Welcome to iGrow News, Your Source for the World of Indoor Vertical Farming
Superior Fresh Announces New Salad Variety: Citrus Splash
“We have created a balanced organic ecosystem by raising the cleanest, healthiest Atlantic salmon using organic practices and principles and applying our proprietary organic farming methods to grow the best tasting organic salads and greens you have ever eaten
Superior Fresh is proud to unveil its newest salad blend: Citrus Splash. Filled with bright sunny citrus notes, this blend offers consumers a unique opportunity to expand their culinary experience. Citrus Splash brings more than exceptional flavor to the salad bowl. Paired with our non-GMO, organically fed Superior Fresh Atlantic salmon, the possibilities are endless.
“We have always been about doing things a little differently,” says Todd Linsky of Superior Fresh. “We have created a balanced organic ecosystem by raising the cleanest, healthiest Atlantic salmon using organic practices and principles and applying our proprietary organic farming methods to grow the best tasting organic salads and greens you have ever eaten. We do this while raising the bar on sustainability with practices that give us the ability to grow lettuce using less than one gallon of water. And what’s really impactful is we actually reuse 99% of all water.”
Todd goes on to say, “You do not choose organic aquaponics as a growing method by sticking to what is established. You do not commit to 800 acres of soil regeneration if you are doing it like everyone else. We are taking the responsibility of being one of the largest USDA certified organic salad operations very seriously. Our customers expect us to bring our best using thoughtful innovation – every time – whether that be in the way that we farm or with what we grow.”
Citrus Splash is sure to make a splash in the produce pool. Look for it on the shelves of your local grocery store and inquire directly for wholesale, retail, and food service options.
Mon 19 Oct 2020
VIDEO: USA, WYOMING - Cody’s Vertical Garden Enhances Downtown
“It’s just to get the community involved in growing edibles, besides a dirt base,” Butler said. “And it’s more of an art form, too, just to enhance this plaza that we have it in.”
August 31, 2020
By Wendy Corr
Visitors to Cody this summer might be able to pick their own salad greens straight from the garden – downtown.
This summer, a hydroponic garden was installed in Bell Plaza, a public space in the heart of downtown Cody. Bernie Butler works for the city but is volunteering her time to take care of the vertical garden that has been placed for the benefit of the community.
“It’s just to get the community involved in growing edibles, besides a dirt base,” Butler said. “And it’s more of an art form, too, just to enhance this plaza that we have it in.”
A vertical garden is just what it sounds like — plants placed in upward reaching rows instead of spread out across the ground. The plants are raised in a hydroponic system that uses nutrient-rich water for nourishment rather than dirt.
Butler said Cody is one of several Wyoming cities to embrace the vegetable growing technique.
“They partnered with Travis Hines out of Pinedale, he has Bio-Logic Designs,” she said. “He built this frame for it, brought everything down, we planted the plants, which he supplied, and filled up the tank – we have fish and aqua plants in there. He just got us going.”
The funds for the garden came from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, funneled through the Wyoming Business Council. Amy Quick, the Northwest Regional Director for the Business Council, said the project benefits communities in a number of ways.
“Eleven different communities throughout the state are participating, including, of course, Cody, but Sheridan, Rock Springs, Casper are a few other examples,” Quick said. “And it’s just a really great opportunity to get some community involvement, focus on nutrition, education, economic development.”
Butler pointed out that the produce from the garden is available to anyone.
“I do have a couple of older people that come by almost every night, and they take some lettuce and some kale, and the mint is their favorite.”
Butler adds that once colder weather arrives, the garden will move to Eastside Elementary, where students there will take over the process – and the produce.
USA: VIRGINIA - Hull Street Indoor Urban Farm Launches Sales In September
In 2016, Ferguson started his tech-driven farming business Nouveau Farms in the quiet of his basement. An engineer by day, Ferguson says he began researching how to grow his own food after he realized that imported, out-of-season produce was not what he wanted to feed his family
Trevor Ferguson is now accepting orders from his Hull Street indoor hydroponic farm, Nouveau Farms. Scott Elmquist
While most farmers fight daily against the peccadilloes of ever-abrasive Mother Nature, Trevor Ferguson battles only market demands and water flow inside his hydroponic urban farm.
In 2016, Ferguson started his tech-driven farming business Nouveau Farms in the quiet of his basement. An engineer by day, Ferguson says he began researching how to grow his own food after he realized that imported, out-of-season produce was not what he wanted to feed his family.
Once the left-brained Ferguson started learning about hydroponics, he was hooked. For those unfamiliar with the ’ponic world, this type of horticulture forgoes soil and instead uses mineral nutrient solutions, light, oxygen and filtered, freshwater to grow plants as much as 50% faster than those grown in the great outdoors.
“When you start eating those greens and those herbs, you can taste the difference,” Ferguson says. “It sort of changed my whole perspective.”
Ferguson started with an eight-tower wall garden, growing microgreens, salad greens, and herbs like mint, chive, and basil. “I’m originally from the Bahamas and we had fruit trees in the backyard,” Ferguson says. “I would go and get mangoes right off the tree, so that’s where that connection comes from.”
While still working his 9 to 5 as a natural gas infrastructure development manager, Ferguson carved out time for hydroponic training courses, moving his small underground operation into his garage. He started the commercial rollout of Nouveau Farms in January. As of Tuesday, Sept. 1, you can order your microgreens and mint directly from Ferguson’s 800-square-foot Hull Street indoor farm.
“I surely hope this turns into a full-time thing,” Ferguson says. “I am building this for the long run, making long-term investments. People who go into farming know it isn’t to get rich quick, I won’t become a millionaire.”
Ferguson says when the business launched at the beginning of 2020, the goal was to provide major suppliers with bulk orders. “That sort of bottomed out for us.” Like the rest of the world operating during the pandemic, he readjusted his business model. And, a bit serendipitously, Ferguson says he likes this initial direct-to-consumer approach better.
“People have been so disconnected from their food for such a long time,” he says. “The pandemic has made people realize how important it is to have food security.” Ferguson wishes he were “further ahead” in his rollout plan, simply so he could meet the needs of the people in his community. “One of the things I’m hyper-focused on is that whatever we grow and supply, we need to be cost-competitive.”
So while his salad greens will damn sure be more flavorful than the imported grocery store stuff that’s grown primarily for hardiness, Ferguson isn’t going to charge people an exorbitant price. “If you’re buying a bag of red romaine from me, it will be the same price as any place else,” he assures.
The Hull Street farm is currently catering to individual consumers and pledges that all produce is harvested within 24 hours of delivery. Customers can place orders online (nouveaufarms.com) Sundays-Fridays, with free deliveries to those within 15 miles on Saturdays.
In addition to the Hull Street business, Ferguson also has his sights set on a truly halcyon, pastoral dream: a sprawling farmhouse located on 7 acres in Varina, situated amongst a vineyard, strawberry patches, and a space allotted to weekend farmers markets.
Only seven minutes from Richmond’s city center, Nouveau Farms & Vineyard consists of three abutting lots, with the farmhouse to the far left, the middle lot devoted to grape-growing, and the far lot serving as an active farm open to the public. A huge undertaking, yes, but Ferguson is ready for the challenge.
“The Varina farm is going to be strawberry heaven,” Ferguson laughs. He says that one impetus to grow his own food was to create the best berries for his daughter. “We would go to the grocery store and she loves strawberries and we would buy them on a weekly basis, but it was really hit or miss.”
The Nouveau Farms berries will all be hits, with Ferguson using “a bit of hydroponics” plus traditional farming methods to grow his fruits de terre. “We won’t be in the soil – we will use a hybrid version of soil with a mix of peat moss, plus good drainage. And we’ll be feeding nutrients straight to the berries.”
Ferguson says he will be experimenting with a couple of different berry varieties and will solicit help from the public to choose which berry is best — he’s hoping the farm will be able to institute weekend pick-your-own days for families, too.
By 2022, Ferguson plans to have weekend farmers’ markets in addition to events and weddings – the backdrop is a bridal dream. “We’ll have smoothies made of our fresh fruit, people can enjoy a glass of wine and play cornhole,” Ferguson muses.
He can see it now: a weekend reset on the farm before heading back into the city for the daily grind. Now all he needs are some mango trees.
Follow Nouveau Farms on Instagram for updates about produce, purchasing, and when the farm will be ready for strawberry picking.