Lettuce Lads Look To Hydroponics In Valley

BY ROCKY MOUNTAIN OUTLOOK JUN 14, 2018

BOW VALLEY – While fresh, locally grown commercial produce is generally not a feature of Rocky Mountain geography, a trio of valley entrepreneurs are hoping to change that with a new hydroponic operation.

Lettuce Lads – Caleb Allen, Devon DaDalt, and Kyle West – have a provisional patent on a hydroponic system in place, some federal funding, launched a GoFundMe campaign and are working toward making locally grown leafy greens a reality in the valley.

The project has been underway for a while, with each drawing on their own experience in agriculture, business, sales, and marketing.

“We’re always trying new things and looking for ways to improve the area where we live and for the people in the area,” said Allen explaining, initial talks with DaDalt about hydroponics soon included West.

“It turned out he had a hydroponic system working in his hallway. He had vegetables in the system. He had vertical units and plants growing in the summer he covers his deck with a system. He’s got corn over here, other things over there.

“That’s how we met. Then we started kicking around the idea of putting together a Canmore hydroponics operation.”

It quickly became clear that hydroponics can be an expensive process and in Canmore, land costs can quickly go through the roof. “So we started to look at it and realized we can’t do a conventional system, so we started brainstorming.”

Brainstorming resulted in the development of a new system (patent in the works) that would incorporate growing within the enclosed environment of an 8×40-foot shipping container. In the container, all aspects of growing from the medium to watering and light, to delivery of hydroponic nutrients – can be carefully controlled for maximum production.

“We all compliment each other well,” said Allen. “Because I can speak sales and marketing, but I also built the prototype in my garage. We don’t feel we have gaps in our team and we’re able to use momentum from each other to bring up new ideas.”

As Allen explains, hydroponics is not new, it’s a centuries-old concept, but there are different methods of doing it.

As the Lettuce Lads move forward, a single shipping container would be home to about 8,000 plants at any given time, which, with automation, will reduce growing time and labour. Farm to table would be 10 minutes, rather than thousands of kilometres.

“Then it starts to become economically viable in the area,” said Allen. This is also where, with federal Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) funding of $30,000, some private investor funds, donation of a site for a shipping container, plans and a budget, and a distribution partnership with Polar Egg in Hay River, things are moving ahead.

The Lads’ funding campaign is aimed at $50,000 which will put a first prototype container in place.

“We feel this is a start to the solution,” he said. “I get frustrated when people downplay the opportunity and what fresh, leafy greens can add. But change happens one step at a time and we need to be able to work as a community and country of people to change things.

“The first prototype is to prove we can grow and sell in Canada. We want to serve the community we live in and we also believe we can drive the price point down. Our vision is to empower people with access to good food, so they can live healthy sustainable lives.

“That’s where everything stems from. Our starting place is a container, but because of the technology, it can go far beyond that.”

To support the Lettuce Lads’ visit www.gofundme.com/lettucelads.