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Certhon Expands To Bring In Horticultural Experience For North American Market
Besides traditional greenhouses, indoor farming has become a professional segment that develops faster in the United States than anywhere else. In some cases, these facilities are complementary to the greenhouse, but mostly these are stand-alone setups
While celebrating its 125 years of existence this year, Certhon is far from done developing and expanding within the horticultural market. There have been a lot of developments for the company in the last few years. For example, Certhon established its own Innovation Center to research the optimization of technologies in the field of indoor farming. With a team of technology experts and agronomists, Certhon always tries to find ways to improve cultivation methods. Another development is the partnership between DENSO and Certhon that has been established last year. This collaboration is meant to accelerate the technologies used in horticulture.
We also see that projects are becoming more and more complex, large-scale, and international. Certhon is already active all over the world: from Europe to the Middle East and from Asia to North America. Because the demand for fresh greenhouse produce is still on the rise in the North American market, Certhon works to realize a stable presence in the United States. That’s why Timo Kleijwegt and Fred van Veldhoven have joined Certhon to rejuvenate and bring in experience to serve this growing market optimally. This, combined with dedicated local people and a support team based in the headquarters in Poeldijk, the Netherlands, entrepreneurs in North America can rely on the best Certhon has to offer and 24/7 support.
Left: Timo Kleijwegt, right: Fred van Veldhoven
Turn-key greenhouse projects
For expansion of an existing greenhouse, new (indoor) facility, or turnkey set up, Certhon has all the knowledge, know-how, and technologies under one roof to enable entrepreneurs to produce local, fresh food. All in accordance with the local regulations and requirements, and the wishes of the customer. One of Certhon’s solutions is the SuprimAir greenhouse, which is a semi-closed greenhouse that provides optimal growing conditions for various crops like tomatoes and peppers, but also ornamentals like orchids.
“In fact, Certhon doesn’t just design and construct a greenhouse, but creates the optimal climate and conditions to realize the best results,” says Fred van Veldhoven, who recently joined Certhon as International sales manager. “Certhon has its own developed system to obtain a complete and updated backtrack of the climatological conditions of a particular area per hour!” continues Fred. “All available data has been brought together and presents a reliable picture of the local situation. Future developments are being forecasted and extremes are being analyzed. This way, the right facility can be calculated, designed, and built for anything, anywhere.”
The American market is probably the most dynamic and demanding in the world and the consumers are used to have access to high-quality food, flowers, and ornamental plants. “Entrepreneurs choose for the total solution approach of Certhon, so they only have to turn the key,” concludes Fred.
State-of-the-art indoor farms
Besides traditional greenhouses, indoor farming has become a professional segment that develops faster in the United States than anywhere else. In some cases, these facilities are complementary to the greenhouse, but mostly these are stand-alone setups. The legalization of cannabis production in various states in the US and Canada has boosted this development. However, more and more entrepreneurs discover the benefits of fully controlled indoor food production, just around the corner.
Also within the larger agglomeration areas where fresh food is more expensive, indoor farming is part of the supply chain. Recently, Timo Kleijwegt joined Certhon as sales manager for the US market to respond to this development. Timo: “In our Innovation Centre, we have several indoor cells that are all designed differently so we can test which systems are working better for different purposes.
One of the crops we are testing and that is very interesting for indoor farming, are strawberries. Certhon has developed a unique growing concept for indoor strawberry production, which is highly profitable. Besides all the benefits that come with indoor growing, we see enormous positive results in yield and taste of growing strawberries indoors. At the moment, the final trials are being concluded. If anyone is interested in the results, they can contact me for a one-on-one presentation.”
Certhon will be present at key events in the US and Canada to share the latest developments, including the PMA in New Orleans in October. “We are looking forward to talking to ambitious entrepreneurs there,” Timo concludes.
North America’s Indoor Farms Plan To Add 500-Plus Acres Over Next 5 Years
“Now that the market has established itself, you’re going to see a lot of technology in the next few years come on to the market. New hardware, new sensors, new control systems, new lighting, new physical structures, new growing system automation, robotics, AI — you name it.”
June 7, 2021 Lauren Manning
Indoor farming analytics provider Artemis has just released its annual State of Indoor Farming report, which reflects a survey of 205 enterprise horticulture facilities across the US and Canada. Put together in partnership with research firm Startle, the report’s goal is to assess where the region’s industry is today – as well as giving growers a voice around the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities it presents.
It covers everything from container farms to high-tech glass greenhouses and vertical farms.
“One thing we did this year that was different from last time was asking things like, ‘How are you actually getting capital? How are you getting contracts with buyers? How did the mechanics work to make sure that you can actually expand and build projects?'” Artemis co-founder and CEO Allison Kopf tells AFN.
“There are some really interesting tidbits that might go unnoticed, like the small number of people who indicated that part of their expansion plan includes packing operations. I think this is probably driven by Covid-19 and the supply chain holes that we saw. Doing more on-site packing and increasing on-site capacity is very different from field ag.”
A few other notable findings from the report include:
77% of respondents are growing multiple crops while 23% are growing a single crop.
The three most commonly cultivated crops indoors are leafy greens (26% of total), herbs (20%), and microgreens (16%). Tomatoes (10%), cucumbers (8%), peppers (8%), ornamentals (6%), and strawberries (6%) round out the list.
The average revenue reported by growers selling the leading indoor crop, leafy greens, is $7.82 per pound.
Inputs remain one of the biggest drivers of operational costs for indoor growers with average annual costs for seeds ($24,989), grow media ($19,190), and nutrients ($17,510) among the most expensive.
Retail and grocery outlets (28%) remain the dominant sales channel for indoor growers, followed by direct-to-consumer outlets (26%) and wholesale accounts (17%).
Indoor growers are also eager to expand their footprints. Roughly three-quarters have expansion plans that they aim to execute in the next five years. If they are successful in their endeavors, they’ll add a predicted 544 acres to North America’s indoor farming industry.
Technology adoption indoors
The indoor farming industry has a big appetite for technology, according to the Artemis report. Just over a third of respondents are using mainly tablets and mobile phones to run their daily operations, with 24% using desktop computers. Six percent have adopted barcode scanners.
When considering new technologies, 39% of indoor growers are eager to find solutions to manage operations more efficiently. Lowering the cost of production (20%) and increasing yields (19%) are also high on the tech discovery list.
Investing in technology and understanding it is a critical ingredient for success, according to Kopf.
“Now that the market has established itself, you’re going to see a lot of technology in the next few years come on to the market. New hardware, new sensors, new control systems, new lighting, new physical structures, new growing system automation, robotics, AI — you name it,” she says.
But the increase in choice comes with its own problems. Some growers may find themselves overwhelmed by the flood of new offerings, or lack the time to research the optimal products for them.
“Being able to find the right stuff to operate the facility the way you want for the crops that you are growing is going to be really, really critical. [Tech vendors] that differentiate based on product are going to stand above the rest,” Kopf suggests.
This could include products that help indoor farms prove they are carbon neutral or negative, opening up a new world of branding and marketing opportunities.
Advancements in breeding technology are also starting to open the door to new types of crop cultivation. As developments in genetics unlock the right varieties for indoor conditions, the industry will be better equipped to move beyond leafy greens and herbs.
Suited for public markets
As more indoor farming startups raise substantial rounds or take their companies public — like AppHarvest and Aerofarms have done recently through SPAC mergers — questions are bubbling up around whether the momentum can last.
For Kopf, the fact that indoor farms are producing tangible products differentiates them from some of the other hyped subsectors within agrifoodtech. Indoor farming operations can also involve substantial physical infrastructure, making them well suited for public markets, she says – while they can also tick the increasingly important ESG box for investors. As a result, she sees more SPAC deals and IPOs on the horizon.
There’s also room left for indoor farming to expand in certain geographies where massive consumer markets await.
“If you look at the Netherlands or Spain, markets where greenhouse production is commonplace, we’re really behind in the US. If you’ve got plenty of room to grow – that changes the dynamic,” Kopf says.
“I don’t think we are anywhere near where we will be in the next five to 10 years, which to me indicates you’re not in a bubble. You’re in the early stages of a transitional period for an industry as a whole.”
How AgriTech Is Playing A Key Role In Greenhouse Vegetable Production
In this exclusive interview with Greenhouse Grower, Gov. Beshear provides a closer look at the AgriTech Initiative and how companies like Kentucky Fresh Harvest are building a brighter future for the commonwealth
June 2, 2021
Editor’s Note: This is the last of a four-part series covering of growth of Kentucky Fresh Harvest as it prepares for its first crop. Check out the previous parts of the series here.
In support of Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear’s vision of a diverse and resilient agricultural industry in Kentucky, one of the keys to the long-term growth plan of Kentucky Fresh Harvest is its involvement with the Kentucky AgriTech Initiative. This initiative is designed to highlight Kentucky’s unique position to offer an environment that can attract, develop, and sustain agritech-related enterprises.
In this exclusive interview with Greenhouse Grower, Gov. Beshear provides a closer look at the AgriTech Initiative and how companies like Kentucky Fresh Harvest are building a brighter future for the commonwealth.
Greenhouse Grower: Can you give an overview of the Kentucky AgriTech Initiative, why it was formed, and its goals?
Gov. Beshear: Last June, I took several steps, including creating an AgriTech Advisory Council, to keep my promise to build America’s AgriTech capital in Kentucky. The council includes representatives from farming, education, labor, civic life, and representatives from leading companies in the commonwealth such as Alltech, AppHarvest, Black Soil, and Kentucky Fresh Harvest.
Your readers are familiar with Kentucky Fresh Harvest, which cares about where our food comes from, how our food is grown, and who grows our food. These are all elements that align with the Kentucky AgriTech Initiative. Because of this, they have been able to revolutionize the protected agriculture industry and become an authority on vegetable production in Kentucky.
Kentucky Fresh Harvest already has been through the growing pains associated with building a greenhouse of this scale. So, it made sense for them to join the AgriTech Advisory Council nearly a year ago in our collective mission to highlight and develop Kentucky’s tremendous potential to help solve one of the greatest challenges of our generation: producing reliable, safe, and accessible food for the world. While that challenge is prevalent today, the expected global population surge in between now and 2050 will only amplify its severity. Team Kentucky is addressing this by combining three signature strengths: Kentucky’s prowess as a national leader in both manufacturing and logistics, along with our deep roots as an agricultural state.
The initiative will attract and cultivate good-paying, private-sector jobs and companies that create technologies, services and produce to help feed the world.
Our AgriTech Advisory Council’s goals for the initiative:
Create good jobs and strengthen Kentucky’s economy;
Attract local and global technologies and partners that support the development of innovative agriculture in the commonwealth;
Craft policies that spur the development of our agritech ecosystem;
Develop local supply and demand for technologies and agricultural products grown and manufactured here in Kentucky;
Develop and attract the necessary workforce to sustain the agritech ecosystem;
Help develop access to capital for new and innovative businesses in this sector; and
Build necessary cooperation channels between interested players.
Greenhouse Grower: What are the benefits of the initiative to both consumers and growing operations?
Gov. Beshear: By harnessing the assets in our backyard, the AgriTech Advisory Council seeks to develop an environment in which consumers gain better access to healthy food, obtain a more thorough understanding of where their food comes from, and realize the benefits of supporting local, sustainable farms. Relative to growing operations, the initiative focuses on helping them do what they do best – run their businesses while relying on Team Kentucky as a partner that shares their vision for a more sustainable, equitable, and resilient food system based right here in the Bluegrass State.
Greenhouse Grower: How can growers get involved?
Gov. Beshear: We want to hear from growers, no matter the size of their operations. We believe there are a number of opportunities for collaboration among growers and other innovators from all sectors – from greenhouse vegetable producers to our advanced manufacturing and logistic sectors. We even offer opportunities on all levels of the educational and workforce training system so that some of our youngest minds can look forward to becoming a part of the industry. If you are in a position to showcase your work or engage with Kentucky students, please contact us. Visit www.agritech.ky.gov.
Greenhouse Grower: What has been Kentucky’s experience of working with Kentucky Fresh Harvest?
Gov. Beshear: Kentucky Fresh Harvest has been a great partner of the commonwealth and true pioneers in the state’s high-tech greenhouse sector. Rocky Adkins, my Senior Advisor, and I visited the site in Lincoln County recently, and it was great to see the rich promise of agritech in Kentucky on display. The company’s scientific approach shows us that certain obstacles of large-scale agritech are no longer relevant. Kentucky Fresh Harvest’s dedication to education and inclusivity are great examples of excellent corporate citizenship and ambassadorship for the industry as a whole.
Source and Photo Courtesy of Greenhouse Grower
GERMANY: New 'Supermarket of The Future' Has A Greenhouse On Top
It is the first supermarket with a rooftop greenhouse in Europe and it combines retail with a basil farm and fish farm
What will the shopping centre of the future look like? How do you build sustainably? According to REWE, it is one with a greenhouse on top. Last Friday, the German retail giant opened their first Green Farming pilot store in Wiesbaden-Erbenheim. It is the first supermarket with a rooftop greenhouse in Europe and it combines retail with a basil farm and fish farm. "Since 2009, we have already built over 200 Green Buildings in Germany. The new store with integrated rooftop farm is the logical next step for us," says Peter Maly, Divisional Director REWE Group and responsible for REWE stores in Germany.
Supermarket and production facility
"The Green Farming store is not just a supermarket, but also a production facility in the middle of the city. On the rooftop farm, which is operated by our partner ECF Farmsystems, 800,000 basil plants grow each year using aquaponics, which receive excrement from the fish that we breed on site as fertilizer. No pesticides are used in the process," shows Jürgen Scheider, Chairman of the Management Board REWE Region Mitte. Rewe is Germany's second-largest supermarket chain.
"Our vision is to provide people with sustainably produced food. That's why I'm pleased to be able to help realize the dream of a self-producing supermarket here in Wiesbaden," adds Nicolas Leschke, founder and managing director of ECF Farmsystems. The company created a technique to couple aquaculture fish production with the hydroponic production of leafy greens. "Perch and basil are part of two resource saving cycles. The fish fertilize the basil plants with their excreta. These in turn clean the water from the fish tanks, which can then flow back to the perches. The use of this cycle system enables food production with 90 percent less water consumption compared to conventional agriculture, as the water is used twice."
Basil supplied locally
The basil is already available at the opening and will also be delivered to 480 REWE stores in Hesse and parts of Rhineland-Palatinate. Around 14,000 pots of basil are packaged plastic-free on site every week and according to the REWE team, the sustainable packaging saves 12 tonnes of plastic per year.
At the same time, about 20,000 cichlids are bred in basins on about 230 square metres under sustainable conditions and processed on site. This produces about one tonne of fish meat per month. The fish is expected to be on sale by the end of 2021.
ECF Farmsystems uses LED lamps for their herb cultivation, supplied by Fluence. They've gained experience with these lamps in their urban farm ECF Farm Berlin, which they constructed earlier and currently operate and of which the products are also sold to Rewe. Their other projects include planning and construction of the rooftop farm ecco JÄGER in Bad Ragaz in Switzerland and the rooftop farm on the Ferme Abattoir in Belgium.
Construction and operating
"With Green Farming in Erbenheim, we are ushering in a new generation of green stores at REWE," says Peter Maly with REWE, adding that holistic sustainability not only includes product ranges but also construction and operation.
Wood is the core element of the supermarket: around 1,100 cubic metres of the renewable raw material were used here. "The indigenous coniferous wood stores more than 700 tonnes of CO2. In 30 years, the wood will have grown again and the CO2 balance will be balanced." Columns made of stacked wood form the supporting structure for the glass roof farm and form a vaulted structure that extends into the store. Inside, customers look out onto a glass atrium, the greenhouse on the roof. "A natural marketplace ambience with lots of daylight was created," Peter reveals.
A lot of daylight can be used through the glazed east and west facades and the atrium. In addition, intelligent cooling and heating technology, 100 per cent green electricity and the use of rainwater for the roof farm, sanitary facilities and cleaning of the store ensure that resources are conserved.
Also the assortment focuses entirely on freshness with a large fruit and vegetable section including a salad bar, many regional and organic products as well as a glass butchery with a show kitchen and meat from animal welfare farms. In front of the store, local suppliers can offer their products in specially produced market stalls.
"The new REWE store in Erbenheim is a milestone in the development of modern supermarkets. I am very pleased and also a little proud that this special project has been realized in our region," says Jürgen Scheider, Chairman of the Management Board of REWE Region Mitte. "We are particularly proud of the wide range of products from over 100 regional and local suppliers."
Publication date: Fri 4 Jun 2021
Author: Arlette Sijmonsma
© VerticalFarmDaily.com
CANADA: Quebec AI Processing Centers To Heat Gigantic Greenhouse Complex
A Quebec City entrepreneur, well known in the field of technology, is piloting a pharaonic project. Workers are working quietly on a large plot of land in Saint-Nicolas. The value of the total investment is in the billions of dollars
A Quebec City entrepreneur, well known in the field of technology, is piloting a pharaonic project. Workers are working quietly on a large plot of land in Saint-Nicolas. The value of the total investment is in the billions of dollars. And it would be only the first of a series of "campuses" at the cutting edge to be built on Quebec soil. And, there's greenhouses in it.
Developer Martin Bouchard, founder of the Copernic search engine and then of the 4Degree data centers, wants to build at least three high-intensity data processing complexes with thermal waste recovery, to which would be added a pole of applied innovation in artificial intelligence. The total estimated cost is close to 5 billion euros. Why that could be relevant for the horticultural industry? The business plan calls for the recovered heat being used to heat greenhouses. "We want to contribute to the province's food autonomy with a potential of 400 hectares of greenhouses for the first campus alone," he tells in an article on LaPresse.
Put the words artificial intelligence, innovation, circular economy, high-capacity computer servers, clean energy, greenhouse production, food autonomy; stir calmly and you will obtain the "Baiejamésienne" project on which Mr. Bouchard and his associates Vincent Thibault and Dany Perron have been working for three years on the QScale project.
QScale is a high-density data processing campus. The campuses seek to meet the needs of machine learning, which is in growing demand with the arrival of artificial intelligence in businesses. Consider the data calculations required to safely drive autonomous vehicles. Bouchard cites Tesla, Volkswagen, Pfizer and Goldman Sachs as potential clients.
The serial entrepreneur, along with private investors, has invested $30 million to start the project. The rest of the financial package will be revealed at the time of the official announcement. "We are working very hard to ensure that the ownership of the company remains entirely Quebec-based. "
The Quebec government is receptive to the project, La Presse has learned. Hydro-Quebec would have already said yes, assures Mr. Bouchard. The imprimatur of the monopoly of electricity distribution is essential because such a data center dedicated to artificial intelligence consumes twice as much power in a year as a city the size of Drummondville.
Construction has begun on the first campus located in Levis. Delivery is scheduled for November 2022. The daily newspaper Le Soleil recently outlined the project. QScale is planning a second branch in the Écoparc de Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, on Montreal's South Shore, just behind the commuter train station.
With the heat, greenhouses are to be heated. "We want to contribute to the province's food autonomy with a potential of 400 hectares of greenhouses for the first campus alone," he insists. However, all the vegetable production in greenhouses is currently grown on 123 hectares. "We are in discussion with several players for this part of the project," says Bouchard. André Michaud, a consultant for Savoura, says he has never been contacted by QScale. He said he was puzzled when he saw the project outline.
We have a greenhouse robotization project using artificial intelligence to eventually automate physically demanding jobs," says Mr. Bouchard. In Levis, we have the adjacent farmland that corresponds to the equivalent of 80 soccer fields, enough to produce 2880 tons of raspberries and 83,200 tons of tomatoes. "
4 Jun 2021
EUROPE: The Sustainable Farming Methods Helping Farmers Earn A Fair Income
Fair market conditions, sustainable farming, and quality standards are also some of the pillars of the EU's new Common Agricultural Policy, known as the CAP. Its future goals are to combine social, economic, and environmental approaches to create a sustainable model of European agriculture
The fruit and vegetable auction in Sint-Katelijne-Waver, Belgium, may look like a space mission control centre, but it's actually one of the most major auctions of its kind in Europe.
Every day up to 4000 tons of fresh produce are sold there. Fruit and vegetables grown by over a thousand farmers travel to its warehouses to then end up on our plates.
The farmers that sell in Sint-Katelijne-Waver are all part of the BelOrta network, one of Europe's largest fruit and vegetable selling cooperatives.
The BelOrta fruit and vegetable auctionSint - Katelijne-Waver, Belgium
The organization has strict production procedures to ensure good quality standards and prices. For growers, sustainable production also means a fair income.
Jo Lambrecht is a Sales and Marketing Manager for Belorta. He tells us that one of their goals is to get "the best possible price in the markets for the protection of growers". They also want to build consumer, buyer and grower trust to create "a long-term relationship between what happens on the field, what happens on the producer side and what happens at the consumer's home".
Fair market conditions, sustainable farming, and quality standards are also some of the pillars of the EU's new Common Agricultural Policy, known as the CAP.
Its future goals are to combine social, economic, and environmental approaches to create a sustainable model of European agriculture.
Two farms, that are part of the Belorta Network, have been able to change their production to make it more sustainable thanks to financial support from the CAP.
One of them is in the Belgian town of Putte. The thousands of tomatoes produced in the huge greenhouses there get exactly what they need.
The cogeneration system on the farm produces complementary energy which is released into the local grid. Thermal insulation screens help save heat at night, keeping the tomatoes at the right temperature for a lower cost. Natural methods also protect them from disease and the irrigation system ensures the most efficient use of water for their growth. Nothing goes to waste.
The tomato greehousePutte, Belgium
Kevin Pittoors the owner of the farm tells us "the excess water is collected and after it is purified, it is reused on the plants. So it's a closed cycle." They also use the maximum amount of rainwater in order to meet water requirements as efficiently as possible.
A LED lighting system, installed in the greenhouse, helps compensate for the lack of light during the winter months. Pittoors says the advantage of these lights is that "they consume less power", helping to "save energy" and providing "optimal light for the plants."
Why the CAP is key to agriculture
There are around 10 million farms in the EU. Some 22 million people regularly work in the sector.
Farmers' incomes are 40% lower
than those of people working in other sectors.
Weather and climate play a key role in farming
which makes it vulnerable to climate change.
Producing food takes time
so there is always a time gap between demand and production.
Source: European Commission
Farms of all sizes are playing an important role in the transition towards a more eco-friendly agriculture.
Sustainable solutions like those used in Putte's tomato production are also used on a family-owned strawberry farm in Halle.
The farm applies natural remedies to protect plants from disease as well as using new technology, like an autonomous robot that uses UV light to fight powdery mildew. It's a machine that helps reduce the use of pesticides.
The powdery mildew fighting robotHalle, Belgium
The strawberry farm tries to use a natural strategy as much as it can when fighting plant diseases.
Robin Colembie, a worker there, tells us that chemicals are always the last option. He feels that it's important to make an effort and move towards sustainable processes because it shows in the final product. "There is also a growing demand from consumers for more environmentally friendly and pesticide-free fruits".
Copyright euronews
USA - VIDEO: President David Lee Recap Business Update
AppHarvest president and board member David Lee joined Yahoo! Finance to discuss the company’s mission, a business update, and the ways AgTech helps impact food security and sustainability
DAVID LEE:
‘OUR FOCUS IS CREATING VALUE
FOR OUR SHAREHOLDERS
OVER THE LONG-TERM'
AppHarvest president and board member David Lee joined Yahoo! Finance to discuss the company’s mission, a business update, and the ways AgTech helps impact food security and sustainability.
“It's about using technology at AppHarvest, creating a consumer movement, being radically transparent, and – trying to build a better food company, very similar to where we started back when we launched the business at Impossible Foods,” Lee said. These are two companies that are different, but they share a common approach. Do well for investors, do well for the planet, and demonstrate that you can do both.”
Watch Here
USA - VIDEO: Founder And CEO Jonathan Webb, Recap Business Update
Jonathan Webb appeared on Fox Business program Claman’s Countdown to discuss the company’s quarterly earnings report and how agriculture is ripe for disruption
FOUNDER AND CEO JONATHAN WEBB
TALKS DISRUPTING
AGRICULTURE, FOOD SECTOR ON
CLAMAN’S COUNTDOWN
Jonathan Webb appeared on Fox Business program Claman’s Countdown to discuss the company’s quarterly earnings report and how agriculture is ripe for disruption.
“We are focused on bringing food production back to the U.S.,” Jonathan said. “We’ve pushed most of our fruit and vegetable production down to Mexico and we have got to bring it back to the U.S., and we can do it through controlled environment, growing indoors.”
Watch Here
VIDEO: Indoor Farming Biz AppHarvest Delivered Sales In First Earnings As Public Company
AppHarvest, the tech-forward indoor vertical farming company that went public in February, released its first earnings report showing Q1 net sales of $2.3 million for its tomato harvest
May 17, 2021
AppHarvest, the tech-forward indoor vertical farming company that went public in February, released its first earnings report showing Q1 net sales of $2.3 million for its tomato harvest. The stock ($APPH) was up on the news, rising to more than $13 a share in morning trading, but still well short of its closing high of $38.
Founder and CEO Jonathan Webb spoke to Cheddar about the company's challenges in building a facility and harvesting its product amid a pandemic and pointed to expanding in the future. "Our thesis is that controlled-environment agriculture will be growing almost all fruit and vegetable production at scale indoors," Webb said.
FRANCE: Designs Unveiled For The World's Largest Single-Domed Greenhouse
French architecture firm Coldefy has revealed its latest ambitious project: the largest single-domed greenhouse in the entire world. Spanning over 20,000 square meters (215,278 square feet) the gigantic energy self-sufficient structure, christened "Tropicalia," is set to be completed in 2024 in the Cote d'Opale, or Opal Coast, in France
14-05-2021 | CNN Style
Written by: Leah DolanMegan C. Hills, CNN
French architecture firm Coldefy has revealed its latest ambitious project: the largest single-domed greenhouse in the entire world. Spanning over 20,000 square meters (215,278 square feet) the gigantic energy self-sufficient structure, christened "Tropicalia," is set to be completed in 2024 in the Cote d'Opale, or Opal Coast, in France.
Designs will be on display from May 22 to November 21 at the 17th Venice Architecture Biennale, where Coldefy and interdisciplinary not-for-profit Zuecca Projects will showcase architectural models, sketches and videos detailing the grand plans for the dome.
Renderings revealed ahead of the international exhibition show a sleek dome nestled into the lush, rolling plains of France's natural landscape. Described by Coldefy on its website as a "bubble of harmony," the structure -- which will house a tropical forest featuring a range of flora and fauna, from orchids and butterflies to fish and reptiles -- was built to incorporate the natural environment. As such, the 35-meter-high (115-foot) design is partially embedded in the ground and blends into the landscape with the addition of a second outer wall of greenery.
The roof will be crafted from pressurized thermal pillows set into an aluminum frame -- they are similar to the cushions used in a grouping of domed greenhouses at the Eden Project in Cornwall, England. Inside, the dome will be heated to 82.4°F, a temperature that ensures "luxuriant vegetation," according to the press statement. A technology called Terraotherm will recycle the structure's thermal energy, with surplus heat siphoned to surrounding buildings.
The "bubble of harmony" will blend into the natural landscape of the French coast. Credit: Octav Tirziu/Zuecca Project Space
Like many exhibiting at the Venice Biennale this year -- which follows the altruistic theme "How will we live together?" -- Coldefy's founding architect Thomas Coldefy designed Tropicalia with the health of the planet in mind. For Coldefy, the data surrounding climate change is too often consumed "unwillingly," he said in a press statement, and its oversaturation means the data can quickly become "a new source of anxiety." Tropicalia, however, is meant to be a place of wonder as well as education, providing an opportunity to experience the fragility of the earth's ecosystem up close.
Elsewhere in the biennale, environmental concerns are set to dominate the show. The Nordic pavilion will be transformed into an experimental co-housing project aiming to reduce energy consumption and cut carbon emissions by architects Helen & Hard. Meanwhile, the Taiwan pavilion will spotlight five existing architectural projects that explore the island's ongoing dialogue with nature and investigate how Taiwan's current population of 23 million can be sustained inside its ecologically diverse landscape.
Lead Photo: Credit: Octav Tirziu/Zuecca Project Space
New Solar Greenhouse With A Window To The Future Opens
The glasshouse was built by Perth high-tech building materials company ClearVue Technologies using three different versions of its transparent solar photovoltaic glazing panels
10-05-2021 | Farm Online
AUSTRALIA, Perth- The world's first clear solar glass greenhouse has been opened at Murdoch University's new grains research precinct in Perth. The glasshouse was built by Perth high-tech building materials company ClearVue Technologies using three different versions of its transparent solar photovoltaic glazing panels.
SOLAR GREENHOUSE: The world's first clear solar glass greenhouse at Perth's Murdoch University uses three different versions of ClearVue Technologies' transparent solar photovoltaic glazing panels.
The ClearVue technology turns windows into a generator of renewable energy.
The facility will be used by Murdoch University geneticist Professor Chengdao Li and his team to develop new plant breeding technologies and use them to develop commercial crop varieties.
Murdoch University Vice-Chancellor Professor Eeva Leinonen said the ClearVue greenhouse project was a number of years in the making but represented what universities and industry could achieve when they worked together.
"Murdoch's research strategy is focused on food, health, and the environment and the interconnections between each," Professor Leinonen said.
"I am delighted ClearVue has become an important new collaborator as we seek answers to wicked global problems - increased food demand, environmental sustainability and food safety."
Constructed using a $1.6 million grant from the federal government's AusIndustry Co-operative Research Centre Projects program, the greenhouse uses clear solar glass that not only lets natural sunlight through but also generates power using the unwanted UV and IR light wavelengths and converts these to power from photovoltaics at the perimeter of the window.
SOLAR VISIONARY: ClearVue executive chairman Victor Rosenberg.
The ClearVue greenhouse has a range of sensors that record and present data in real-time providing scientists with accurate information relating to conditions like temperature, humidity, and the amount of light that plants are receiving.
This information is used to make automatic adjustments to air conditioning, lighting, fans, louvres, blinds, and reticulation systems which in turn allows scientists to maintain a constant micro-climate (23 to 26 degrees C) that provides optimum growing conditions - all while being powered by the energy generated by the ClearVue glass.
ClearVue Technologies executive chairman and founder Victor Rosenberg said ClearVue was also looking to expands into Japan, the US, and Europe.
He hoped to develop a carbon sink that would capture all the carbon produced by the various equipment in the greenhouse and turn it into food-grade carbon dioxide which could be fed to the plants to boost growth.
ROOM WITH A VIEW: Murdoch University's new clear solar glass greenhouse.
"Estimates indicate the world's arable land has reduced by one third in the past 40 years," Mr Rosenberg said.
"By 2050, two-thirds of the world's population is predicted to be urbanized, which will further impact the availability of land for agricultural production."
He said the ability to control the microclimate within the ClearVue greenhouse created an optimum growing environment to achieve higher yields.
Leafy plants required protection from harmful UV rays in the same way humans need to protect their skin, he said.
Plants did this naturally by producing a waxy substance that shielded them from harmful UV rays.
Mr Rosenberg said ClearVue glass blocked these UV rays so the energy required by plants to create the protective layer on leafy vegetables can be redirected to growing more produce.
Source and Photo courtesy of Farmonline
Transparent Solar Cells Boost Lettuce Farming While Decreasing Energy Use
Researchers, who have worked with the organic photovoltaic cell company NextGen Nano, believe OSCs provide a way for greenhouse cultivation without the large energy demands traditionally associated with it
New research found transparent solar cells can help greenhouse growers generate electricity and reduce energy use while cultivating crops
29 April 2021
Greenhouse farming of lettuce can be sustainable and energy-efficient under transparent solar cells.
That’s according to a new study by a team of researchers at North Carolina State University, which suggests semi-transparent organic solar cells (OSCs) can help greenhouse growers generate electricity, reduce energy use and cultivate lettuce.
Researchers, who have worked with the organic photovoltaic cell company NextGen Nano, believe OSCs provide a way for greenhouse cultivation without the large energy demands traditionally associated with it.
Published in Cell Reports Physical Science, the research found that red lettuce can be grown in greenhouses with OSCs that filter out the wavelengths of light used to generate solar power.
This means it is feasible to use transparent solar panels in greenhouses to cover their high electricity needs while not shrinking the crop yield.
Doctor Carr Ho, Research Scientist at NextGen Nano, said: “Greenhouses are used to grow plants because they drastically increase yield in non-native climates while lowering water consumption and pesticide use compared to conventional farming.
“But greenhouse glazing has poor thermal insulation, so heating and ventilation systems need to be installed to help maintain optimal conditions. Along with supplemental lighting, this lights to large, unsustainable energy consumptions.”
Lead Image: North Carolina State University
University of Florida 2021 Greenhouse Training Online Courses: Greenhouse 101
Greenhouse 101 is a great introduction to the Greenhouse Training Online program offered by the University of Florida IFAS Extension
Finding trained growers is a major challenge for our industry. Your best investment is to upskill your own workers to make better crop management decisions by learning the underlying horticultural science of plant growth. Greenhouse 101 is a great introduction to the Greenhouse Training Online program offered by the University of Florida IFAS Extension. It is designed for people with no formal training in horticulture that work in the greenhouse or nursery industry. Topics covered are plant parts and functions, photosynthesis and growth, greenhouse technology, flowering, compactness and branching, irrigation, nutrition, and plant health. The course is offered in English and Spanish.
Join over 660 growers who have graduated from Greenhouse 101 since 2015 in our award-winning program and receive a customized certificate of completion. Rated 4.4 out of 5 stars by grower participants.
The course runs from May 31 to June 25, 2021. The cost is $US249 per participant, with a 20% discount if you register 5 or more. The course is completely online and includes pre-recorded videos, an interactive discussion board with Ph.D. professors, and quizzes. The course material is available any time of the day, and two new modules are activated each week during the course, for a total of 8 learning modules.
Click here to register (http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/training/).
Download The Flyer
For more information, go to http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/training/, or contact Greenhouse Training, Environmental Horticulture, University of Florida, USA, Email: greenhousetraining@ifas.ufl.edu.
New Greenhouse Design Shines With More Growing Capacity
Lettuces, Asian greens, herbs, and more. These are just a few types of produce that Shayne Johnson of Grampa G’s farm in Pillager has experimented with growing in the middle of winter in Central Minnesota
30-04-2021
University of Minnesota Extension
Lettuces, Asian greens, herbs, and more. These are just a few types of produce that Shayne Johnson of Grampa G’s farm in Pillager has experimented with growing in the middle of winter in Central Minnesota.
Photo: Shayne (left) and Louise Johnson of Grampa G’s farm in Pillager, outside their deep winter greenhouse prototype, 2018. Courtesy of University of Minnesota Extension
“Nothing we’ve tried to grow has failed,” said Johnson, who sells the farm’s product to local food co-ops and customers in the area by word of mouth.
How does Grampa G’s do it? With the help of a prototype deep winter greenhouse made possible by a collaboration with the University of Minnesota Extension Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships (RSDP) and the College of Design Center for Sustainable Building Research (CSBR).
In fall 2020, this collaboration released new designs for a farm-scale winter greenhouse (FSWG v1.0). These new solar winter greenhouse designs seek to improve both the productivity and profitability of extended season vegetable and produce production in Minnesota, creating a more resilient, local food system.
“Our partnerships with Minnesota farmers and the Center for Sustainable Building Research to develop these farm-scale winter greenhouse designs will make winter production more accessible to small- and mid-sized farmers in Minnesota and beyond,” said Greg Schweser, statewide co-director of RSDP’s Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems program who has helped lead related research and outreach with Daniel Handeen, winter greenhouse designer and CSBR research fellow.
Evolution in solar winter greenhouse design
The farm-scale winter greenhouse designs rely on passive solar principles, similar to the earlier deep winter greenhouse design (DWG 2.0), but build on and incorporate lessons learned from the deep winter greenhouse prototypes in the field. The deep winter greenhouse at Grampa G’s farm is one of five prototypes in Greater Minnesota, supported by RSDP.
Farm scale winter greenhouse under construction at Appetite for Change in Minneapolis, 2021. Photo credit: Daniel Handeen.
The new farm-scale designs have a larger footprint that increases growing capacity. They also include variations in foundations and thermal storage specifications to accommodate different budgets.
“These designs keep evolving and getting better. That’s what I find so cool about them,” Johnson said. “The University adjusts based on our experiences and feedback with the technology.”
RSDP and CSBR partners iteratively developed the farm-scale winter greenhouse designs with input from growers like Johnson and Carol Ford, Extension project coordinator, and an early winter greenhouse pioneer. Ford has helped spread the word and grow a network of deep winter greenhouse adopters and enthusiasts.
“It’s always been about not just making this technology effective for me, but then having it be something that other farmers would feel engaged to do,” Ford said, during a recent podcast interview about this work.
Since their release in November 2020, the farm scale winter greenhouse designs have had more than 1,150 downloads. Solar winter greenhouse designs are freely available and can be downloaded from the RSDP Deep Winter Greenhouse resource website.
Farm scale designs ripe for testing
Schweser noted the designs are now ripe for testing and recommends a similar, regional prototype approach that proved successful with the earlier deep winter greenhouse design.
Open house at the Lake City Catholic Worker Farm deep winter greenhouse, 2018.
In the earlier prototyping process, university and community partners prioritized both research and education, testing the design’s performance and hosting outreach events that have attracted hundreds of participants.
“It’s turned out to be so much more than just the prototype and initial support,” Johnson said. “It’s now this long-standing relationship. We connect with other greenhouse operators and are regularly in touch with our university partners throughout the year.”
Schweser hopes to see similar results with prototypes of farm-scale winter greenhouses in the coming years. University and community partners could then evaluate their performance in the field and improve existing cost estimates before encouraging more widespread adoption.
After field testing, Schweser believes the new structures could open up opportunities for smaller and more diverse farmers to grow more produce and be more profitable.
“The new farm-scale design, more so than the smaller deep winter greenhouses, is far more affordable to construct, and is an appropriate scale for most small direct-market farmers,” Schweser said. “It has the potential to be an equity-building, level-playing field technology to sustainably and profitably grow produce in the winter.”
Johnson is also optimistic about the potential of the new farm-scale winter greenhouse designs.
“I love to see the evolution of these greenhouses taking shape,” Johnson said. “We are learning from our accomplishments and defeats, and then we make them better. That’s what’s exciting about this work and these partnerships—if anyone can make these designs better, this initiative is the one to do it.”
Those with questions about the University of Minnesota's farm scale winter greenhouse designs and related work can contact RSDP's Greg Schweser (schwe233@umn.edu), statewide co-director of the Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems program.
OGVG And Blue Radix Introduce Autonomous Greenhouse Management In Ontario
The Ontario government is supporting greenhouse growers by investing over $3.6 million in 12 innovative projects to help develop new technologies
The Ontario government is supporting greenhouse growers by investing over $3.6 million in 12 innovative projects to help develop new technologies, recover from the impact of COVID-19 and enhance competitiveness and innovation.
One of these approved projects is ‘Autonomous Greenhouse Management’- a collaboration between the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers (OGVG) and Blue Radix, an independent Dutch AI-tech specialist for the international greenhouse industry. This project is supported through the Greenhouse Competitiveness and Innovation Initiative, a cost-share program funded by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and delivered by the Agricultural Adaptation Council.
Autonomous growing with Crop Controller
“Together with OGVG we introduce autonomous growing with Crop Controller to Ontario vegetable growers,” says Ronald Hoek, CEO of Blue Radix. “Crop Controller is a service: data models and algorithms control the greenhouse installations 24/7, supported by off-site Autonomous Greenhouse Managers with in-depth knowledge about crops, energy, and data. With autonomous steering of the greenhouse installations, the crop strategy is put into practice with artificial intelligence. Crop Controller is not developed to replace growers. The grower is still needed to define the crop strategy. Ultimately, they can manage more hectares and worry less about repetitive actions and routine thinking. The algorithms do the work for them in their daily operations.”
“We are very thankful to the Ontario government for the GCII funding of this project. It will help greenhouse businesses improve their productivity with adopting autonomous growing. Greenhouse owners are less dependent on crop experts, will have a higher operational profit while limiting their operational risks and usage of resources,” says Ronald.
Main objectives project
The project looks to meet four main objectives:
1) To research the specific needs of Canadian growers (compared to Dutch growers) related to autonomous greenhouse management and translate these needs into product features.
2) To research and implement the adjustments that must be made to improve the match of Crop Controller with different Canadian (Ontario) climate conditions.
3) To demonstrate the working of the Blue Radix data models and algorithms. This helps growers to better understand the value and adopt this new technology in their company.
4) To share knowledge with market peers and help growers to work with this new technology in their day-to-day operations.
OGVG will select three vegetable greenhouse production locations across Ontario to participate in the project. During the project OGVG & Blue Radix will share information regularly about progress and results through articles, learn ‘n’ lunch sessions, presentations and online demos.
About the GCII program
The Greenhouse Competitiveness and Innovation Initiative is a cost-share program, to help the sector to create, adopt and invest in innovative new technologies to reduce production costs, increase productivity and improve produce quality. Enabling operations to expand their businesses, attract new investment and create good jobs. It is delivered by the Agriculture Adaptation Council, on behalf of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA).
About OGVG
Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers (OGVG) represents approximately 200 farmers responsible for over 3,200 acres of greenhouse tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers across the province. With farmgate sales of over $1 billion in 2019, support for over 13,000 jobs, a contribution of $1.8 billion to the economy and a consistent track record of growth, the sector is a valuable economic driver for the province.
About Blue Radix
Blue Radix is an independent Dutch AI-tech specialist for the international greenhouse industry. Blue Radix creates solutions with artificial intelligence for daily decisions and actions in greenhouses. Greenhouses offer an efficient way to produce food and flowers in a sustainable manner. But the number of skilled people with expertise of growing crops in greenhouses is declining every year. This has direct impact on yield, costs, continuity and product quality. Blue Radix offers solutions for these challenges: smart algorithms which optimize and steer climate, irrigation and energy continuously and autonomously, supported by off-site Autonomous Greenhouse Managers. Always working with the grower’s unique crop strategy as a starting point. Blue Radix offers growers a digital brain for their greenhouse.
For media inquiries, please contact:
OGVG
Mr. Joseph Sbrocchi, General Manager
T 519-326-2604 or 1-800-265-6926
Email: j.sbrocchi@ontariogreenhouse.com
www.OGVG.com
Blue Radix
Mrs. Marijke van Rongen, Manager Global Marketing & Communications
T +31 6 53 43 38 39
E-mail: marijke.vanrongen@blue-radix.com
www.blue-radix.com
Sustainably Goals Urges Architect To Build A Greenhouse Around Former Fruit Farm
As decided by the municipality of Gooik, visitors can now see the refurbished agricultural buildings enclosed within a greenhouse-like structure, this way learning more about the countryside of Belgium
Is it a greenhouse, is it an educational center, is it a former fruit farm? It is all in one. A former fruit farm in Gooik, Belgium, is now functioning as an educational center. As decided by the municipality of Gooik, visitors can now see the refurbished agricultural buildings enclosed within a greenhouse-like structure, this way learning more about the countryside of Belgium. Architect Jo Taillieu: "We wanted a generous building that could provide the necessary comfort to all users of the center, even in bad weather, and provide an anchor point for exploring the Pajottenland.”
The old farmhouse had been used as an education center already for years, but the project became to big to be run by volunteers completely. That’s why the municipality bought it and realized further expansion plans.
Interwoven
"Paddenbroek is by no means inconspicuous. In the hilly Pajottenland region, landscape, nature, heritage, and culture have been closely interwoven for centuries. Maintaining that balance was one of the major goals," architect Jo Taillieu explains. "The farmstead and especially the outbuildings were in a bad state and unsuitable for achieving the intended objectives. The link with the context was almost non-existent. The first idea - a classic renovation - was discarded, as was a new building, because it was unrealistic and did not meet the task that could be expected of an educational and tourist center. We, therefore, opted for a roof that would cover the farmstead, the historic baking oven, and the space around it."
Photo courtesy Jo Tailleu
Sustainability was one of the main goals of the construction. The dilapidated outbuildings were dismantled and the farmstead and the baking oven incorporated, restored, and insulated with moisture-regulating wood-wool cement boards and loam. Only these rooms and the offices can be heated. Thus, heating costs are sustainably limited to a few cores in the building and not everything needs to be air-conditioned. Inside the unheated greenhouse, therefore, there is an intermediate climate. Visitors are sheltered from rain and wind and can still enjoy the magnificent view of the surroundings. Upstairs are two more multi-purpose rooms that can be used as meeting rooms.
According to Stefan De Clerq, one of the business managers of the greenhouse construction company, the challenge was mostly the size and complexity of the project, as the features of this construction did not allow for a basic model. We created a unique truss and steel construction where each step was carefully monitored. All steel components were produced in our own workshops. This challenge was brought to a successful conclusion by the close cooperation between our draftsmen, our production team, and the external architects. Our own typical aluminum profiles and glass, applied in the roof and wall, also contribute to the elegant appearance of this nevertheless quite robust realization."
The construction of a complex like that of Paddenbroek in a rural area is not obvious and initially met with the necessary reservations, as could be expected. The fact that the municipality was prepared to go along with the story of architect Jo Taillieu and project manager Dries Deleye, therefore, shows vision and insight. Now that the construction is complete, everyone agrees that Gooik has gained a valuable multipurpose center that responds to ecological sustainability and from which the residents can also derive maximum benefit.
Lead photo: Photo courtesy Jo Tailleu
Publication date: Thu 29 Apr 2021
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Vertical Farmer LettUsGrow Sets Sights on Commercial Greenhouse Market With New Harper Adams Partnership
New research project to explore how vertical farming approaches could be applied to the greenhouse sector to boost yields and curb environmental impacts
Jessica Rawnsley
29 April 2021
EXCLUSIVE: New research project to explore how vertical farming approaches could be applied to the greenhouse sector to boost yields and curb environmental impacts.
Vertical farming technology is poised to branch out into the commercial greenhouse sector, after indoor farming specialist LettUsGrow announced a major new partnership with Harper Adams, the UK's leading specialist agri-food university.
The partnership will enable a long-running trial to span across most of 2021, which will explore the environmental impact and compare growth data from two irrigation systems, aeroponics and hydroponics, in different settings: an aeroponic vertical farm and greenhouse, and a hydroponic greenhouse.
"Our food supply chain needs to be diversified to achieve productivity and stability, which means maximising the benefits of new technologies in different horticultural environments," said Charlie Guy, co-founder and CEO of LettUsGrow. "The advanced greenhouse industry is a huge part of modern food production and is entering an exciting new phase of growth to help meet global production and sustainability targets. We want to help this industry to grow more, sustainably."
According to company figures, vertical farms use 95 per cent less fertiliser and 95 per cent less water than open field farming. LettUsGrow has evolved a system for utilising aeroponics where rather than soak plant roots in water and nutrients, they are suspended and sprayed with mist. The company claims the approach consumes 30 per cent less water than a conventional hydroponic system, while produce grows an average 70 per cent faster. While a wide range of crops can be grown with the tech, the initial focus will be on growing kale and pea shoots.
The company has also developed Ostara, a smart control and farm management software systems, that will be used within the greenhouse and vertical farm trials. Ostara can be used to tailor lighting, irrigation, nutrient doses, and environment to individual crops within the same farm, as well as being used to collect a wide range of data sets, the company said.
To date vertical farms have been hampered by the considerable ongoing costs of generating artificial light. As such a key feature of the trials will be to identify whether an increase in energy use is balanced by an increase in farm productivity.
However, LettUsGrow is optimistic the application of its advanced aeroponics and Ostara technologies can deliver benefits for commercial greenhouses as well as vertical farms.
"Bringing aeroponics into a greenhouse setting is really exciting, as traditionally they run on hydroponics," said Ricardo Lopes, research scientist at LettUsGrow and the project's research lead. "There has been little research into this before so we're starting from scratch. There is huge potential in the opportunity to combine the precision of high-tech greenhouses with optimised aeroponic irrigation - meaning we could offer the plant the exact amount of water it needs, when it needs it, alongside the unique environmental control of greenhouse technology. The prospect of using aeroponics to decrease water usage within greenhouses could be a very important step in making greenhouse production even more sustainable and less energy demanding."
His comments were echoed by Dr Laura Vickers, senior lecturer in plant biology at Harper Adams, who said: "This is a particularly exciting project, greenhouses provide the half-way house between field based production and total controlled environment agriculture. They are excellent systems to apply to urban spaces, such as building rooftops. Quantifying the performance of technologies developed by LettUsGrow in our campus greenhouses, opens up the ability to assess resource efficiency, and evaluate how crop production could work in a variety of landscapes that could bring an array of stakeholders that we just don't see at the moment."
The hope is the partnership could represent a further step forward for a vertical farming sector that advocates maintain could make a huge contribution to efforts to bolster food production as climate impacts escalate. "Indoor farms can be deployed in areas without any fertile land," India Langley, LettUsGrow communications lead, told BusinessGreen. "That could be deserts, cities. There's one currently in the South Pole. As well as providing food, it takes the pressure off land that's already so stretched."
Lead photo: Credit: LettUsGrow
USA: Zenat Begum Turned A Bustling Brooklyn Street Corner Into A Working Greenhouse
She reached out to Jasper Kerbs of the Cooper Union Garden Project and, with the help of several volunteers, the structure was erected in October of last year. The shop is utilizing one of the city’s outdoor vending permits and they’re in the midst of harvesting this month
The owner of Playground Coffee Shop transformed the cafe’s outdoor dining space into a project centered around care, creativity, and community
April 21, 2021
“I’m inviting people that I love to come and dress up the facade,” Zenat says of the greenhouse's verdant mural by artist Tiffany Baker. “I’m inviting people that I really respect to come and build these things because we deserve the best.”Image courtesy of Zenat Begum
To understand how a fully functioning greenhouse ended up at the busy intersection of Quincy Street and Bedford Avenue in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, it’s important to get to know Zenat Begum, the owner of Playground Coffee Shop.
Zenat opened the shop back in 2016, in a space that previously housed her father’s hardware store, and quickly expanded to include the Playground Annex, which houses a radio station and bookstore, as well as Playground Youth, a nonprofit organization dedicated to issues confronting the community, including literacy and food equity.
“I believe in Bed-Stuy. I believe in myself. I believe in the shop. I believe in the greenhouse,” says Playground Coffee Shop owner Zenat Begum. “These are things that are active radical attempts. We are imagining our futures because these things aren’t going to be built for us.”Image courtesy of Zenat Begum
Providing for the community is fundamental to each project that the Playground team takes on. “Every time we do something, we change and raise the bar of what should be done in our communities,” Zenat explains. “I’m talking about being able to keep implementing this really large notion and understanding of entrepreneurship into taking care of your communities.”
Shortly after the pandemic hit, Playground got to work on several mutual aid projects. The team established a take-one-leave-one library that distributes works exclusively by writers of color, assembled a network of volunteers distributing PPE and essential supplies at Black Lives Matter protests, and they worked with organizers to create a network of community fridges providing free produce 24 hours a day.
It was while working on the fridge project that the idea for the greenhouse began to crystalize, in realizing that fundamentally addressing the issues surrounding food sovereignty wasn’t, as she says, “as simple as just donating a fridge.”
Zenat cites the statistics: One in three kids in New York City are food insecure, and one in 10 in public schools experience homelessness. She probed further, looking at obesity and food deserts and gentrification. “Let’s reel it back: Why aren’t there programs that support Black and brown families who can’t support their children with adequate nourishment and nutrition?”
“It made me really frustrated. We need to have a plot of land that grows for this. We need to get an actual farm to be able to grow food for this,” Zenat says. And never having built a greenhouse before didn’t scare her off. “I don’t really have the tools,” she thought. “But I also know that, for the understanding that I have and the experience that I’ve had growing up in New York, I know what a New Yorker deserves, which is a lot more.”
She reached out to Jasper Kerbs of the Cooper Union Garden Project and, with the help of several volunteers, the structure was erected in October of last year. The shop is utilizing one of the city’s outdoor vending permits and they’re in the midst of harvesting this month.
When they’re able to resume programming, Zenat intends to teach kids in the neighborhood how to get involved and have plots so they can start growing together. “The most important thing about this is that this will be an opportunity for kids who live in Bed-Stuy to see food growing, to show them that there is life that starts at fertilizing and that we can be involved in the process of food distribution and food harvesting from the very beginning.”
“Our greenhouse is straight up on the street. I want people to see that these structures have to and should exist.”Image courtesy of Zenat Begum
And she acknowledges the responsibility and history that comes with this endeavor. “We’re on stolen land right now,” Zenat says. “We’re thinking about farming practices that date back to East Asia, which is where my family is from, and sharecropping that was implemented during the period just after slavery, which is one of the darkest times in history, period. But with all of those tragedies and travesties occurring, there is this sense of land and relationship that we have that we need to bring back to ourselves. It’s ancestral, of course, and it’s spiritual, but most importantly it’s territorial. Why is it that Black and brown people have a hard time with housing and food insecurity when we have literally created some of the most adequate and sophisticated food systems in the world? Our bodies are used to actually supply people with this type of food and nourishment.”
“So there’s many things that we’re addressing here, but I only hope that at surface level we’re talking about things that actually make a difference, which is ultimately feeding children.”
In true Playground style, the greenhouse is one of many initiatives in the works—from financial literacy courses and book clubs to bystander intervention trainings. Given Zenat’s dedication, there’s no doubt they’ll come to fruition. “The way that I love New York is so poetic. I’m like one of those gnarly girlfriends, ‘Did you eat today? Do you want water?’” She asks the city: “Did you eat today, New York? Do you want water? Do you want a pillow?”
If you’d like to support Playground Youth, there is a fundraiser underway for programming and operational costs.
GREECE: 15 Hectare Semi-Closed Hydroponic Greenhouse
With the second round of financing expected to conclude by September 2021, Aurarius first facility is planned to be operational in the first quarter of 2023
Greece Investment Group Closes Funding On
Hydroponic Greenhouse
The Aurarius Investment Group successfully closed its first round of financing in the first quarter of 2021 covering development activities for Aurarius’ inaugural hydroponic greenhouse/energy plant in Greece. With the second round of financing expected to conclude by September 2021, Aurarius first facility is planned to be operational in the first quarter of 2023.
The facility will be composed of a ~15-hectare semi-closed hydroponic greenhouse farm combined with a ~10 MWh CHP facility. Aurarius intends to develop a portfolio of hydroponic farms combined with energy plants across Greece and other Southern European Countries, aiming to grow high-quality vegetables using the most modern and safe hydroponic greenhouse technology – with an eye both to social impact and sound economic returns.
For more information:
Aurarius Investment Group
https://www.aurariusgroup.com/
USA: FLORIDA - The Villages Grown Passes On Expertise
By Michael Salerno
Daily Sun Senior Writer
April 20, 2021
The intersection of agriculture and wellness is now expanding. The Villages Grown, the community’s farm-to-table initiative, is building on its relationship with the University of Florida through its agricultural, health, and culinary programs. Villages Grown Executive Director Jennifer Waxman recently announced The Villages Grown became the local produce supplier for UF’s campus in Gainesville. Both The Villages Grown and UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences
(UF/IFAS) are working together on research concerning controlled-environment agriculture, which involves crops growing in climate-controlled settings for the best possible growing conditions. Waxman described The Villages Grown as a leader in this practice.
She also revealed plans are in the works to train master gardener volunteers from UF/IFAS’s extension office, who would pass on expertise to residents on how to use hydroponic gardening to cultivate nutrient-dense produce.
“This is really going to help us grow the most nutrient-dense crops you can have access to, to strengthen the food as medicine approach,” Waxman said. “The partnership with UF will help extend our educational offerings with health and gardening to fulfill that thirst for knowledge that we don’t have the bandwidth for.”
Fresh and Local on Campus
The Villages Grown’s produce is now a part of the menu offerings of UF’s on-campus dining through a partnership with the university’s Gator Dining Services.
Diners may expect the full line of produce including microgreens, lettuce, herbs, tomatoes, and cucumbers, Waxman said.
“It’s really bridging agriculture, culinary, and health together, which is what The Villages Grown’s model was built after,” she said.
Gator Dining’s partnership with The Villages Grown builds on a food service program that already was Florida-centric.
Its other Florida suppliers include the Hilliard aquaponics facility Traders Hill Farm, Orlando milk factory T.G. Lee Dairy, Ormond Beach plant-based food producer PAOW! and Lake Mary sausage maker Nettles Sausage.
Agriculture Industry Research
The Villages Grown’s position as a leader in controlled-environment agriculture, also known by its acronym CEA, allows it to be at the forefront of research on the subject.
And that’s what’s happening now, as UF/IFAS researchers seek to learn more about the processes involved and whether it’s economically viable for large farms.
There’s a great interest in controlled-environment agriculture in the private sector, said Jeanna Mastrodicasa, UF/IFAS associate vice president of operations. That interest translates to abundant research opportunities with The Villages Grown and other CEA agribusinesses.
“I’d like to see how well it works,” she said. “We simply don’t know well enough about it, most of agriculture in Florida has been in open fields.”
The Villages Grown depends on controlled-environment greenhouses utilizing vertical hydroponics — a process that uses vertically stacked towers to plant and grow more crops on less land — to grow its line of crops.
It also operates a nutrient tank system that sends a recipe of nutrients from a tank in a utility room through a drip irrigation system, said Adam Wright, The Villages Grown’s director of operations.
Waxman described The Villages Grown as the Southeast’s largest controlled-environment agriculture operation of its kind, made possible by the diversification of its crop offerings.
“There’s a lot of large CEAs that only grow lettuce,” she said.
Expanding Education
But people don’t need large greenhouses to grow vegetables and herbs hydroponically.
That’s something Waxman thinks master gardeners could teach residents. She said she’s working with UF/IFAS on training master gardener volunteers about concepts such as hydroponic growing to cultivate nutritious food.
The commercial needs of The Villages Grown don’t allow its staff much time to teach residents about hydroponic gardening. That’s where trained volunteers would come in, Waxman said.
“We want them to be an extension of The Villages Grown and help them get info out to them on their behalf,” she said.
It’s a philosophy echoed by local UF/IFAS staff, who see trained master gardeners as an extension of themselves, on a mission of helping their communities.
“Having volunteers associated, that will be a great part of it,” said Jim Davis, extension director with the UF/IFAS Sumter County Extension Office.
It helps that involvement in the master gardener program historically has been very strong in The Villages, Mastrodicasa said.
“New people to Florida want to learn about what they can grow in Florida,” she said. “There’s so much opportunity. Just the idea you can have more than one growing season in a year is different. Most places in the country have one.”
Building a Healthier Community
The ultimate goal of The Villages Grown and UF’s expanding relationship is simple: building a healthier community.
That may mean supplying the freshest and most nutrient-rich vegetables possible, or teaching people how they can grow them themselves.
It also explains why The Villages Grown develops blends of microgreens for hospitals, for example, to help those suffering from cardiovascular issues, Waxman said.
For The Villages Grown’s staff, relationships like those with UF make it possible to cultivate nutrient-dense produce in an affordable and accessible way, Waxman said.
“You can’t be a lone ranger,” she said. “Or you’ll be out of business.”
Senior writer Michael Salerno can be reached at 352-753-1119, ext. 5369, or michael.salerno@thevillagesmedia.com.
Lead photo: The Villages Grown assistant director of production, Rachel Skiles, checks the tomato plants to make sure everything is on track inside a greenhouse at the facility. Michael Johnson, Daily Sun