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USA: MARYLAND - BW Students Learning High-Tech Plant Growing Techniques
Bishop Walsh School is teaching students through hands-on experience about the efficient ways plants can be grown. The school recently acquired a ZipGrow Tower through federal grants, which is designed for high-density hydroponic farming
April 1, 2021
By Brandon Glass bglass@times-news.com
CUMBERLAND — Bishop Walsh School is teaching students through hands-on experience about the efficient ways plants can be grown. The school recently acquired a ZipGrow Tower through federal grants, which is designed for high-density hydroponic farming.
Mick Burkett, a teacher at Bishop Walsh, holds up pH meters. Burkett is teaching students through hands-on experience about the efficient ways plants can be grown.
“As far as food goes, of all industries, that’s one industry that’s not going away. There’s a lot of science to growing, so it’s important to have high-tech growing techniques,” said Mick Burkett, a Bishop Walsh teacher who is heading the project. “The kids are going to learn how to grow with state-of-the-art science aquaponics, hydroponics, ZipGrow towers.”
The towers are built to make easier production, irrigation, and planting, which will be important in a future where more people live closer together and planting space is limited.
Some 2,000 seed plants can be grown in a smaller than expected platform. Due to the towers being vertical, they take up much less space when compared to planting in soil in a field or a garden.
Students monitor the nutrient levels in the solutions using pH meters and add more as needed.
“The first graders, they’re learning about what is a living thing, so they’re growing mint,” said Burkett. “They’ll be able to put the mint in little pots in our maker space. They’re going to be doing everything from scratch, from growing the plant to making their own little flower pot.”
Eventually, the goal is to have food from the greenhouse and ZipGrow station on the table at Bishop Walsh, to grow enough food to sustain themselves and contribute to the community.
“Instead of farm to table, this is from BW to BW. It is great economically, it’s great for the environment,” said Burkett. “It’s good in so many ways.”
There are also plans for a spring sale at some point, where 50% of whatever is made would go back into the greenhouse and other technologies. They also want to pick out a local organization to donate to.
The genesis for the ZipGrow project was the greenhouse the school built over a year ago, which due to the pandemic has not been used yet, but will eventually be able to hold, Burkett estimated, 6,000 starter plants.
The ZipGrow station was born out of federal funding the school receives through the county and ran about $5,000, said BW Principal Jennifer Flinn.
For now, for students, it’s come as you want, as the school is not able to have clubs due to the pandemic; however, next year the expectation is there will be clubs dedicated to growing plants.
Lead photo: Bishop Walsh freshmen Michael Nowaczyk and Rianne Treadwell examine the plants on the ZipGrow Tower.
Follow staff writer Brandon Glass on Twitter @Bglass13 - Submitted Photo
New Sustainability Partnership Launched Between Sodexo And ZipGrow Inc.
Sodexo, world leader in Quality of Life Services, has joined forces with ZipGrow Inc., the manufacturer of the world’s most installed vertical hydroponic equipment, to develop a unique program to introduce sustainable growing systems to facilities throughout Canada and the United States of America
Burlington, March 11, 2021: Today, two international industry leaders have launched a first-of-its-kind partnership to develop more sustainable local food chains throughout North America.
Sodexo, world leader in Quality of Life Services, has joined forces with ZipGrow Inc., the manufacturer of the world’s most installed vertical hydroponic equipment, to develop a unique program to introduce sustainable growing systems to facilities throughout Canada and the United States of America.
One of Sodexo’s primary goals is to ensure all our operations are industry-leading from a sustainability perspective. “This new partnership with ZipGrow Inc. not only enables us to reduce our carbon emissions of distance traveled for food source, onsite food waste, and packaging requirements, but also to introduce innovative technology to our facilities and team members”, said Normand St-Gelais, Director of Corporate Responsibility, Sodexo Canada.
ZipGrowTM technology is a patented system that utilizes both hydroponic growing systems and vertical planes to maximize production volume within a small footprint. Primarily growing leafy greens such as lettuce and kale, along with herbs and small fruiting crops such as strawberries, ZipGrow systems will be installed in Sodexo locations including educational institutions, conference facilities, and corporate food service centres.
“Having been installed throughout the world over the past decade, our system enables growers, both big and small, to access fresh produce no matter where they are located”, explains Eric Lang, President of ZipGrow Inc. “We are excited to move ahead with this new partnership with Sodexo. Together we will be able to introduce sustainable food to Sodexo locations throughout North America.”
“As a Chef, we are always looking for ways to introduce the freshest possible produce to our kitchens”, said Chef Davide Del Brocco, Sustainability Manager, Sodexo Canada. “By having a grow system on site, we can now not only customize our produce to meet our upcoming needs, but we can also now harvest fresh greens and use them that same day.”
“Having like-minded partners like ZipGrow who understand what is important to us and who are aligned with our values and goals is crucial in working together for a Better Tomorrow." said Andrea Cantin, Corporate Social Responsibility Coordinator, Sodexo Canada. With Sodexo and ZipGrow Inc. both having company values strongly embedded in sustainability, this new partnership will see this innovative agriculture technology being introduced to multiple Sodexo facilities in Canada and the US.
About Sodexo
Sodexo delivers a wide range of customized solutions, designed to optimize work and living environments. Sodexo has been providing food and facilities management services in Canada for over 40 years, with a focus on enhancing safety, work process, and well-being. Sodexo is a market leader in Canada. Sodexo has been recognized as a top employer for the past seven consecutive years. Sodexo is proud to have created the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation, an independent charitable organization that has raised over $3 million to fight hunger and donated more than one million meals to at-risk youth across Canada since 2007. Sodexo is included in the CAC 40, FTSE 4 Good, and DJSI indices.
Key figures (as of November 2020)
420,000 employees
1st in its sector in both the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) and the 2020 SAM sustainability yearbook 64 countries
100 million consumers served daily
About ZipGrow Inc.
ZipGrow Inc. is an international leader in indoor, vertical farming technology. Our flagship product, the ZipGrowTM Tower, is a core component of many of the world’s most innovative farms; from indoor hydroponic warehouses to vertical aquaponic greenhouses and high-density container farms. For more information contact hello@zipgrow.com or at 1-855-ZIPGROW.
Contacts
Media
Caroline Desvaux
Tel: +1 514 476 2158
Caroline.desvaux@sodexo.com
VIDEO: A Visit To The ZipFarm - Join The Virtual Farm Tour
Recently, ZipGrow has opened its doors for a virtual farm tour to demonstrate 'how all things are put together'
Recently, ZipGrow has opened its doors for a virtual farm tour to demonstrate 'how all things are put together'. The tour was kicked off at the germ chamber, then, after passing through the vestibule viewers are lead to the indoor farm.
In ZipGrow's seedling station plants the crops are propagated until they are suitable for transplantation to the growth section. The plants are given 16-18 hours of light per day. The crops are penetrated through an up-down, siphon system that allows for three times watering a day.
The Atom Doser is the 'brain of the farm' as it controls most growing parameters. It monitors, tracks and controls the hydroponic reservoir with customized recipes and irrigation settings. The 1000 sq. ft. farm allows for several crops to be grown, such as leafy greens.
Have a look at the video below to 'join' the tour.
For more information:
ZipGrow
hello@zipgrow.com
www.zipgrow.com
Publication date: Tue 16 Feb 2021
Author: Rebekka Boekhout
© VerticalFarmDaily.com
VIDEO: Urban Fresh Farms Launches New ZipGrow Facility In Dubai
A 1,000 square foot ZipGrowTM ZipFarmTM was recently installed in Urban Fresh Farm’s facility in the Industrial center of Dubai and will soon be producing pesticide-free fresh herbs and leafy greens for the local market
October 8, 2020
ONTARIO, CANADA & DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - With more than 80% of food being imported into the UAE, Urban Fresh Farms, Dubai’s newest indoor vertical hydroponic farm from ZipGrowTM, is doing its part to contribute to a more sustainable local food system.
A 1,000 square foot ZipGrowTM ZipFarmTM was recently installed in Urban Fresh Farm’s facility in the Industrial center of Dubai and will soon be producing pesticide-free fresh herbs and leafy greens for the local market. Urban Fresh Farms is a new company, founded by people who always had an interest in sustainable agriculture but thought they did not have the knowledge or financial backing to get into the industry.
“We, as a group, always found vertical farming really interesting and knew there would be a strong demand for it in the Dubai area”, said Scott Naude, co-founder of Urban Fresh Farms. “We were hesitant to jump in at first, but the combination of ZipGrow’s technology and ongoing training, the increasing demand for higher quality and fresh produce, and the Middle East’s booming tech sector all aligned perfectly for us to begin this venture.”
As with the rest of the world, COVID-19’s impact on the local supply chain has also impacted the Dubai area, with food selections being limited in local grocery stores during the peak of lockdowns.
“Around the world, we are hearing from all our growers that food retailers are actively looking for local food goods to supply”, explains Eric Lang, President of ZipGrow Inc. “We are also hearing from government’s around the world, including in the UAE, who want to actively seek out ways to reduce supply chain lengths to ensure a more consistent and high-quality food stream.”
Hydroponic growing, as an industry, is still recently new to the Middle East region. The UAE government is a leader in the Middle East region, and in 2018 launched a National Food Security Strategy 2051, led by the Minister of State for Food and Water Security, Her Excellency Mariam bint Mohammed Al Mheiri. This strategy aims to increase local food production in the UAE, while simultaneously maximizing the use of modern technologies to bring fresh and sustainable food to the region.
“There's also a demand for healthy eating options and this has given rise to a number of excellent meal plan services and all-in-one meal ingredient boxes which in turn is creating a need for the best, freshest vegetables to be readily available” adds Naude. “We’re planning on starting out growing primarily herbs such as basil, parsley, and coriander, and hope to have our first crop available in December.”
Urban Fresh Farm and ZipGrow Inc. plan to use this new facility to showcase this vertical farming technology to the UAE and the wider Middle East region. Naude adds; “We’re excited about our ongoing partnership with ZipGrow Inc. There is so much educational content available, as well as a fantastic team. So even for someone like myself who is new to all of this, ZipGrow provides all the tools needed to get growing.”
ZipGrow Inc. is an international leader in indoor, vertical farming technology. Our flagship product, the ZipGrowTM Tower, is a core component of many of the world’s most innovative farms; from indoor hydroponic warehouses to vertical aquaponic greenhouses and high-density container farms.
For more information contact:
Gina Scandrett at hello@zipgrow.com or at 1-855-ZIPGROW.
425F Fourth Street West, Cornwall, Ontario K6J 2S7, Canada www.zipgrow.com 1-855-ZIPGROW
Latest ZipGrow Inc. Product Introduces Vertical Indoor Farming To New Growers
Controlled Environmental Agriculture (CEA) is currently undergoing an upturn in public interest as the general population begins to appreciate the importance of locally produced food from sustainable sources
September 9, 2020
ONTARIO, CA - Controlled Environmental Agriculture (CEA) is currently undergoing an upturn in public interest as the general population begins to appreciate the importance of locally produced food from sustainable sources. ZipGrow Inc.’s new product offering, the Introduction to Commercial Growing package, is designed to make commercial growing more accessible to farmers and businesses wanting to get into the CEA industry.
“As interest grows in improving food security, we wanted to make commercial growing more accessible to newcomers to the hydroponics world”, explains Eric Lang, President of ZipGrow Inc. “This new package is an accessible, and affordable entry-level product for anyone interested in testing out if controlled environmental agriculture is right for them.”
The new product package includes a discounted set of everything you need to get started, including 90 patented 8’ ZipGrow™ Towers, steel ZipRacks, LED growing lights, a seedling area, a comprehensive plumbing system, and an automatic doser from Atom Controllers. This package is not only all-inclusive, but also modular to be able to expand as the operation grows.
“This package can set someone up to produce up to 100 pounds of leafy greens or herbs such as lettuce or basil each week, and is a great way to test a pilot system in your local community”, adds Lang. “Since the start of COVID-19 we have seen interest in sustainable food sources skyrocket, and this is one way we are trying to encourage more people to see if hydroponic farming is right for them.”
The Introduction to Commercial Growing package has a flat rate shipping option for all locations within Canada and the continental United States, with shipping to other locations available at custom rates. The package will be fully installed on-site, with costs varying dependent on location. ZipGrow team members will work with customers to ensure the product is the right fit for them and ensure all training and ongoing education needs are fulfilled.