrient maker Heavy 16 was picked up for $78.1 million, and Humboldt County’s House & Garden portfolio of brands for $125 million. A $161 million deal was announced this month for Aurora International Inc. and Gotham Properties LLC, Oregon-based manufacturers and suppliers of organic hydroponic products.

“We view M&A as a significant driver of potential growth as the hydroponics industry is fragmented and primed for consolidation,“ Hydrofarm wrote in its annual report.

Hydrofarm also has been fertilizing its C-suite with acumen in the past couple of years. At the beginning of 2019, Bill Toler came in as CEO, bringing with him over 3 decades of senior executive experience at major consumer packaged goods companies, including most recently seven years as CEO and president of Hostess Brands. B. John Lindeman came in as chief financial officer in March 2020 with 25 years of agriculture and finance executive experience.

Inside The Deals

Lease: Fairfield Commerce Center, 2225 Huntington Drive, Fairfield

Property type: Industrial

Size: 175,404 square feet

Tenant: Hydrofarm

Owner: TreaJP Venture Fairfield LLC

Date: Early 2021

Sale: 2249 S. McDowell Blvd. Extension, Petaluma

Property Type: Industrial

Size: 110,000 square feet

Buyer: Scannell Properties 531 LLC

Seller: Stuart Robert and Emily Alice Dvorin LDGT Grantor Trust

Agents: Cushman & Wakefield represented the buyer, and Meridian Commercial the seller.

Date: June 7, 2021

Price: $17.5 million

Sources: Cushman & Wakefield and Business Journal research

Lead photo: Hydrofarm's former headquarters on South McDowell Boulevard Extension in Petaluma (Facebook.com/Hydrofarm)

Jeff Quackenbush covers wine, construction, and real estate. Before the Business Journal, he wrote for Bay City News Service in San Francisco. He has a degree from Walla Walla University. Reach him at jquackenbush@busjrnl.com or 707-521-4256.

FRANCE: In The Jungle Vertical Farm, The Aromatic Herbs See Life In Pink

Logan Leo

June 26, 2021

Pascal Mollard-Chenebenoit
France Media Agency

Founded in 2016 by former financier Gilles Dreyfuss and a founder Nicholas Segui, this young growth launched the first site in chateau-theory. It plans to open two more by the end of 2022 and become the number one vertical vegetable farm in the country.

This agriculture works on hydroponics, i.e. without soil, the plants grow on a surface and receive water rich in nutrients. In all warm and humid weather, the garden is lit by LEDs.

Two production “towers” operate with platforms ten meters high. “By the end of this year, we will have nineteen,” Jungle president Gilles Dreyfus told AFP.

A tower can produce 400,000 plants a year. When all is said and done, the 38-year-old former financier explained that the annual production would be 8 million plants.

Taste

Jungle grows aromatic herbs (basil, parsley, cilantro, chives), microgreens (mustard, ple da radish, red shiso, wasabi) and salads (lettuce, arugula).

Playing in Ultra-Fresh its products are intended for mass distribution and its herbs are already available in some Parisian stores.

“Keeping the power of industrial innovation in the service of plant life”: this is the motto of the Jungle. “With pesticide-free plants we meet consumer uses and new needs, they taste, they are alive, they are recognizable and most of all they are produced very close to where they are sold and eaten,” says Gilles Dreyfus.

In the warehouse, the seed course, mounted on a tray, begins on an automated belt. Sow them accurately in a small container filled with surface.

Then to the germination rooms, with tropical climates, the plants stay for a few days. Before joining cultivation tours to thrive and reach maturity.

In the tower, a computer controls all the parameters (water, nutrients, lighting, temperature, humidity, CO2, Ventilation) and constantly adjusts them according to the desired target.

“By playing with the light spectrum and different color ratios, we can make a plant flower faster, more compact, have larger leaves, and change its morphology,” explained Michael Mittrand, agronomist and research and culture administrator.

Robot

A robot has the maneuver to manipulate the trays set up at fifteen levels and control their health condition.

“We have a lot more productivity because we optimize all the parameters,” Gilles Dreyfus stressed. “On earth, you will have a maximum of 3 to 5 crops of basil a year. We have 14 ”.

It aims for profitability by the end of 2022, with the second site at half its capacity.

Jungle also relies on plant production for perfume manufacturers and cosmetic brands. This activity already represents 30% of its turnover, but the company is silent on the flowers produced.

Product area is hidden from visitors. It grows there “rare flower”, which enters into the recipe for perfume, Gilles Dreyfus has the content to say.

After ten years in finance, he decided to change his life in 2015 after reading an article about vertical farming and went to New York to meet the “Father of Concept”, Professor Emeritus Dixon Despomier at Columbia University. He goes to a world conference on vertical agriculture in California.

“When I got back to Paris, I quit my job. I went all over the world to see what was already there ”. On the way, he meets Nicholas Dupuy, who has become his partner.

The Jungle raised just 42 million euros for takeoff.

Logan Leo

Experienced Media Personality skilled in Breaking News, Television, Intelligence Gathering, News Analysis, and Social Media. Strong media and communication professional with a Master of Science (MSc) focused in Economics from Harward University.

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Robots Take Vertical Farming To New Heights

Braddock, Pa., Is Where Andrew Carnegie First Mass-Produced Steel. The City, Now One-Tenth Its Former size, Is Home To A New Kind Of Industry: Robotic Farms That Grow Greens Inside Buildings.

June 28, 2021

David Kidd

A decades-long decline of industry in Braddock has left the western Pennsylvania town in ruins. Ten miles upriver from Pittsburgh in the Mon (Monongahela) Valley, most of the city’s factories, businesses and homes were abandoned long ago and leveled. Among the ruins, a sprawling steel mill, built by Andrew Carnegie in 1874, is still producing slabs of steel, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It’s stained blue walls and maze of giant, rust-colored pipes and vents stand in contrast to the brand-new, block-long, gleaming white structure directly across the street. The mill’s neighbor is Fifth Season, a vertical farm growing greens indoors by stacking racks of plants on top of each other.

Fifth Season is the brainchild of brothers Austin and Brac Webb, and co-founder Austin Lawrence. “We view vertical farming as really a smart manufacturing system,” says Austin Webb. “We just happen to manufacture living organisms.”

The partners consider their fledgling enterprise as more than a means to feed people, but also a chance to work with a community in need. Almost none of the old steel plant’s employees live in Braddock. Conversely, everyone hired to work at Fifth Season lives close by and in the surrounding communities. “We’re creating a workforce of the future,” Webb says. “It’s an entirely new ag-manufacturing job that hasn’t existed before.”

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Since the collapse of the steel industry in Braddock, the borough has struggled to attract new business and residents.(David Kidd/Governing)

Automated City Farming
Two shifts of 20 people oversee operations at the vertical farm. And like the steel maker across the road, the work never stops. Dressed in blue scrubs and lab coats, with heads covered and gloves on their hands, workers inside the plant look more like medical research professionals than farmers. The entire process, from seed to harvest, is controlled robotically. “What we have built is the industry first, and industry only, end-to-end automated platform,” says Webb.

Fifth Season’s proprietary software allows efficiencies otherwise not attainable. Spinach, arugula and other greens move around the 60,000-square-foot facility in plastic trays, each with its own unique ID. Sensors are constantly monitoring everything from nutrient mix, carbon dioxide levels and light spectrum, in order to ensure that the greens follow their prescribed grow recipe. Every plant can be traced from any point in the process, at any time.

Webb is quick to tout the advantages of vertical farming. Fifth Season uses up to 95 percent less water and 98 percent less land than conventional farming. Water from the municipal system is filtered and proprietary nutrients added before getting to the plants directly through their roots. “It means you can replicate any form of soil environment,” he says. Whatever water is not used by the plants is retreated and recirculated, with nutrients added as needed. A peat mix is used to support the roots, but all the nutrients are in the water, not the “soil.”

“We use no herbicides and no pesticides,” Webb says. “And that’s because we have hermetically sealed environments.” The possibility of contamination is all but eliminated. Fifth Season recently received a perfect score from the Safe Quality Food (SQF) program, an international, independent body that certifies food safety management. “The second time in 25 years they gave 100 percent,” he says.

With only their faces exposed, employees work among the various conveyor belts that crisscross the high, white-walled rooms of Fifth Season’s production floor. But there are no humans in the adjacent grow room, where tightly spaced racks, supporting trays of plants, are stacked 30 feet high, bathed in an otherworldly purple-magenta glow. The dramatic color comes from the LEDs that replicate the most useful parts of the spectrum of sunlight. “You can’t control the sun,” Says Webb. “But what you can control are LEDs.”

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Fifth Season’s proprietary systems allow more plants to be grown in less space. The purple-magenta LED lighting replicates the most useful parts of the spectrum of sunlight, improving growth of the greens.(Fifth Season)

Every few minutes, a robot glides forward and back along a raised guideway that runs down the center of the room, dividing the stacks in half. The machine is not much more than a plain box, just a few feet tall. A metal beam rises from its back, extending to the ceiling. Its task is to place and remove trays of plants, taking its instructions from the all-knowing software. Because they are so tightly spaced, more trays can be stacked on top of each other, resulting in greater production.

“Compared to some other vertical farms out there, we have a lot more density,” says Webb. “We’re able to have more racks that grow inside the same space.” Moving trays is a task well-suited to a machine. Not only does the robot fit into places no human could, it always knows where every tray of greens should be, and for how long.

Vertical Farming Comes to Braddock
After a five-year career in finance, Austin Webb enrolled in an MBA program at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. “I believe that robotics will possibly disrupt every industry in the world,” he says. “And so I went to C.M.U., specifically because it’s the No. 1 school in computers, science and robotics.”

There he met Austin Lawrence, who shared his interest in controlled environment agriculture. Together they visited a few vertical farms, coming to the conclusion that what was needed was an entire robotic platform, something the two of them could not accomplish on their own. Webb’s brother Brac, a self-described engineer and entrepreneur, was soon recruited to help. Their new business was incorporated in 2016, initially as RoBotany, which later morphed into Fifth Season.

With financial backing in hand, the partners looked for a place to build, quickly settling on nearby Braddock. They broke ground in May of 2019, were installing equipment less than a year later and were at full production before the end of 2020. “I think there’s a lot of opportunity for resurgence in a place like this,” says Webb. “A lot of folks that stayed are passionate around Braddock being able to grow and thrive and we want to be a part of that.”

In the foreground, Fifth Season’s new structure stands in contrast to the steel plant behind it that still dominates the town.(David KIDD/Governing)

Andrew Carnegie’s mill was the first of many that would proliferate in the Mon Valley, making it the nation’s steel capital. The churches, schools, stores and restaurants that served the town’s 20,000 inhabitants are mostly gone now. Shops and services are few and far between for the 2,000 that remain. “The nearest grocery store is up the hill, two towns over,” says Braddock Mayor Chardae Jones. “And most people don’t have cars.” It’s a hot day in June when a few of the locals gather in a brand-new park along Braddock Avenue. Everyone agrees the park is nice, but it’s no consolation for the hospital that used to stand on the site.

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Many years ago, steelworkers and their families lived close to the mill.(David Kidd/Governing)

A few blocks away, an ever-present din still emanates from Carnegie’s steel mill, and a parade of trucks continues to roll past the boarded-up stores and empty lots that line the borough’s main thoroughfare. “We have a lot of vacant buildings,” says Mayor Jones. “That’s our biggest issue.” But there are signs of a revival among the ruins.

Present Day Braddock
Against the backdrop of empty and dilapidated storefronts, “The Ohringer,” a former furniture store built in the streamline moderne style of the 1940s, has recently been completely rebuilt and modernized as apartments and studio space for artists. Applicants are expected to present their work for review and answer a few questions, one of which is “why are you interested in becoming part of Braddock’s resurgence?”

Not only does Braddock lay claim to Andrew Carnegie’s first steel mill, but also the first Carnegie library, dedicated in 1889. Narrowly escaping demolition in the 1970s, the impressive stone structure is today undergoing a comprehensive restoration and modernization. Bright yellow notices of this year’s street sweeping schedule are affixed to telephone poles near the library and all over town, an indication that the local government is still functioning.

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A repurposed furniture store now provides updated living and studio space to area artists.(David Kidd/Governing)

Further up the avenue, more official-looking signs are attached to random telephone poles. “NOTICE, WRITE MORE LOVE LETTERS” says one. “NOTICE, LOVE IS FREE,” says another. The signs were placed there, unofficially, by Gisele Fetterman, wife of former mayor and current Lt. Governor John Fetterman. Among her many initiatives to improve the lives of people in Braddock, she founded the Free Store nine years ago, a place where “surplus and donated goods are received and redistributed to neighbors in need.”

Fifth Season is a regular contributor to the Free Store, having recently given them a new refrigerator and donating 100 pre-packaged salads every Thursday. “We’re treated like we’re a customer,” says Gisele Fetterman. “We’re not getting things that didn’t sell, or surplus. Our families get to come in and choose. They can feel like they are at a grocery store. There is great dignity in the process of being able to choose.”

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Offering “produce grown in soil by humans in Braddock,” workers at Braddock Farms do it the old-fashioned way.(David Kidd/Governing)

There are more signs along Braddock Avenue. “BE ALERT: VEGETABLES AHEAD.” Another simply says “TURNIPS.” Back in 2007, when John Fetterman was the mayor, he encouraged a nonprofit group of community gardeners to establish a farm in Braddock. Bisected by a side street, the organic farm has expanded to a little less than an acre in size, growing greens, tomatoes, onions, peppers and eggplant. This is Nick Lubecki’s fourth year as manager of the farm. “We’re here in Braddock, so the people in Braddock are our main focus,” he says. “We want to be useful.”

At best, the little farm on Braddock Avenue can produce 13 plantings of greens in a year. It is entirely different from the computer-controlled, machine-driven, non-stop production that takes place a few blocks away at Fifth Season, where a half-acre indoors can produce the equivalent of nearly 100 acres of farmland. But higher yields don’t matter as much if a significant portion is ultimately lost in transit to the table.

Serving a Market
Localized food production means less spoilage and waste. “If it takes anywhere from five to eight days to go from California to Pittsburgh, you’ve just lost five to eight days of shelf life,” says Austin Webb. Most of what Fifth Season produces is consumed in the Pittsburgh area. “The day after it was cut, not 10 days later.” Their ready-to-eat salads can be purchased at a local supermarket chain, or delivered directly to the consumer at home, a direct response to the pandemic. Local restaurants, hospitals and universities are also customers.

Convinced they have successfully demonstrated the viability of their proprietary technology, the three partners are looking to expand beyond western Pennsylvania. “We can build these anywhere… even larger than what we have here today,” says Austin Webb. “And we don’t have to re-create the wheel. It’s not like it would take us another five years.”

Conversations are already taking place about licensing the technology, proceeding in partnership with someone else, or going it alone. “That will allow us to build a facility just like we built in Braddock, in other parts of the U.S., and other parts of the world, even faster.”

A Job You Can Walk to
Andrew Carnegie built his steel mill in the Mon Valley because he needed the river, the raw materials, and access to labor. His plant was expressly designed to use the Bessemer Process, the first method to inexpensively mass-produce steel. Nearly 150 years later, the Webb brothers and their partner Austin Lawrence chose the exact same location to showcase their own new manufacturing technology and to fill a need in the community. “Knowing that we could build these anywhere, we wanted to build in Braddock because we knew that we could create jobs,” says Austin Webb. “That we could create this new workforce of the future.”

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Employed since January, John Davis lives less than a block away from Fifth Season. “I have family in Braddock. They’re very happy I’ve got a job.”(David Kidd/Governing)

Braddock resident John Davis may or may not think of himself as part of the workforce of the future. But he’s happy to have a good job. Covered head to toe in his surgical outfit, he works in the seeding department at Fifth Season, a job he’s held since January. He’s lived here for 20 years, and this is the first job he’s had that didn’t involve a commute. He walks to work from his house, half a block away.

Davis is 32 years old and anxious to put the past behind him. “To have a job that you like, where you live, it’s comfortable,” he says. “And you can see that this is going to change Braddock for the better because it gives the residents jobs and new innovations. It’s going to bring life.”

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While awaiting their fate, many of Braddock’s empty buildings provide space for murals and artwork.(David Kidd/Governing)

Lead photo: Greens leave the grow room at robot farm Fifth Season, ready for harvest. (Fifth Season)

Tags: Economic DevelopmentFood AssistanceTechnology

David Kidd

David Kidd is a photojournalist and storyteller for Governing. He can be reached at dkidd@governing.com.

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