MANILA: A Farm In Zambales Has A Competitive Edge In The Market Through Hydroponics

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September 4, 2020

by Patricia Bianca Taculao

Due to the rise of urban gardening, homeowners, especially those who have limited space for gardening, are looking for ways to grow their own food. Many try vertical or container gardening while others practice hydroponics or the process of growing plants without soil but rather in nutrient-filled sand, water, or gravel. 

Zennor Hydroponics Farm in  Palauig, Zambales also practices hydroponics because of its efficiency in all aspects of farming. 

“Using a hydroponic system in a farm works because aside from being able to plant a lot in a small space, it can save a lot of money since you don’t need a lot of manpower to tend to plants as the system takes care of the watering while the nutrient solution provides the vitamins and minerals for the plants’ growth,” said Zennor Hydroponics Farm proprietor Raffy Pagaling during the second episode of AgriTalk 2020 aired on Facebook by the Agricultural Training Institute in partnership with Manila Bulletin and Agriculture Online. 

Pagaling added that using a hydroponic system in growing food can generate 20 to 25 percent more produce as compared to planting in soil. Moreover, the process is faster which makes a good return in investment. 

An example of a hydroponic technique that the farm uses is the Dutch Bucket System or Bato Bucket system. This system, as its name implies, uses buckets as the core of its growing method. It’s also a variation of the ebb and flow method which works by periodically flooding and draining the plants with nutrient solutions. 

“In our farm, we use it to grow fruit-bearing vegetables like cucumber, tomatoes, okra, etc.,” Pagaling said.

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Pagaling posing with English cucumbers harvested from his farm.

He added he chose to grow this specific variety of cucumbers that through this method, the farm manages to grow English cucumbers which weigh 500 to 600 grams per fruit. 

“This is an advantage of using hydroponics; it can produce better crops in terms of size and quality,” Pagaling said. 

From a hundred cucumber plants, Pagaling manages to harvest 278 kilos of English cucumbers which he affirms are crunchy, juicy, and superb in quality. These cucumbers are then sold at P165 per kilo. 

Another hydroponic technique that Zenno Farm uses is the rockwool or hydrowool. This method, according to Pagaling, is a soilless medium that serves as the backbone of the farm because all their seeds such as okra, tomatoes, and more are planted on this material.

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The farm grows their seedlings in a soilless medium called rockwool.

Rockwool is a lightweight hydroponic substrate made from molten basaltic rock which is then spun into fine fibers to create products such as cubes and blocks. When hydrated, these cubes have a ratio of 80 percent water and 20 percent air, making it difficult to overwater the plants growing in this material. 

When ready, seedlings can be easily transplanted from the rockwool to the preferred growing medium. 

Other hydroponic methods used on the farm 

Since Zennor Hydroponics Farm grows their crops without using soil, they have more than two methods that they follow especially if they want to make the most of their space. 

First is the NFT system where the crops are planted in very shallow water that contains all the dissolved nutrients required for plants to grow. These nutrients are re-circulated past the bare roots of plants in a watertight channel.

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Zennor Farm’s NFT system allows them to maximize space and even plant different vegetables all at once.

“We have our own version of the NFT system which can accommodate 320 green leafy vegetables and it is the biggest system that we have [on the farm] with an area of 10 feet by six feet,” Pagaling said. 

He added that aside from being suitable for most leafy greens, the NFT system keeps their vegetables fresh, even if it’s already been ripe for two weeks or so. 

In addition, this system can hold different kinds of leafy vegetables at the same time. 

Next is the Wick System. This is the simplest way to grow vegetables without any electricity and can be done by anyone from seven years old and above.

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The Wick System is the simplest way to grow vegetables without electricity.

“Any material can be used to create this kind of hydroponic system. It doesn’t require electricity because its main component is stagnant water, but it’s a very efficient way of farming because it can grow plants within 30 days with little supervision. Plus, it keeps it fresh even if you’re away for a long period of time,” Pagaling said. 

He added that the Wick System can also be done indoors provided that they are supported with artificial lighting.

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An indoor setup is also possible with the Wick System.

The farm even has a small greenhouse where they use the Dutch Bucket system, the Wick type, and the NFT method at the same time to grow crops that are fit for personal consumption.

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Zennor Hydroponics Farm has a greenhouse measuring 12 feet by 14 feet and is planted with 700 lettuce and 72 fruit-bearing vegetables.

“With an area of only 12 feet by 14 feet, we still managed to plant here 700 lettuce and 72 fruit-bearing vegetables like cherry tomatoes. But since it produces more than we need, we sell the excess to neighboring towns, friends, families, and neighbors,” Pagaling said. 

By using hydroponics in growing food, he added that one need not worry about the sustainability of a farm or garden because the system can run all-year-round, making it suitable for almost every kind of crop. 

Much like Pagaling said, there are many benefits that can be reaped from using a hydroponic system. He hopes that his farm can set an example and inspire more people to try out this innovative farming technique. 

Watch the full video of the webinar here. 

Federal Grant Bolsters Higher Education In AgTech

Growers have indicated the need for highly skilled workforce is becoming more urgent as technology restructures the future of farming.

Today’s blog notes a bright spot amongst many past reports of reduced government-backed financial support in research & development (R&D) and education programs that aim to improve living conditions, reduce environmental impact, and manage the growing population’s resources via technology.

Cornell University has reported that the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), through its National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), has endowed the university’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ School of Integrative Plant Science with a $496,000 grant. The federal funding will be used to develop new controlled environment agriculture (CEA) training programs for a skilled workforce that is sorely needed.

Cornell’s associate professor of horticulture Neil Mattson, well-known to us as the keynote speaker at our 2019 HortiCann Light + Tech conference, will collaborate with Cornell Small Farms program director Anu Rangarajan, Ohio State University’s Agricultural Technical Institute, and SUNY Broome Community College to create a technical training certificate in CEA production. The partners also expect to develop a two-year associate’s degree program for students at these institutions and other community colleges to provide solid education in CEA.

Mattson said in the Cornell Chronicle, “Growers consistently state that finding well-trained personnel to operate their facilities is among the largest barriers to expansion.”

Why do we need this educational support? The global population is growing, and supply needs to ramp up to deliver healthy foods to all economic strata. Many food crops are currently unavailable close to home for many, which places a burden on transportation and increases carbon footprint, as well as impacting shelf life. CEA can bring many food-growing resources closer to consumers, especially in urban areas or regions that would prove inhospitable to sensitive crops in a traditional farming operation.

CEA gives growers the means to apply physical systems of growth media, environmental controls, horticultural lighting, and water supply systems along with evidence-backed research in pest management, food safety processes, light customization, and more to produce food sources in a manner designed to balance economic viability, food demand, and sustainability.

Technologies available to modern CEA growers would naturally require a more advanced skillset. Indeed, said Rangarajan, “Our efforts have laid the groundwork for what I hope will be a dynamic training program that will build the workforce and elevate the industry as a whole.”

It’s an exciting time in the horticultural and agricultural space, and learning opportunities abound. Bookmark our HortiCann Light + Tech conference homepage for updates on our upcoming October program, now virtual for 2020. Moving beyond horticultural lighting fundamentals, the program will also delve into agribusiness and the return on investment in advanced systems and controls, AgTech systems integration, and topics related to legalized cannabis growing operations.

Photo credit: Image by iamereri via Pixabay; used under free license for commercial or non-commercial purposes.

Author: Carrie Meadows | LEDsMagazine | Jul 10, 2020

VIDEO: Top 5 Benefits of Container Farming At Your Co-Op

Stephanie May 26, 2020

The Yellowknife Co-op added a Growcer container farm to their co-op to provide year-round produce to their members.

Are you looking for a fresh addition to your co-op grocery store? Adding a container farm allows your store to be the source of some of the freshest, locally-grown, resource-efficient produce. 

Here are five benefits to adding a hydroponic container farm steps away from your store:

1. MORE ROI FOR PRODUCE YEAR-ROUND

Growing your own produce reduces your reliance on suppliers and allows you to avoid supply chain mark-ups. You can sell fresher produce year-round at better margins than what you can with supplied produce. 

What can you grow? Lots. Anything from kale, spinach, lettuce, bok-choy, herbs, and more, can be grown within a Growcer system and you can switch it up based on consumer demand.

We’ll help you create a brand that your members will recognize and keep them coming back to your store!

2. MEMBER SATISFACTION AND RETENTION

Container farming allows you to create a unique experience for your customers. Customers can:

• request what produce is grown;

• purchase store-brand produce or prepared goods; and

• at the Yellowknife Co-op, customers can see the produce being grown through a screen - a special experience not typically seen in chain stores.

These special touches build engagement and help with member retention.

3. EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT

The Growcer system is made to “plug and play” and it takes one week of on-site training to have employees comfortable with the system. Your co-op’s container farm becomes a source of pride and oasis for employees who enjoy participating in the growing process from beginning to end. 

Justin Nelson, general manager of The Yellowknife Co-op, put it best: “On a cold dark day in Yellowknife, there’s no better place to be than inside the Growcer unit. When you’re actually harvesting the product that you’re selling it’s a great feeling”.

For co-ops, Growce’s units can be operated by existing employees who see it as an opportunity to take pride serving their community.

4. REDUCED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

Container farming grows a variety of produce in a controlled environment that is time, space, and resource-efficient. The best part? Your container farm can be located steps away from your store eliminating the need to transport produce long distances. 

At the Yellowknife Co-op, produce is harvested immediately before it’s sold and this method eliminates the need for plastic packaging.

Growcer’s container farms are an innovative way to stand out from competitors and provide quality produce to your members.

5. DEMONSTRATE INNOVATION

Embrace efficient growing systems that bring fresher produce to your customers and cement your store as a leader who is embracing agriculture technology. 

Your membership invests in you - repay their loyalty by pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. The real value is not only the produce grown, but the ability for a container farm to offer your business a local source of produce, a source of diversified employment, and an additional stream of revenue.

Take the first step and plug in your specifics into our ROI calculator to evaluate the feasibility of a container farm for you.