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Farming Food In A Freight Container
An old shipping container arrived on campus last fall. From the outside, it was an innocuous-looking, beige structure that might have fallen out of the sky. The inside, however, contains one of the most innovative farming systems in the world
An old shipping container arrived on campus last fall. From the outside, it was an innocuous-looking, beige structure that might have fallen out of the sky. The inside, however, contains one of the most innovative farming systems in the world.
The shipping container is what is called a freight farm. Produced by Freight Farms, a company founded in 2010 and headquartered in Boston, the container is 320 square feet and contains an advanced hydroponic growing system, meaning that its plants are grown in a mineral nutrient mix instead of soil. The King’s freight farm was installed behind Atair House in November and subsequently painted by students from the Middle School.
The goal of the freight farm is to maximize food production while minimizing water use and the distance between the farm and the site of consumption. At capacity, the freight farm can grow 3,000-5,000 maturing plants simultaneously — the same amount of food that could be grown on two acres of farmland. Yet the farm uses fewer than 10 gallons of water per day, a reduction of about 90 percent, according to Freight Farms Client Services Director David Harris.
Called the Leafy Green Machine by Freight Farms, the unit produces greens for the Dining Hall. “Right now, it’s producing spinach, kale, chard, and romaine,” says Director of Operations Ola Bseiso. While capable of growing other types of vegetables, the Leafy Green Machine is designed specifically to produce greens. And thanks to a staggered schedule, the farm will yield fresh greens every day.
Seeds are first placed under light for two weeks until they become sprouts. Then, during the seedling stage, the plants grow deep roots and begin to show leaves, taking three weeks to fully mature.
When mature, the vegetables are harvested in the morning and placed in the Dining Hall for consumption in the afternoon.
The freight farm’s lettuce will pair nicely with the surrounding crops. “On one side of the freight farm, there is a large fruit tree section — apples, peaches, and other fruits,” says Bseiso. “And to the left are around 25 soil beds with various plants. And the best part is: it’s all organic!”
Beyond its beneficial nutritional and environmental effects, the freight farm offers ample opportunities for learning.
“You can see the entire process of plant growth happening, from the seedling all the way to harvest,” says Harris.
Dima Kayed, head of the Physical and Life Sciences, says that teachers of chemistry and biology intend to incorporate the freight farm into their classes, including looking at the dynamics of plant growth, types of plants, lighting, testing water quality, and other elements.
In addition, the trajectory of Freight Farms offers a case study for entrepreneurial students: eight years ago, the freight farm was only an idea, and now it is a full-fledged, successful product with a presence in nearly 20 countries.
Harris is hopeful that King’s students will gravitate to the freight farm. “You should care where your food comes from, as it doesn’t just appear on your table or plate,” he says. “There’s an entire industry built around it. Students can now understand the food system from a sheltered, air-conditioned box.”
But it’s not just about looking at the food; it’s about eating it. So if you find yourself in the Dining Hall, grab some lettuce from the salad bar, because odds are it’s the freshest salad you will ever eat.
CubicFarm(R) Systems Corp Is Pleased To Announce Our Largest Sale of A Commercial-Scale System In the US
CubicFarms is pleased to announce the sale of its second commercial-scale farm in the US, in the State of Montana. The system's plan includes 18 CubicFarms patented growing machines, 2 patented germination machines, along with Cubic's proprietary supporting irrigation system. At approximately $3 million USD, this represents the second-largest sale to date
Tuesday, October 8, 2019
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / October 8, 2019 / CubicFarm® Systems Corp. (TSXV:CUB) ("CubicFarms" or the "Company") announces that on October 7, 2019, the Company finalized an agreement for the sale of a large scale commercial CubicFarm system in Montana, USA and received the initial deposit from the customer.
CubicFarms is pleased to announce the sale of its second commercial-scale farm in the US, in the State of Montana. The system's plan includes 18 CubicFarms patented growing machines, 2 patented germination machines, along with Cubic's proprietary supporting irrigation system. At approximately $3 million USD, this represents the second-largest sale to date.* The customer’s purpose-built facility is designed and constructed to accommodate the possibility of doubling future production quickly and efficiently.
"We are very excited to be installing a large CubicFarm System in Montana," said Dave Dinesen, CEO of CubicFarm Systems Corp. "The location of this installation is quite strategic and will allow our customers to access several markets and leverage logistic resources to further enhance their commercial-scale growing operation. As our customer is already in the farming and produce space, they will be able to expand and diversify quickly and leverage their current infrastructure. CubicFarms will also be installing its latest generation of machine, which provides greater capacity and flexibility to grow more varieties and increase yield".
*The largest system sale to date was Calgary, Alberta for 23 growing machines, announced on July 11, 2019.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor it’s Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
About CubicFarm® Systems Corp.
CubicFarm® Systems Corp. is an Ag-Tech and Vertical Farming company that utilizes patented technology to cultivate high-quality produce. The Company believes that it can provide a benefit to the world by significantly reducing the physical footprint of farming, shipping costs, and associated greenhouse gasses, while significantly decreasing the use of freshwater and eliminating the need for harmful pesticides.
Founded in 2015, the Company's mission is to provide farmers around the world with an efficient growing system capable of producing predictable yields with superior taste. Using its unique, undulating growing system, the Company addresses the main challenges within the indoor farming industry by significantly reducing the need for physical labour, by reducing energy, and by maximizing yield per cubic foot. The Company has sold and installed systems in Canada and the US and is currently negotiating with a global pipeline of prospective customers. It also operates one wholly-owned facility in Pitt Meadows BC and sells its produce in British Columbia to retail customers under the brand name Thriiv Local Garden™ and to wholesale customers as well.
CubicFarm® Systems Corp's. patented growing system provides customers with a turnkey, commercial scale, hydroponic, automated vertical farm growing systems that can grow predictably and sustainably for 12 months of the year virtually anywhere on earth. CubicFarm® enables its customers to grow locally and to provide their markets with produce that is consistent in colour, size, taste, nutrition and allows for a longer shelf life. CubicFarms is focused on providing its technology to farmers to grow safe, sustainable, secure, fresh produce, nutraceutical ingredients, and animal feed. Further support and value is provided to our clients through our patent-pending germination technology and proprietary auto harvesting and processing methods.
CubicFarm® Systems Corp.
For further information contact:
Ross Rayment, VP - Corporate Development
ross@cubicfarms.com work: 1-403-616-0312
Cautionary Notice Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, anticipated sale of this CubicFarm system to this customer. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates, and assumptions (including the receipt of regulatory approvals) that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that the sale of this CubicFarm system will be completed as currently planned or at all. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
SOURCE: CubicFarm® Systems Corp.
Rochester Institute of Technology: New "AgTech" Cropping Up On Campus
RIT recently hired its first-ever farmer, David Brault. Brault, a native of Irondequoit, New York and a University of Vermont graduate in Horticulture, is now taking care of leafy greens and herbs grown on-site in RIT’s new hydroponic container farm. The farm is located in a 40-by-8-by-9.5-foot up-cycled shipping container just behind the Campus Center
by Catherine Rafferty | published Oct. 8th, 2019
RIT recently hired its first-ever farmer, David Brault. Brault, a native of Irondequoit, New York and a University of Vermont graduate in Horticulture, is now taking care of leafy greens and herbs grown on-site in RIT’s new hydroponic container farm. The farm is located in a 40-by-8-by-9.5-foot up-cycled shipping container just behind the Campus Center.
“Alright, close your eyes and picture a farm. You'll see a field, maybe someone on a tractor and there's dirt and all that," Brault described. "Then you go a step removed, and you put in a greenhouse. And then you take a step farther and now you've got a hydroponic greenhouse. And you remove the greenhouse and you've got hydroponics inside this container. So it's different.”
The farm was installed on June 10, 2019. Kory Samuels, executive director of RIT Dining Services, said the project made sense with the recent renovation of Gracie’s as just another way to “up our game” in the quality of food on campus. RIT is just one of two universities in the state to have a hydroponic farm on campus, the other being Stony Brook University in Stony Brook, N.Y.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Hydroponics is defined as growing plants with nutrients and water but without soil. The plants are rooted either in water or an artificial medium which can include substances like sand, gravel, perlite, peat moss, sawdust, coir or Rockwool.
Some crops are better to grow hydroponically than others. Brault said he started by growing lettuce and herbs because of their size and quick turnover rate. Crops like corn are a less practical option because of the lower yields and the space needed to grow it. The container is lit by LEDs that use special bulbs emitting only red and blue light spectra, the most beneficial lighting for optimizing plant growth.
RIT’s farm is a vertical farming system created by Freight Farms, which has provided shipping container farms to many other college campuses. The container is insulated so crops can be grown year-round. Brault can control lighting, temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide levels, concentration of fertilizer and pH levels in the farm all from his smartphone. It operates as a closed system, meaning the water used to feed the plants is recycled for the next crops.
"This is an offering that I think distinguishes us versus other campus dining programs."
WHY HYDRO?
Samuels first saw a shipping container farm at a National Association for College and University Food Service conference back in 2016. Samuels had noticed an interest in seasonal menus and locally sourced produce at other universities. RIT doesn't have an agriculture school, so Samuels saw the hydroponic farm as the perfect solution for RIT's tech-oriented community.
“It was an idea that was kind of put on our roadmap that it'd be cool to eventually get to the point where we are not just sourcing our food as local as possible, but potentially actually being a part of the food system," Samuels said.
In terms of food safety, it's safer for RIT Dining to produce their own product because they can control everything, including the cleanliness of the space, the fertilizer they grow with, the water they use and who touches the product.
In terms of sustainability, Brault explained, you don't have to worry about fertilizer runoff — a major concern in conventional agriculture. It's also hyperlocal, so any emissions that would have been produced in processing and transporting the product are eliminated.
“This requires capital investment, but once it’s operational, it is lower maintenance. Also you get more yield, so you can grow a lot more in a smaller space and you can grow crops faster and you get a better quality and quantity of crop — and you can do it all year,” Brault stated.
The farm is also an appealing addition to RIT's dining resume. RIT Dining can make decisions about its offerings since it's all in-house owned and operated. Samuels and Brault see this program as a new way to draw in prospective students. Campus life is an important part of the college experience, and food is just one aspect of that. Brault thinks that students' expectations are setting the bar high.
“They [students] are starting to expect a different level of experience in dining. This is an offering that I think distinguishes us versus other campus dining programs,” Brault said.
IMPACT
The first container is just a small seed in a larger plan for RIT Dining and its farm. Both Brault and Samuels would like to see the program expand, in growing more crops and potentially adding more containers to campus. They also see the farm becoming a teaching tool for students. Samuels suggested farming could become a new wellness or sustainability course offering in the future for students to learn more about the agriculture industry.
"I look at the farm as a way to connect our department and students in just another way."
Brault was hired to jump-start the program, but there's talk of bringing in student employees to assist with planting and harvesting. There's the potential for co-op and research opportunities collaborating with programs in the academic departments or Student Affairs. Collaboration could also extend out into the greater Rochester community through programs like FoodLink and Recover Rochester, said Samuels.
Overall, Samuels wants students to use the farm to connect and gain a new perspective.
"I look at the farm as a way to connect our department and students in just another way," he said.
RIT Dining will not be able to provide all the food on campus solely from the farm as they serve over 14,000 meals per day between all of their dining locations, concessions and catering. However, the farm will produce 10 to 15 percent of the produce on campus.
The farm is currently growing bibb lettuce, salanova lettuce, basil, cilantro, parsley, kale, swiss chard, tatsoi, mizuna and arugula. Next time you are at an RIT-catered event and you see some salad, know that it’s freshly grown — right from the container.
Square Roots & Gordon Food Service Open Michigan Indoor Farm
The modular indoor farm, sited on less than two acres of the Gordon Food Service headquarters property, was almost immediately in production following construction completion earlier this month
September 30, 2019 - General News
(PHOTO: Square Roots) Meet the Square Roots Michigan Cohort (left to right): Rebekah Box, Winn Hermanski, Katie LaRue, Savie Sonsynath, Jacob Smaby, Jarad Jaent, Joshua Van Kleeck, Alyssa Patton, Amal Jennings.
PRESS RELEASE: Wyoming, MI, September 30, 2019
Gordon Food Service® BB #:100172, North America’s largest privately held and family-managed foodservice distributor, and Square Roots, the technology leader in urban indoor farming, today celebrated the opening of their strategic partnership’s first co-located farm at a ribbon-cutting event on the campus of Gordon Food Service’s headquarters in Wyoming, Michigan. In addition to executives and staff from both companies, guests included customers and local, state, and federal government officials. Attendees learned more about the facility, the first of its kind hosted by a broadline foodservice distributor, including a tour of the indoor farm’s operations.
In his remarks, Rich Wolowski, President and CEO, Gordon Food Service said, “We’re building exciting relationships with change agents that are helping to reshape how food is produced, prepared, and served – and Square Roots is a great example of leading-edge thinking and technology driving new solutions. We know it’s imperative that we participate in the future, today, to ensure we are relevant tomorrow, and this is a model that could help revolutionize our food systems. And it’s great that we can prove the concept in our own backyard.”
The modular indoor farm, sited on less than two acres of the Gordon Food Service headquarters property, was almost immediately in production following construction completion earlier this month. The ten cloud-connected growing units, employing sophisticated, digitally-controlled hydroponics and LED lighting systems, are projected to produce more than 50,000 lbs. of premium herbs and greens annually, or roughly the equivalent production of a traditional 50-acre farm. However, unlike more typical agriculture, the Square Roots produce will be non-GMO, pesticide-free, and harvested all year long. Initial crops will include basil, chives, and mint. The herbs will be sold to local foodservice customers in Grand Rapids as well as throughout Michigan, northern Indiana, and Ohio.
The companies noted that this first farm installation serves as a template, with ambitions to see additional indoor farms on or near Gordon Food Service’s more than two dozen distribution centers across Canada and the eastern U.S.
Tobias Peggs, Square Roots Co-founder and CEO, noted, “This partnership reflects our shared commitment to local, real food and at a scale that will serve people and communities across North America. But it’s also Square Roots’ mission to empower the next generation of leaders in urban farming. Through our Next-Gen Farmer Training Program, we train future farmers in all aspects of local food systems—from seed to shelf. And with each new Square Roots farm, the Next-Gen Farmer Training Program opens doors for more young people to start exciting careers in the agriculture industry.”
The new farm is tended by a cohort of Next-Gen Farmers selected by Square Roots as part of their unique Next-Gen Farmer Training Program. The paid, full-time and year-long commitment has attracted thousands of diverse applicants eager to be change-makers at the forefront of urban agriculture and contributing to the local, real food movement. Half of the Michigan team hails from in-state while others come from as far away as Texas and New York.
Rich Wolowski, North American President and CEO of Gordon Food Service, stated, “We are excited to be the first broadline foodservice distributor to host an urban farm, with the ability to bring fresh, hyper-local produce to our customers year-round. It’s an important example of our pursuit of innovation to better serve our foodservice customers, and our customers’ customers while answering the growing demand for fresh, nutritious and local food.”
About Gordon Food Service
Since 1897, we have delivered uncompromising quality and heartfelt service for our customers. We began as a simple butter-and-egg delivery service, and have grown to become the largest family business in the foodservice industry by upholding the same approach for over 120 years—remaining passionately committed to the people we serve. Today we serve foodservice operators in the Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, and Southwest regions of the United States and coast-to-coast in Canada. We also operate more than 175 Gordon Food Service Store® locations in the U.S., which are open to the public and provide restaurant-quality products and friendly, knowledgeable service without a membership fee. By partnering with organizations from across industries—healthcare to education, independent and chain restaurants, and event planners—we help our customers create food experiences that people choose, enjoy and remember. To learn more about Gordon Food Service visit gfs.com.
About Square Roots
Square Roots is the technology leader in urban indoor farming. Its scalable “farmer first” technology platform brings fresh, healthy food to urban areas year-round, while simultaneously training future generations of farmers. Founded in 2016 by serial entrepreneurs Tobias Peggs and Kimbal Musk, Square Roots has a mission to bring local, real food to people in cities across the world while empowering the next generation of leaders in urban farming.
Central to the Square Roots mission is a “Next-Gen Farmer Training Program”—a year-long program that puts participants at the forefront of the indoor urban farming industry while they are growing food as part of the Square Roots farm team. Using a unique and scalable technology platform, these young farmers are armed with intuitive tools, enabling them to quickly learn how to grow food that is delicious, responsible, healthy, and profitable. During their year at Square Roots, they’re also educated on plant science, food entrepreneurship frameworks, and engaging local communities—preparing them for successful subsequent leadership roles in urban agriculture. To learn more about Square Roots visit squarerootsgrow.com.
Tagged container farm, indoor farming
Thinking Outside The Box: RIT Hydroponic Farm Changes The Dining Experience
The lettuce is tasting fresher at RIT’s main campus since the university installed a hydroponic farm-in-a-box behind the Student Alumni Union
September 23, 2019
A. Sue Weisler
Inside the 40-foot-long farm-in-a-box, farm manager Dave Brault harvests some leafy greens. By using a vertical hydroponic system, Brault is able to maximize the farms growing space.
The lettuce is tasting fresher at RIT’s main campus since the university installed a hydroponic farm-in-a-box behind the Student Alumni Union.
Made from an upcycled freight container, the new RIT Hydroponic Farm will provide fresh produce for the chefs who serve nearly 14,000 meals on campus every day. So far, the farm has produced roughly 40 pounds of greens since farm manager Dave Brault started harvesting in early August. Once Brault establishes a consistent growth cycle, he hopes to harvest roughly four times per month.
A. Sue Weisler
Produce from the farm is already being used in Brick City Café and by RIT Catering. In the future, the produce will be used at all dining areas on the main RIT campus.
Rather than using soil to grow plants and provide them nutrients, plants on a hydroponic farm get everything they need from water. Using a vertical hydroponic system for RIT’s farm, Brault anchors the seedlings in a breathable mesh that allows for water flow, and he hangs them from the ceiling in long containers to maximize space.
RIT is one of few universities in the United States that has implemented a hydroponic garden to help sustain its dining needs. Stony Brook University, the University of Arkansas and Clark University have also had success using the same hydroponic set-up RIT adopted, purchased from Freight Farms.
“It helps us stand apart from other universities. This is how we keep RIT and RIT Dining at the forefront of innovation,” said Denishea Ortiz, director of strategic marketing and retail product management for Auxiliary Services. “It is one of many steps that we have taken to highlight the fact that RIT has an innovative campus beyond the classroom.”
Right now, Brault is focusing on growing smaller, leafy greens like basil, cilantro, kale, arugula and different varieties of lettuce. Going forward, he will get feedback from RIT chefs to see what types of produce are in high demand.
“This is square one and from here we have a huge opportunity to turn this farm into something lasting and impactful,” said Brault. “Hopefully, other universities will see that it can be done and that the logistical challenges in implementing something like this are not insurmountable.”
Gabrielle Plucknette-DeVito
Emma Junga, a third-year mechanical engineering student with a concentration in energy and the environment, works at the farm a few days a week. After taking a tour of the farm, Junga was interested in the process and asked Dave Brault for a job. Now, she helps care for the plants, including planting and harvesting, and helps give tours to help share information about the new farm.
Ortiz explained that the goal is to provide produce for all dining facilities on campus. Before they can roll things out on a larger scale, Brault and RIT Dining are experimenting with the growth cycles and outputs to learn what the farm is capable of.
The greens from the hydroponic farm are currently supplying produce for Brick City Café and are being used by RIT Catering.
“Brick City Café is known for its salad bar, thus the proximity of the farm is a chance to provide a literal farm-to-table experience,” Ortiz said. “The produce is fresher and contains more nutrients.”
Before coming to RIT, Brault built and established his own hydroponic farm in the Finger Lakes region of New York. Brault said he looks forward to the unique opportunities the university can provide with its plentiful resources of man-power, brain-power and technological innovations.
“Farming is not something that most people would think involves a lot of technology, but the industry needs these advances to address the challenges that are coming our way,” he said. “I think RIT will continue to find ways to innovate and use technology to help farmers move forward.”
Freight Farm Gives University of Michigan Fresh Produce, Sustainability Data
The Freight Farm is a 320-square-foot recycled shipping container outfitted with 256 columns that can grow plants ranging from veggies to flowers. Automated humidity and temperature controls, a hydroponic system and hot pink LED lighting control the plants’ growing conditions
By Caroline Skiver
September 9, 2019 MDining
Sitting down to eat a salad you may think your greens traveled in a shipping container, but it might not occur to you they were grown in one. Yet this will soon be the case for people eating at MDining’s cafés and halls.
The Freight Farm is a 320-square-foot recycled shipping container outfitted with 256 columns that can grow plants ranging from veggies to flowers. Automated humidity and temperature controls, a hydroponic system and hot pink LED lighting control the plants’ growing conditions.
The farm sits on the U-M Campus Farm at the Matthaei Botanical Gardens. While a Freight Farm typically costs around $75,000, this one is being lent to U-M by LaGrasso Bros. Produce.
The Freight Farm is located at U-M’s Campus Farm at the Matthaei Botanical Gardens. (Photo by Aaron Brodkey, MDining)
While the greens produced there will be sold to MDining, the farm also serves a larger purpose as a research project conducted within the Center for Sustainable Systems.
“The project, funded as a catalyst grant by the Graham Sustainability Institute, initially sought to provide evidence-based decision support for institutional buyers (like MDining) who are faced with a barrage of options that may be seen as ‘sustainable,’” says Martin Heller, senior research specialist at CSS.
Yet the researchers had difficulty procuring data on existing Freight Farms, so they decided to generate their own. The energy needed to operate U-M’s Freight Farm — for lights, air conditioning and circulation pumps — will be monitored along with other inputs like water and nutrients. In August, East Carolina University began using the same data collection tool on its Freight Farm to provide more data.
A life-cycle assessment — or LCA — that considers the environmental impact of all stages of a product’s life cycle will be used to compare greens grown in the Freight Farm with those produced by other methods, such as hoophouses at the Campus Farm or those shipped in from states like Arizona or California. The environmental impact of the Freight Farm structure will be factored in as well.
Greens grown close to home may seem like they’re the most sustainable, but Heller said that isn’t always the case.
“It’s easy to assume that the locally grown greens would fare better, but we know from experience with LCAs of food products that, relative to the inputs required for production, transportation may not be a dominant driver of environmental indicators such as energy use and greenhouse gas emissions,” he said.
While the results aren’t in on the environmental impact of the Freight Farm, it offers a unique way to grow produce in small spaces.
Jocelyn Marchyok, a master’s degree student working as an MDining sustainability intern who manages the Freight Farm, holds plant seedlings that will be moved to the vertical columns of the farm’s growing area. (Photo by Aaron Brodkey, MDining)
Jocelyn Marchyok, a recent U-M graduate now pursuing her master’s degree at the School for Environment and Sustainability, is working as an MDining sustainability intern to manage the Freight Farm.
Marchyok is filling up one-quarter of the Freight Farm at a time, allowing her to grow around 3,200 heads of lettuce in two months. As seedlings, batches of plants will rest in trays for two weeks before they’re transferred to the vertical columns.
From a sustainability standpoint, one way the farm is unique is in its limited water usage.
“This is a completely hydroponic system, so in terms of water, we’re going to be using a lot less,” Marchyok said.
“The tank by the columns has 135 gallons and the one with the seedlings uses about 35 gallons of water. The water is continuously recycled through so there’s not really any input of water unless I’m cleaning it out, which should be every two or three weeks.”
Marchyok is interested to see the energy usage, as the LED lights are on about 18 hours a day. The lights generate heat, which in turn requires an air conditioning system and dehumidifier. In the winter, a heater may be needed. The LEDs are supposed to be enough to heat the farm, but Marchyok isn’t convinced this will hold true with Michigan winters.
The end goal of the project is to determine the associated energy use per kilogram of salad greens produced and delivered to MDining. While the duration of the project is uncertain, Heller would like to get data from all four seasons to capture seasonal variation.
In the meantime, people eating with MDining can know that their greens are not only coming from less than five miles away, but are contributing to research as well.
Tags: Campus Farm Center for Sustainable Systems Freight Farm Matthaei Botanical Gardens MDining
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[INTERVIEW] For Indoor Farming, Why Are Cargo Containers More Optimal Than Warehouses?
Indoor farming projects have been touted for their environmental benefits, but a lack of scalability and profitability have caused smart farm startups to fail all over the world. However, Seoul-based automatic indoor farming startup n.thing is betting on a modular approach for success. The company found that shipping containers are appealing as scalable indoor vertical farming units, especially in countries that are short of fertile land.
The key to its flagship Planty Cube farming facility is a cluster of multiple 12-meter cargo containers, Kim Hye-yeon, CEO and co-founder of n.thing, said in an interview with The Investor.
August 23, 2019
Indoor farming projects have been touted for their environmental benefits, but a lack of scalability and profitability have caused smart farm startups to fail all over the world.
However, Seoul-based automatic indoor farming startup n.thing is betting on a modular approach for success. The company found that shipping containers are appealing as scalable indoor vertical farming units, especially in countries that are short of fertile land.
The key to its flagship Planty Cube farming facility is a cluster of multiple 12-meter cargo containers, Kim Hye-yeon, CEO and co-founder of n.thing, said in an interview with The Investor.
n.thing CEO and co-founder Kim Hye-yeon
Son Ji-hyoung / The Investor
“A stand-alone, single-unit shipping container is not suitable for farmers to do business,” the 34-year-old said. “The scheme to allow multiple shipping containers to be connected appealed to clients when they wanted to see how much space to use for indoor farming before their decision to buy.”
Farm owners may customize production volume and optimize green-growing environments simply by adding or removing cargo containers, making it easier to reflect the needs of farm owners with high flexibility.
Moreover, shipping containers are easy to find anywhere in the world, and they conform to international standards in size and quality, allowing the quality of produce to be consistent regardless of location.
“Such features make it much easier for us to export our indoor farming solution,” Kim said.
The startup’s effort may present a challenge to giant players, such as AeroFarms and Plenty. Their products -- indoor farms the size of a warehouse -- have limitations in exporting to foreign countries, Kim argued.
“Warehouses have higher ceilings, so there are differences in temperatures of warehouse indoor farms between higher places and lower ones. It can cause inefficiency in human effort for harvesting,” he said. “Also, a pest attack is likely to affect the whole of a warehouse farming area.”
A promotional image of modular indoor farm made up of cargo containers.
n.thing
In contrast, each Planty Cube unit is broken into 3-meter-high modules. Plants are sent to each module by stages of growth. Each module is assigned a role: loss control, seeding, sprouting, harvesting and pretreatment. The facility can grow leafy plants such as lettuce, as well as microgreens like herbs and sprouts. Each unit produces 300 kilograms of lettuce every four weeks at a default setting, except for the first seven weeks after the installation.
N.thing is inching closer to becoming the first indoor farming startup in Korea to win foreign customers. In Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, n.thing has embarked on a proof of concept with undisclosed partners in Korea and the UAE. It is considering expanding the smart horticulture business to other cities such as Dubai and Al Ain, as well as nations such as Singapore and Hong Kong.
“If we came up with warehouse-style indoor farming facilities, it wouldn’t have been attractive to clients in the Middle East,” he said.
Kim founded n.thing in January 2014. He was previously involved in a joint venture for an indoor agricultural facility in Uzbekistan. He studied electrical, electronic and communications engineering technology at Hanyang University.
The most crucial aspect to surviving in the automatic farming industry is a company’s ability to integrate diverse technologies into a solution -- from hardware like facilities and light-emitting diodes to software like internet-of-things sensors and farmer database.
“Technology companies with integrated farming solutions do not come overnight,” said Kim.
N.thing raised a combined 2.6 billion won ($2.1 million) in series A funding in December last year from investors including Naver-affiliated early-stage venture capital firm SpringCamp.
By Son Ji-hyoung (consnow@heraldcorp.com)
COLORADO: Precision Farming With The Help of Technology - By The Numbers
Steve and Soozie Arnold used to run cattle on 30,000 acres in the San Juans. Now, they grow butter lettuce and other delicious greens on three acres just north of Spring Creek Road near Montrose
By Michael Cox Special to the Montrose Daily Press
August 22, 2019
Soozie and Steve Arnold pose with part of their hydroponic Garden at the Eatin’ Greens farm. The system they use is considered precision farming. (Michael Cox/ Special to the Montrose Daily Press)
Steve and Soozie Arnold used to run cattle on 30,000 acres in the San Juans. Now, they grow butter lettuce and other delicious greens on three acres just north of Spring Creek Road near Montrose.
They do it hydroponically. Steve can irrigate his crops from his smart phone. Soozie sells greens and things at the farmers' markets, Gold's Gym, several restaurants, and to other customers, taking plastic payment and processing it with The Square on her phone. She counts the beans on QuickBooks. Steve reads the Wall Street Journal online, which is where he found out about the growing system they use.
Without the internet, broadband or otherwise, life would not be the same for small and large ag operations alike. The Arnolds are part of the precision farming movement. It’s farming and ranching with much less guess work and fewer surprises. Growers with a few acres, like the Arnolds, and cattle outfits, like the one Steve used to run, are getting more yield, using less water and taking fewer chances because they have the internet and tools like phoning in your irrigation.
Soozie Arnold helps a Farmers Market customer “pick” her own greens from their hydroponic “farm field.”
(Michael Cox/ Special to the montrose Daily Press)
No more root cellars
When the refrigerator replaced the root cellar and the icebox back in the 1930s, everything from the way farmers finished crops to the way consumers bought them changed for the better. That came about when the Rural Electrification Act set the stage for energy being delivered to rural farms and ranches.
“A similar shift is upon us with the advent of digital technology and next generation precision agriculture, resulting in increasing productivity with fewer inputs, better market access and healthier rural communities,” said Megan Nelson of the American Farm Bureau Federation.
Nelson is all about pushing the idea of broadband for everybody. But what is broadband?
The dictionary definition is, “A high-capacity transmission technique using a wide range of frequencies, which enables a large number of messages to be communicated simultaneously.” In terms more of us can understand, it's like having a digital party line where everyone can talk at once and still get the message straight. In the unseen operations, the data — words, pictures, numbers, etc. — move at light speed in computer-assigned packets. The problem is the network that does this magic is not in place everywhere.
“Just recently the Federal Communications Commission admitted that the maps they have are wrong,” Nelson said, “We really donít know who has broadband available and who doesn’t.”
The FCC has promised to get the maps up-to-date as quickly as possible. In bureau speak that could be next year or the third June of 2021.
Grow Pod Solutions Helps People Start Their Shipping Container Farm
As one of the leading experts in scalable indoor farming practice, Grow Pod Solutions has been able to convert spaces including shipping containers into thriving and successful farms for their clients
August 20, 2019
Corona, CA - Grow Pod Solutions has been helping several people achieve their farming dreams through indoor farming solutions for years. As one of the leading experts in scalable indoor farming practice, Grow Pod Solutions has been able to convert spaces including shipping containers into thriving and successful farms for their clients. Making use of the latest practices, Grow Pod Solutions is able to guarantee an all year round yield through their latest farming solutions.
Describing their approach to farming and their indoor farming solutions, the spokesperson for Grow Pod Solutions said: “Grow Pod Solutions is a modular, stackable and mobile vertical growing environment. We are specifically engineered to maximize yield and automation. We offer a fully insulated, food-grade shipping container that has been specifically modified to provide the optimum controlled environment for growing a wide range of horticultural and agricultural products in all environments and climates. With our combination of hydroponic and certified organic soil systems; you get a significantly higher yield that grows faster, and is more consistent.”
Having cracked the secret to an all-year-round production, Grow Pod Solutions is able to deliver the needed resources for their clients to access their own scalable indoor farm. Having grown over the years, Grow Pod Solutions is well positioned, thus allowing them the needed resources and expertise to meet the demands of their clients irrespective of the scale of farming business aimed at. With Grow Pod Solutions, farming can be carried out in a climate-controlled environment which supports the maximum possible yield.
Aiming to create an environmentally sustainable farming solution, Grow Pod Solutions offers their clients a low impact farming solution. Through an automated climate-controlled environment, clients are exposed to a better and more efficient use of water and power while also being guaranteed complete protection against the use of harmful chemicals such as pesticides and bactericides.
As part of their container based farming solution, Grow Pod Solutions offers options which include hydroponic based farming solutions, soil based farming solutions, and custom build farming solutions.
The hydroponic-based pod offered by Grow Pod Solutions is a great solution designed for farmers who are focused on utilizing a vertical hydroponic system. Being affordable, scalable, efficient, automated, and sustainable, this solution guarantees a greater output that will provide fresh and clean produce annually and in any climate.
Their custom build solution is also designed around the crop and growing goals of each client. The team of botanists and scientists can work to design and build micro-farms to help clients achieve the perfect grow strategy for any crop.
Some of the advantages offered by their farming solutions include multiple pod connections, stackable options, modular additions, clean rooms, shelving systems, prep stations, additional sensors and controls, solar and natural gas energy solutions, security systems, custom colors and graphics, amongst others.
Get a grow container from Grow Pod Solutions. They are located at 337 E Harrison St Unit B, Corona, CA 92879 or can be reached by phone at (855) 247-8054. For more information, visit their website or send an email to their team at info@growpodsolutions.com
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Phone: (855) 247-8054
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Korean Agritech Startup To Export Smart Farm Solution To Middle East
South Korea’s agricultural technology startup n.thing said on July 8 it has started exporting an autonomous modular indoor farming solution Planty Cube to the United Arab Emirates
South Korea’s agricultural technology startup n.thing said on July 8 it has started exporting an autonomous modular indoor farming solution Planty Cube to the United Arab Emirates.
The autopilot farm system will allow farmers to grow greens in fully insulated indoor operations in areas with high aridity, the startup said.
The company said it is working with an undisclosed information technology partner in the Middle East.
According to the current plan, the company will grow and sell Romaine lettuce in Abu Dhabi with Planty Cube. Depending on the local market response, the type of greens will be diversified while the production volume of greens will rise, n.thing said.
Source: The Korea Herald (Son Ji-hyoung)
Indoor Farming New Buzz Across Globe
Urban farming is taking over from conventional farming at many across the globe. A BBC report states that ten shipping containers dominate a corner of the Brooklyn parking area, each full of climate control tech, growing herbs that are distributed to local stores on bicycles
Representative image. Courtesy: MarketWatch
Urban farming is taking over from conventional farming at many across the globe.
A BBC report states that ten shipping containers dominate a corner of the Brooklyn parking area, each full of climate control tech, growing herbs that are distributed to local stores on bicycles.
The containers are owned by Square Roots, part of America’s fast-expanding vertical farming industry, a sector run by many tech entrepreneurs who believe food production is ripe for disruption.
The world’s best basil reputedly comes from Genoa, Italy. Square Roots grows Genovese seeds in a container that recreates the city’s daylight hours, humidity, Co2 levels – and all fed hydroponically in nutrient-rich water, the report added.
An artificial intelligence expert, Peggs founded Square Roots with investor Kimball Musk (Elon’s brother) two years ago.
They’ve signed a deal with one of America’s big distribution companies, Gordon Food Service, to locate herb-growing containers at some its 200 warehouses.
The report quoted him as saying that the deal represents everything about indoor farming’s potential – locally grown, quick-to-market, fresh produce that can be harvested year-round and is free of pesticides and harsh weather.
Jeffery Landau, director of business development at Agritecture Consulting estimates the global value of the vertical farming market will rise to about $ 6.4 bn by 2023, from $ 403 m in 2013, with almost half that attributed to growth in the US.
Plenty, another major US player, raised funds from Softbank chief executive Masayoshi Son and former Google head Eric Schmidt.
The company has ambitions to build hundreds of vertical farms in China. In the UK, food delivery and robotics company Ocado is investing in indoor farming.
In neighbouring New Jersey, however, Bowery Farming, takes a different approach. The five-year-old company runs industrial-sized farms.
Outside one huge, grey windowless warehouse a heat haze shimmers off the concrete.
It’s a sharp contrast to the chilly interior where an aroma of fresh farm produce hits you immediately, the report added.
IDEA Teaching The Future of Growing Food With Leafy Green Machine
One of the ways is through their Leafy Green Machine at the San Benito campus, which is an old refrigerated shipping container that has been converted into a hydroponic farm for growing leafy greens and lettuces
by Jolanie Martinez. CBS 4 News
August 14th 2019
To View The Video, Please Click Here
The Leafy Green Machine at IDEA Academy San Benito (Source: KGBT)<p>
With a new school year in full swing, IDEA Public Schools is working to educate students on how to eat healthy.
One of the ways is through their Leafy Green Machine at the San Benito campus, which is an old refrigerated shipping container that has been converted into a hydroponic farm for growing leafy greens and lettuces.
"It being only 300 sq. ft. yet it's able to produce annually,” said Jordan Roney, a farmer at IDEA Public Schools in San Benito. “The same amount of lettuce and greens that you could grow on two acres of land."
The hydroponic farm gives an inside look on the future of growing food at the intersection of agriculture, technology and conservation.
"All the water that is brought into the farm is used, nothing is wasted,” explained Roney.
The system also delivers nutrients directly to the plants’ roots and uses ten gallons of water a day, which is 90% less water than traditional methods.
IDEA is the only school district in Texas to have the Leafy Green Machine.
"It is also extremely productive meaning that all the seeds that we germinate in there are not exposed to a lot of the outside pressures of pest and pets that you see in traditional farming,” said Roney.
The hydroponic system is part of an after-school program.
"My favorite part of the class is putting my time and effort to help students eat very good,” said 8th Grader at IDEA, Michael Martinez.
"We are here with our friends to try to help people be healthier and do better, so they don't have problems,” said 8th Grader at IDEA, Faith Mantis.
All the items harvested from the Leafy Green Machine goes directly to the cafeteria and used in the salad bar or served in the lunch line.
'Lettuce' Start A New Container Farming Venture
Essentially the company manufacturer purpose-built containers (sea containers don't work) housing a hydroponics system to vertically grow any number of products.
Ken Wilson 17 August 2019
Modular Farms Australia director James Pateras.
ON the surface you might think hydroponics farming is for somebody else to try.
But at last week's TECHSPO, Modular Farms Australia director James Pateras, laid out a tantalising case for the technology to be a niche business on any Australian farm.
A former Victorian dairy farmer and a Deakin University graduate majoring in economics and finance, Mr Pateras is now firmly ensconced in a vertical farming system, growing herbs, and making money.
He also is a director of Modular Farms Australia, which is linked to its Canadian parent in Ontario.
Essentially the company manufacturer purpose-built containers (sea containers don't work) housing a hydroponics system to vertically grow any number of products.
Being modular, additional modules are available for multiple uses.
"One of the secrets of producing quality product is lighting and our company has partnered with world-leading experts in LED lighting, plant health sciences, and indoor agriculture to re-think the container farm from scratch," Mr Pateras said.
"We focus entirely on plant health and farmer return on investment (ROI), which was one of the first questions Mr Pateras answered after his talk.
"The downside is we use a lot of energy in our enterprise but balancing the costs is the fact we are producing a high value product which we can supply virtually on demand year-round," he said.
"And to mitigate power costs it could be supplemented by on-farm energy, either solar or biomass.
His company also supplied cold storage units to maintain freshness until product was transported to clients.
"It's a closed loop system and we have a particular LED light recipe that enhances the quality of produce we market," he said.
Mr Pateras also reiterated the diminishing amount of arable land available throughout the world for farming practices.
"So, for example, we can grow 44,000 lettuce heads a year in a 36 square metre space," he said.
"The land needed to achieve that would be 1000 square metres.
"So vertical farming is making more efficient use of land with year-round supply and scalability.
"There already is work going on to produce rice by hydroponics so as technology improves there may be a way to grow our main line crops the same way.
"But at the moment opportunities exist to grow fresh produce and compete on quality and timing."
Another business opportunity for farmers existed with using biomass.
Department of Primary Industry and Regional Development (DPIRD) researcher Ron Masters said biomass was a realistic cash crop for farmers.
"Biomass on farms would mainly come from animal waste, crop residues or purpose-grown crops," he said.
"It's a renewable resource which reduces the carbon footprint and has the potential to be a substitutive product.
"For example, it could be used for carbon offsets or as a substitution for diesel and ethanol fuels.
"Biomass can be used to create steam for industrial uses or for a generator, bio-hydrogen, biochar and plastics.
"But I think the big winner for farmers will be using it for high value chemicals."
Though Mr Masters didn't expand on this subject, it is well known that sugar constitutes 75 per cent of all biomass, and it can be obtained from many different sources such as cane, beet and corn.
Even wood and straw can be processed into sugars that can be converted to chemicals.
Mr Masters also said renewable diesel would "probably" be the next big thing before renewable chemicals.
"The hidden gem is oil mallees," he said.
"Things have changed since the early days and we now have a commercial operator in Kochi Oil at Darkan which is processing the oil mallees.
"The resultant biomass is there to collect to power a greenhouse system, for example."
Have a commercial operator in the State makes such a proposition more viable."
Mr Masters said that overseas, biomass was a big business in making bio-hydrogen, nitrogenous fertilisers, plastics and used as a wood replacement.
When asked about the potential for canola oil, Mr Masters said there was "massive investment" internationally in canola as a first generation biofuel.
"WA has ignored this area for a long, long time but the opportunities are there," he said.
Juneau Woman Takes Over Indoor Farming Business
The Farm currently supplies microgreens for the Salt & Soil Marketplace. Ruggles hopes to sell her food to other places in the future — particularly schools and hospitals — as she starts growing a wider diversity of plants
“The Farm” owner Duras Ruggles poses next to trays of microgreens in the back of a moving truck she’s outfitting with growing equipment. (Nolin Ainsworth | Juneau Empire)
Saturday, August 10, 2019
The Farm To Sell Microgreens, Herbs
Duras Ruggles purchased a vehicle last month with few intentions of ever driving the thing.
Ruggles, 25, is the new owner of The Farm, an indoor farming business started last year by Bridget and Jake LaPenter out of their house and garden in the Flats neighborhood.
Ruggles farmed for about five years before moving to Juneau last summer and heard about the business opportunity through an acquaintance at the Salt & Soil Marketplace. In addition to the truck, the purchase of The Farm also came with an abundance of soil, seeds, trays, racks and growing lights. The LaPenters had plans to move part of their operation into the truck but didn’t get around to it before the sale.
“I feel really passionate about growing food,” Ruggles said in an interview with the Empire outside her farm near Tee Harbor. “I think it’s the most empowering thing we can do as people, especially in a politically-dangerous space, to have our independence and our freedom.”
Ruggles declined to say exactly how much the business cost, but called it a “significant investment.” She said an angel investor played a big part in the transaction. An angel investor is someone who invests in a start-up in exchange for debt or ownership stakes in the business.
“It’s definitely pertinent information that there was this nice lady who believes in local food and was able to lend me her money so that I could buy this business,” Ruggles said.
Currently there’s over a dozen trays of cilantro, radishes, peas and other microgreens growing. Ruggles said she hopes to cultivate herbs that other local farms, like Juneau Greens, don’t sell.
“My goal is to fill in the gaps and grow whatever people need,” Ruggles said. “I really love growing mushrooms, so that’s also going to happen.”
The Farm currently supplies microgreens for the Salt & Soil Marketplace. Ruggles hopes to sell her food to other places in the future — particularly schools and hospitals — as she starts growing a wider diversity of plants.
“I would really love it if I could sell food to mostly schools as well as hospitals and elderly homes and other facilities where healthy food is really necessary,” she said.
The LaPenters started the business last year in an effort to address Juneau’s food insecurity. They grew microgreens like lettuce year-round inside their house while also cultivating greens and crops outside in the spring, summer and fall. They stopped their indoor growing operation in March, Bridget said, to prepare for the birth of their second child the next month.
“We quickly realized it was just getting way too chaotic for us, so we knew some time off would be a responsible choice on our part to keep the stress levels low,” Bridget said.
Bridget said she’s excited to see where Ruggles takes The Farm.
“We’re really hoping she succeeds,” Bridget said.
Connecting with The Farm
Email: the.farm.ak@gmail.com
Website: thefarmak.com
Purchase: www.saltandsoilmarketplace.com
• Contact sports reporter Nolin Ainsworth at 523-2272 or nainsworth@juneauempire.com.
The Future of Arctic Farming – Infographic
Despite difficult growing conditions, the number of vegetable farms in Alaska, Norway, Canada and other Arctic regions appears to have increased
Green Iglus, solar retention greenhouses in Nunavut, aim at producing greenery and produce for the community. Photo: Mike Beauregard
Greenhouses and Hydroponic Systems are Becoming Ripe with Possibility
Despite difficult growing conditions, the number of vegetable farms in Alaska, Norway, Canada and other Arctic regions appears to have increased. The hope is that a better, more affordable supply of vegetables in Arctic communities will help battle public health issues, improve food security and decrease the economy’s dependence on oil and imports.
This infographic designed by Jennifer Cook illustrates the challenges of vegetable production in the Arctic as well as possible solutions offered by Arctic farming. Lower temperatures and permafrost result in short growing seasons and slow down the growing process.
A frequent solution, the import of vegetables, is often unreliable and expensive. Combined with other factors, this can affect the food security, health, well-being, and financial situation of communities. In recent years, the number of Arctic farming projects based on greenhouses, hydroponics, or other technologies has developed rapidly, offering the potential for a better, more affordable, and more sustainable supply of fresh vegetables.
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OD Greens Helps Vets Re-Assimilate Through Farming
Don Tobul started OD Greens in 2018 to combine hydroponic gardening with his experience as a mental health professional. As a veteran himself, Don saw the opportunity to use container farming as a platform for a business that helps fellow vets gain meaningful work experience and re-assimilate into civilian life through therapeutic farm work
March 12, 2019 Rebecca Shamritsky
11 Questions with Don Tobul of OD Greens
Don Tobul started OD Greens in 2018 to combine hydroponic gardening with his experience as a mental health professional. As a veteran himself, Don saw the opportunity to use container farming as a platform for a business that helps fellow vets gain meaningful work experience and re-assimilate into civilian life through therapeutic farm work.
We caught up with Don to learn more about his mission and big plans for OD Greens.
Freight Farms: Can you tell our readers a little bit about yourself?
Don Tobul: Sure–I grew up on a small farm in Ohio, and always had an affinity for science, education, and agriculture, which were the driving forces behind my early career path as a chemistry and physics teacher. I joined the Ohio Army National Guard in January of 2001 as a way of paying my college tuition. Three years later, I found myself on active duty in Iraq, providing security for convoys as they traveled throughout that country. Upon returning home and finishing my teaching degree in 2006, I found that I had another calling. I wanted to work in the mental health field to specifically address PTSD in combat veterans. I obtained my masters degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling in 2013 and have been practicing ever since.
I approached Freight Farming with the Army mentality of 'Adapt and Overcome'. If the client doesn’t have a garden, provide one for them. If the area you live in gets a total of 15 days of sunshine annually, create an artificial sun.
Don Tobul, OD Greens
FF: How did your counseling career lead you to start a farm?
DT: I became interested in hydroponics and aquaponics as a hobby and built a home system in my basement in 2013. It was while I was working on the system–under the lights with the plants and the fish–that I would catch myself smiling. I decided to explore this phenomenon more deeply; In talking with several of my clients I learned that many of them experienced the same type of mood shift while gardening. That was the lightbulb moment. There were a couple overarching problems though. Primarily, not everyone has access to land or a garden, which limited their ability to farm. Secondly, I live in Cleveland, Ohio–not exactly a sunny destination spot.
I chose to approach these limitations with the Army mentality of “Adapt and Overcome”; If the client doesn’t have a garden, provide one for them. If the area you live in gets a total of 15 days of sunshine annually, create an artificial sun. This led me to find Freight Farms and the Leafy Green Machine, and OD Greens was created.
FF: Can you explain what OD Green’s mission is?
DT: My mission is to blend my life experiences in teaching, combat, and mental health to help others. OD Greens provides workplace occupational development and training to veterans with service-connected disabilities with the goal of assisting them in their successful transition to civilian life.
FF: Where does the LGM fit in?
DT: I currently work with people who have physical, mental, and emotional disabilities. The motivation to adopt an LGM was primarily the positive effects that farming can have on mental health, but also the adaptability to be able to provide reasonable accommodations for individuals who have physical limitations.
Photo: OD Greens on Facebook
FF: And what are you growing in your farm?
DT: Currently we grow 10 different types of lettuce, and we’re still experimenting with the ones we feel are the best, and which ones are in the highest demand with our clients. We’re also growing Italian large leaf basil, Thai basil, and lemon basil. We had great success with these three types during our pilot, so we thought it would be a good starting place.
Thai Basil Lemon Basil Italian Large Leaf Basil
FF: By becoming a Freight Farmer, you’ve become part of the local food movement. What does local food mean to you?
DT: Local agriculture not only offers a chance to grow local economies, but it also strengthens the bonds between people within communities. I believe that knowing the person who grows your food and where your food comes from should be an important part of the American lifestyle. By shopping local, its easier to relate a story to the food that consumers eat. We begin to understand that food does not come from a store. Food comes from someone’s hard work, tedious and meticulous care, and overall ingenuity. This is the foundation of the American spirit.
I believe that knowing the person who grows your food and where your food comes from should be an important part of the American lifestyle.
FF: Seems like you have some really big plans for OD Greens. Where do you see the business in the future?
DT: Phase 1 is to demonstrate market feasibility and the viability of the growing component as a standalone operation. Phase 2 incorporates workplace training for disabled military veterans using hydroponics as a platform. The observable and measurable tasks associated with the general operation of the LGM creates a perfect environment to assess an individual’s stamina and productivity throughout a work day. Furthermore, individuals who participate may not have any civilian work history. OD Greens will serve as a workplace environment where veterans can strengthen their resumes and develop strong references for when they apply for civilian jobs.
FF: As you grow, what’s one thing you want your customers to know about you and your business?
DT: I want my customers to know that by purchasing produce from OD Greens theyare helping to provide workplace training for disabled military veterans. I emphasize to my customers that, while my prices might be slightly higher, they are helping to support our mission and disabled veterans with each purchase. I try to maintain competitive pricing whenever possible, in order to make sure that produce is going out to the community. The growing component of OD Greens will serve to support the counseling and workplace training components of the business in the future, and vice versa.
I overcame my fears by running a small pilot system out of my home and establishing a small network of followers including restaurants and a few individual clients. Don Tobul
FF: What was the most challenging part of becoming a Freight Farmer and how were you able to overcome it?
DT: As with anything, the fear of the unknown and taking the leap of faith was the most challenging part for me. I’ve never owned a business before, and while I think I have the entrepreneurial spirit, I have no business education or experience. I’ve never worked in sales, and I continue to maintain my day job during the startup phases of OD Greens.
Don with family in the farm
Photo: OD Greens on Instagram
FF: That’s a challenge a lot of prospective farmers face. How were you able to overcome it?
DT: Luckily, I have supportive family and friends who have helped me at every step along the way. I overcame my fears by running a small pilot system out of my home and establishing a small network of followers including restaurants and a few individual clients. During this pilot I grew as many different crops as I could, logged my measurements daily, and sampled out my product to gain rapport with potential clients. The pilot went very well and it was an invaluable learning experience. It gave me the confidence necessary purchase a Leafy Green Machine.
Dont try to do it alone. There are so many people out there with knowledge, experiences, and insights that can help you succeed.
Don Tobul
FF: And finally, what’s the best piece of advice you can give to people interested in becoming Freight Farmers?
DT: I think the best advice I can give is “Dont try to do it alone.” There are so many people out there with knowledge, experiences, and insights that can help you succeed. Alone, we can get caught up in a process that can seem overwhelming and daunting at times, which is why most ideas don’t manifest into true action.
With that being said, my second piece of advice is don’t fully rely on others to provide you with the best information or insights to your business. Take calculated risks. Do what works for you and your business and maintain your sights on your mission.
Get to know OD Greens by following them on Facebook and Instagram!
Learn more about our farmers through our Case Studies.
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Discover more from Freight Farms
Webinar Recording | Hammock Greens
Freight Farms team member Rebecca Shamritsky talks with Thomas Smitherman and Aaron Dreilinger of Hammock Greens
About The Webinar
Freight Farms team member Rebecca Shamritsky talks with Thomas Smitherman and Aaron Dreilinger of Hammock Greens about how two restaurant industry veterans found themselves running a six-unit urban farming operation in Miami.
They discuss everything: how they determined their 15-variety Growhouse Mix, how they use farming to bolster underserved Miami communities, and how they were able to grow quickly in just two years.
JUMP RIGHT IN!
5m10s - Hammock Greens Overview
9m20s - Aaron and Thomas’ background
14m10s - Restaurant Customers
24m40s - Community Development in Miami
32m08s - Staffing Strategy
36m52s - Crops and Mix Development
46m13s - Scaling Quickly
57m33s - Live Q&A
Plus, check out our comprehensive re-cap!
WEBINAR RECAP BLOG
OId MacDonald Had A Farm…And A Robot, And Racks of plants, And Lots of Plastic To grow Plants In…
How about farms that go up vertically – measured in stories high, instead of in acres wide? How about farms that are inside buildings, instead of outdoors? How about farms that are in a city, instead of out in the country? How about farms that use water, instead of dirt?
The future of farming?
How about farms that go up vertically – measured in stories high, instead of in acres wide? How about farms that are inside buildings, instead of outdoors? How about farms that are in a city, instead of out in the country? How about farms that use water, instead of dirt? How about farms that use plastic, instead of dirt? Not to mention robots and drones working the crops.
All possible. All happening, in fact. And perhaps, the future of farming.
Over the year to come, we’ll tell you more in detail about these innovations, and other changes in how we grow our food. But the future of farming has more in common with the past and the present than you might think. Petrochemicals, for instance. Past, present or future, you can’t farm without the products made from them: from the strong, lightweight plastics used to build the racks (and even the “ground”) plants grow on, to the carbon fiber-reinforced resin used to make many of those drones and robots and other equipment used on the indoor farms of the future – to the fuels that move the tractors, combines and other equipment used on the outdoor farms of today, as well as the fuels that move the food those farms grow to us – farming has deep petrochemical roots.
*****
Today, we’ll start with an introduction, and we’ll start in – in San Carlos, California.
That’s where Iron Ox has turned a warehouse into a grow house: a dirt-free indoor farm growing romaine lettuce, kale and other leafy greens. What replaces dirt at Iron Ox, is water (water supercharged with nutrients) – and racks, rows and rows of horizontal and vertical racks of plants…
(Photo from Iron Ox)
…fresh food grown for people living in cities (like so many of us), grown in the cities where we live, and grown year round (which even in California, isn’t possible outdoors).
And the “Iron Ox”? Much of the work on this farm is done by robots (like the one in that picture, lifting and moving racks of plants). Those robots can move in any direction, so they can place those racks closer together and get the most out of those indoor spaces. The robots move on Mecanum wheels made from a high-tech synthetic rubber derived from petrochemicals like ethylene, propylene and toluene. Even the robot arm that plants seeds and transfers plants? That bends and flexes thanks to polypropylene joints.
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In Houston, Moonflower Farms has replaced the dirt with vermiculite that contains a mineral blend. In their mini-warehouse (more of a shack really), their micro-greens are racked vertically…
(Photo from Moonflower Farms)
…under hot pink lights.
That meant, after Hurricane Harvey swept over the Gulf Coast, Moonflower had 10 inches of water on the floor – but almost all of their crop was just fine (since it was up above the ground, and the flood water).
(Those racks, by the way, must be light-weight and strong, which requires engineered polymers like high-density polyethylene, ABS and HIPS. And yes, those high-tech polymers are made from petrochemicals such as ethylene, propylene, butadiene and benzene.)
*****
Also in Houston is Acre in a Box. In this case, the “box” is an old shipping container. And inside that 320 square feet, is an acre (and a half, actually) of produce…
(Photo from Acre in a Box)
…growing hydroponically day and night, come rain or come shine, or even come hurricane.
*****
At Urban Organics, in St. Paul, Minnesota – it’s easy to see one advantage of indoor farming. The average high temperature in January is 23 degrees. And unless you like a hot bowl of pine needle soup (think Euell Gibbons), there’s not much of anything growing fresh in that weather.
Urban Organics is an aquaponics farm – meaning they also grow their plants in a nutrient-rich water – but in this case, the fertilizer comes from fish (fish poop, that is). In turn, the plants filter the water as they absorb those nutrients, the clean water goes back to the fish, and round and round the system goes.
(Photo from Urban Organics)
And this type of advanced agriculture wouldn’t be possible without the engineered plastics made from petrochemicals. Companies like Pentair Aquatic Eco-Systems use polyethene and fiber-reinforced resins, made from the petrochemical ethylene, to make fish tanks and filter tanks. Ethylene is also used in the polyethylene and vinyl liners. And the advanced membrane technology that allows for water recycling depends on petrochemicals as well (like the xylene, that makes the polyamide, that makes those membranes).
*****
But maybe the most far-out farming is going on in Japan – where Mebiol Research and Development is growing tomatoes – indoors – on a plastic sheet.
(Photo from Mebiol)
This plastic (polymer) sheet is a hydrogel called polyvinyl acetate – a material like a super sponge which soaks up water and nutrients. The tomatoes (and there are other plants too), grow ON the polymer, spreading their roots across the surface, and absorbing the nutrient-steeped water. That polymer starts with ethylene, again – which as you know by now, is a critical part of future farming.
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Oh, and those drones? Drones nowadays inspect crops – check for plants that are underwatered – spot diseased plants – evaluate smoke contamination after a fire. And after a fire, drones can plant new trees (as seeds), to help restore burned-over wilderness areas (and since they are drones, getting into a wilderness to plant is not a problem).
(Photo from DroneSeed)
The drones, by the way, don’t dig holes and plant seeds – these drones “shoot” seed pods into the ground. The pods are packed with nutrients, and coated with capsaicin (the stuff in chili peppers), to keep animals from eating the seeds.
(These sophisticated, seed-planting drones have to be tough, to withstand a wide variety of weather conditions and constant stress from the multiple blades – so fiber-reinforced resins are used because they are as strong as steel and much lighter in weight. The resins are a special type of plastic called epoxy, and the petrochemical propylene is their foundation.)
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All of these methods of farming use far less water (as much as 90 percent less water) as conventional farming – they take up far less land – they can grow food year round – and they can grow food in the same place where most of it is being eaten, our cities. All good, and all important at a time when there is less and less good farmland, and more and more of us needing to be fed. And as we told you at the beginning of this peek at the future, all of this depends on farming’s deep petrochemical roots.
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Right after World War I, there was a hit song: “How ya gonna keep ‘em down on the farm (after they’ve seen Paree)?”
Millions of American soldiers came home after the war, having left their home town for the first time, their state for the first time, their country for the first time – and maybe, so the song went, soldiers who’d left small towns across America, might have a taste now for big city life, and wouldn’t want to go home.
That might be different in years to come though. Because “down on the farm” might be very much a part of big city life. And it won’t be “down” on the farm anyhow. Those future farms will go up, up into the air. Skyscrapers filled with vegetables? Stay tuned throughout the year as we follow this story.
Hammock Greens Has 6 Farms, And They're Not Done! - Register For Our Live Webinar With Aaron and Thomas on July 29th, 2019 from 12-1pm EST
The stars of our July 2019 webinar gave us a sneak peak into their impressive six-farm operation in Miami, Florida. Since 2017, Aaron and Thomas have steadily expanded to become a household name in local food. Check out our interview!
July 18, 2019
16 Questions with Aaron & Thomas of Hammock Greens
The stars of our July 2019 webinar gave us a sneak peak into their impressive six-farm operation in Miami, Florida. Since 2017, Aaron and Thomas have steadily expanded to become a household name in local food. Check out our interview!
Aaron Dreilinger Thomas Smitherman
DISCOVERY & EXPERIENCE
FF: What is the story behind Hammock Greens?
Aaron Dreilinger: We’re a South Florida-based startup supplying wholesale produce direct-to-restaurants and (soon) direct-to-consumer. Our vision was to create a source of clean, local, fair food while also activating all types of unused spaces around the Miami area. Since starting in 2017, we’ve focused on exponential growth: We have six containers now and we hope to add five more by 2020.
“I told myself, ‘this sounds like it’s something I could do from my hammock’, and Hammock Greens was born.”
— Thomas Smitherman, Co-Founder of Hammock Greens
FF: Thomas–you discovered Freight Farms. How did you find out about us?
Thomas Smitherman: I had sold my previous company to take a break. My family and I researched some new careers, making calls to companies that interested us, Freight Farms among them. Freight Farms took the call and gave us better customer service overall from them. So they got the business.
FF: Did either of you have previous farming experience?
AD: We had a unique combination of culinary and agricultural backgrounds, with a little science in the mix. Originally, I studied Sustainable Design, but ultimately became a chef. In my career, I’ve spent years developing relationships as a consumer and supporter of local farms, which are scarce in Miami. I began the search for a stronger agricultural connection and met Thomas, who has a traditional agriculture family background and worked with premium wine brands at every level. However, actual farming was not in either of our backgrounds. We had to learn a lot about the industry, the market, and how it worked and it is Thomas that ultimately became the master farmer and scientist of the team.
FF: How did you arrive on the name, ‘Hammock Greens’
TS: Freight Farms told us a lot about how easy is was to grow leafy greens indoors using a shipping container with remote monitoring. I told myself “This sounds like it’s something I could do from my hammock”, and Hammock Greens was born.
CROPS & PACKAGING
FF: Which is your favorite crop to grow and why?
AD: We’ve become known for a few things. I think my personal favorite is Sorrel, specifically red-veined sorrel which has the most vibrant red color. Chefs go nuts for it! Of course, the more delicate stuff, like upland cress and lemon balm are strong seconds. Overall, we focus on a balance blend. Since we have multiple mixed cases, we are serious about variety. And we listen to our customers. We help them plan menus and discuss trends.
FF: How do you package your crops?
AD: Here’s a headache–there’s a real market for better packaging out there. Mostly, live greens packaging is catered to musclebound-roid-raged California heads like Bibb. Boring. Tasteless. As a result, we’ve become quite creative with the packaging, making due with a number of combinations of plastic liners and traditional cardboard.
We just launched a kickstarter campaign is geared at producing a more unique and renewable solution to our growing needs and we’d love to connect with the right partner and develop something better for the entire vertical farming community.
CUSTOMERS
FF: Who are your customers?
AD: While a portion of our business is donated to the homeless, the rest services restaurants. And as a premium brand, we are in demand with some very impressive chefs and restauranteurs.
FF: How did you first build these relationships?
AD: Initially we contacted industry friends and from there word spread. In the beginning you had to “know somebody” to get to us, and the chefs liked that kind of exclusivity. Soon they were putting our name in print and that really helped too.
“Our plants are so fresh, they’re still alive when we deliver. Plus, no -cides of any kind.”
— Thomas Smitherman
FF: Do you find that customers are willing to pay more for your premium product?
TS: Yes, and no. Some understand the value of what we have to offer and some don’t. Those who get it, are happy with the price point. Those who don’t are interested in a higher volume product.
FF: Can you share your favorite customer story?
TS: One specific time comes to mind during a Slow Food Miami fundraiser/award ceremony that featured all of Miami’s best chefs. All of them were so proud to speak about our product to their customers. Over half of the 30 Miami chefs being honored were already customers and they were choosing to tell our story that night. It was a very moving evening.
INDUSTRY
FF: What’s the most pressing issue in food and agriculture that you’d like to see solved?
AD: Distance. On a large scale, we’ve become spoiled and demanding by constant availability. Seasonal means just that. Not everything should available all the time. And if it must be (ie leafy greens) then find a way to produce locally when you want it! We did.
TS: That’s a ridiculous question, but if I had to choose one thing, I would say the “food system” needs to find a way to feed the poor. I think removing processed foods is the biggest opportunity there: When people start using fresh products we lower all the other societal costs associated with poor diet.
FF: What is one small change everyone can make in their daily lives to make a big difference in our food system?
AD: Count your ingredients. Count the syllables, and the total amount. 3-4 is a good number! If your kids cant read it, don’t feed it to them. Basically, shop carefully from the “outside isles” of the grocery store.
FF: What reaction do you typically get from people when you tell them what you do for a living?
TS: Amazement and astonishment. Genuine excitement. And then, a lot of ideas that it is strictly philanthropic. I often have to remind people that, while we try and do some charity with the farms, at the end of the day this is a commercial business.
FF: You mentioned earlier your goal to grow in 2020. Any other plans for the future?
AD: We are looking for exponential growth this year and next. This includes some high profile spaces in conjunction with local government. Another large project will see us connected to an international celebrity chef group/restaurant chain.
“Establish relationships with that market. Listen to their needs, make sure they know your limitations and capabilities, and deliver- often!”
— Aaron Dreilinger, Co-Founder Hammock Greens
FF: What was the most challenging part of becoming a Freight Farmer and how were you able to overcome it?
AD: Location. We set out to place a container is a variety of locations. “Hyper-localism” gave way to a disparate range of locations, from art galleries to alleyways. This opened up a number of logistic- and compliance-related challenges. One space in particular had to be changed less than 6 months into operation due to construction. But part of our marketing and branding philosophy pushed us to find high profile, community based locations, where we were welcomed and appreciated. Ultimately this challenge became integral to our brand identity.
TS: Everything but the farming. Packaging, marketing, business plan, raising capital. Once you’re in it, you have to produce consistently. Now that it is built, the challenge is maintaining production at high standards while still developing the business side.
FF: Any finally, what’s the best piece of advice you can give to people interested in becoming Freight Farmers?
AD: Its not easy. Know your market very well. Establish relationships with that market. Listen to their needs, make sure they know your limitations and capabilities, and deliver- often!
TS: Be less concerned about the crops–spend more on packaging and selling, the crops will grow!
Want to learn more about Hammock Greens?
Register for our live webinar with Aaron and Thomas on July 29th, 2019 from 12-1pm EST.
SIGN UP
In the meantime, check out HammockGreens.com and follow Thomas and Aaron on Facebook and Instagram.
Hammock Green’s Kickstarter campaign is live until July 31st–support their efforts with as little as $1!
MEET MORE FARMERS
HAMMOCK GREENS HAS 6 FARMS, AND THEY'RE NOT DONE!
Jul 18, 2019
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May 23, 2019
CubicFarms Is Pleased To Announce The Appointment of Rodrigo Santana as President And Chief Operating Officer
Rodrigo has extensive senior leadership experience from both private and publicly traded growth-oriented companies such as Dow Agrosciences, SGS, Commercial Testing & Engineering, and Sacré-Davey Engineering
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / July 25, 2019 / CubicFarm® Systems Corp. (TSXV: CUB) (“CubicFarms” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce the appointment of Rodrigo Santana as President and Chief Operating Officer (COO).
“It is a great pleasure to welcome Rodrigo to our team”, stated Dave Dinesen, CEO of CubicFarm® Systems Corp. “Rodrigo brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise. Rodrigo’s appointment will enhance our ability to deliver operational excellence and further establish our vertical farming technology as a leader in the controlled environment agriculture space to drive customer and shareholder value.”
Rodrigo has extensive senior leadership experience from both private and publicly traded growth-oriented companies such as Dow Agrosciences, SGS, Commercial Testing & Engineering, and Sacré-Davey Engineering. As the Chief Operating Officer at Sacré-Davey Engineering, he led the company to significant growth, through strategic business and corporate development initiatives, as well as geographical expansion across North America.
Rodrigo has a successful track record in strategic growth planning and execution, financial and operational management, engineering, project management, and operational efficiency. Rodrigo has extensive international management experience in Europe, Africa, Australia, and the Americas.
Rodrigo earned a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture Engineering from the Federal University of Lavras, Brazil, and a Master’s in Business Administration from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management, Chicago, IL. As well, Rodrigo is a certified Six Sigma Black Belt.
"I am very pleased to join the talented team at CubicFarms. Together, we will further develop our operational capabilities and innovative technology to enhance the Company's growth”, said Rodrigo Santana.
Appointment subject to TMXV approval
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
About CubicFarm® Systems Corp.
CubicFarm® Systems Corp. is an Ag-Tech and Vertical Farming company that utilizes patented technology to cultivate high-quality produce. The Company believes that it can provide a benefit to the world by significantly reducing the physical footprint of farming, shipping costs, and associated greenhouse gasses, while significantly decreasing the use of fresh water and eliminating the need for harmful pesticides.
Founded in 2015, the Company’s mission is to provide farmers around the world with an efficient growing system capable of producing predictable yields with superior taste. Using its unique, undulating growing system, the Company addresses the main challenges within the indoor farming industry by significantly reducing the need for physical labour, by reducing energy, and by maximizing yield per cubic foot. The Company has sold and installed systems in Canada and the US and is currently negotiating with a global pipeline of prospective customers. It also operates one wholly-owned facility in Pitt Meadows, BC and sells its produce in British Columbia to retail and wholesale customers under the brand name Thriiv Local Garden™.
CubicFarm® Systems Corp.’s patented growing system provides customers with a turnkey, commercial scale, hydroponic, automated vertical farming operation that can grow predictably and sustainably for 12 months of the year virtually anywhere on earth. CubicFarm® enables its customers to grow locally and to provide their markets with produce that is consistent in colour, size, taste, nutrition and allows for a longer shelf life. CubicFarms is focused on providing its technology to farmers to grow safe, sustainable, secure, fresh produce, nutraceutical ingredients, and animal feed. Further support and value are provided to our clients through our patent pending germination technology and proprietary auto harvesting and processing methods.
CubicFarm® Systems Corp.
For further information contact:
Ross Rayment, VP - Corporate Development
ross@cubicfarms.com work: 1-403-616-0312
Cautionary Notice Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
This news release includes certain “forward-looking statements” under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward looking statements are based upon a number of estimates and assumptions (including the receipt of regulatory approvals) that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. Accordingly readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
SOURCE: CubicFarm® Systems Corp.
View source version on accesswire.com:
https://www.accesswire.com/553345/CubicFarmR-Systems-Corp-welcomes-Rodrigo-Santana-as-President-and-Chief-Operating-Officer