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Company That Led Failed Great Northern Paper Restart Pursues A New Venture In Maine
Company That Led Failed Great Northern Paper Restart Pursues A New Venture In Maine
By Darren Fishell, BDN Staff • December 29, 2017
Darren Fishell | BDN
The paper trail tells of Organic Nutrition's backstory, its key technology and more recent backing from the Portsmouth-based private equity firm Cate Street Capital, who led the failed restart of the Great Northern Paper mill in East Millinocket.
Cate Street Capital, the firm that leveraged $16 million in public money for its failed restart of East Millinocket’s Great Northern Paper Co. mill, has another project for Maine. This time, it is backing two entrepreneurs who want to grow farm-raised fish, fed with insects, and use the fish waste to grow produce in nutrient-rich water, a technique called hydroponics.
Their company, Organic Nutrition Inc., plans to do that with a headquarters in Florida and a hydroponics facility on the campus of St. Joseph’s College in Standish.
The Maine facility, planned for construction in 2018, is part of the college’s Institute for Local Food Systems Innovation. Organic Nutrition began construction on its Florida facility in October, according to property records.
angram 3DS
A computer rendering by the Kittery-based firm Tangram 3DS depicts a finished Florida facility of Organic Nutrition Inc., an agriculture and aquaculture business backed by the Portsmouth private equity firm Cate Street Capital. Cate Street also used the Kittery company to produce renderings of its scuttled Thermogen Industries projects in Millinocket and Eastport.
With Organic Nutrition, business partners Ernie Papadoyianis and Xavier “Sal” Cherch are seeking a comeback story after a dispute with their previous financiers ended in an adversarial 2009 bankruptcy.
Out of the bankruptcy, they retained their patented aquaculture system and other research. Now, with Cate Street’s backing, the duo wants to put their inventions to work. It could be Cate Street’s comeback in Maine, too.
The eventual bankruptcy of Great Northern Paper left behind a trail of debt that the attorney overseeing the case attributed in part to mismanagement, as managers at Cate Street inked unfavorable deals with related companies plunged the company into more debt and despite clear signs that it was out of cash.
An investigation by the Maine Sunday Telegram into Cate Street’s deal also prompted state and federal regulators to close loopholes in incentive programs that Cate Street used to deliver roughly $16 million in Maine tax dollars to out-of-state financiers, for investments that didn’t improve any part of the East Millinocket mill.
To get Organic Nutrition off the ground, Cate Street plans to use a combination of private financing, federal government support, its partnership with St. Joseph’s and a program that gives foreign investors a fast-track to citizenship.
Bill Diamond, a Democratic senator who represents Standish and who served on the Government Oversight Committee that reviewed the Great Northern deal, said he didn’t know Cate Street Capital was backing Organic Nutrition. But he toured St. Joseph’s in October to hear about its plans and sees no reason for concern.
“I think that’s a wonderful program and I think they are going to be one of the leaders in the east,” Diamond said.
The Maine plan
The facility in Maine will support a new certificate program at St. Joseph’s and provide support to other hydroponics businesses, according to the college. Organic Nutrition committed $750,000 to the effort, helping to match a $2 million grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration.
“The Organic Nutrition Hydroponic Farm will help entrepreneurs across the region scale up small greenhouse pilot programs into larger operations, preparing them for transition to stand-alone, for-profit businesses,” St. Joseph’s said in a news release.
The college anticipates the farm will sell about $120,000 worth of strawberries a year, by 2021, during a time when demand is highest for the fruit most often shipped from outside New England, according to an economic study the college commissioned.
The institute also will include the Hannaford Food Venture Center, focused on new food production technology, a commercial test kitchen where budding food manufacturers can use professional equipment and a livestock farm.
St. Joseph’s College
The site plan for the Institute for Local Food Systems Innovation at St. Joseph’s College in Standish shows three major components: at left, Organic Nutrition’s hydroponics greenhouse; at center, the Hannaford Food Venture Center; and, at right, a livestock barn.
As the hydroponic farm is just one part of St. Joseph’s plan, Organic Nutrition is just one of its founders’ ventures.
Cherch and Papadoyianis also lead North American Medical Holdings, a company that aims to build a network of health clinics providing controversial and unregulated hormone mixtures they tout as anti-aging treatments and possible treatments for conditions like erectile dysfunction.
The company wants to sell its so-called “bioidentical” hormone treatments at clinics across the country, under the name “Body & Life” and the slogan, “Your body. Your life!”
That company is still in the works. A website for the health clinic, registered to Cherch and a defunct aquaculture-related entity Closed Containment Systems Inc., asks visitors to “stay tuned while we finish preparing our interactive website to service you best.”
Organic Nutrition’s origins
Organic Nutrition emerged from Papadoyianis and Cherch’s aquaculture research started in 1996. By 2007, they had restarted an aquaculture facility in Florida City and had trademarked their circular, solid-walled fish farming pen as the “Aqua-Sphere.”
The vision, then, was largely the same: to build a better feedstock for fish farming and to use waste from the aquaculture process as fertilizer for hydroponic crops.
“We’re taking a liability of aquaculture, which is the waste, and creating an asset out of it,” Papdoyianis said in a 2007 interview with the Discovery Channel Canada show “What’s That About.”
The company’s first prototype of its circular tank cut about 30 days off the growth cycle for the fish, compared with rectangular “raceways” used at their Florida City operation.
Regulatory filings in 2008 tell of big ambitions for that year, with plans get more Aqua-Spheres into the water and to make moves on other research to breed insects to feed those fish. The planning began after a meeting on the topic in June 2006, with executives at their previous company, Neptune Industries Inc.
“In the weeks that followed, several suggestions arose as alternative sources for fish meal, including rats, insects, snails, worms and fish processing waste, and extensive research was conducted,” the filing states. “The team quickly concluded that insects appeared to offer the greatest commercial potential.”
Behind the scenes, trouble was brewing over ownership of Papadoyianis and Cherch’s aquaculture technology.
A deep recession complicated their effort to get additional loans as Neptune was staring down payments coming due, from roughly $2.5 million in debt instruments it issued to investors. On Feb. 13, 2009, three of those investors forced Neptune into bankruptcy. Papadoyianis, Cherch and various investors in Neptune fired back two weeks later, accusing financiers of foul play to enrich themselves by sabotaging Neptune.
They eventually settled the claims, the last of which they resolved in 2009 as part of the bankruptcy they left with their inventions and trademarks intact.
Enter Cate Street
By 2011, Papadoyianis and Cherch had caught the eye of Cate Street. The Portsmouth-based investment firm listed Organic Nutrition as one of its earliest portfolio companies, according to an archived webpage.
In May of 2012, as Cate Street CEO Halle told Maine officials that its East Millinocket mill restart would not go beyond making newsprint, Organic Nutrition had started the process of securing its trademark on “entoponics.”
With Cate Street’s backing, Papadoyianis and Cherch were back in business.
Last year, they won their trademark for the word “entoponics,” which they define as using insect components and waste to produce vegetables, fruits, plants and algae.
In August, the company announced it secured a $5 million loan guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to finance the first phase of its Florida operation, along with roughly $1.5 million from private investors, who received equity in the company.
In November, Cate Street CEO John Halle told the South Florida Business Journal that the company hopes to capture customers like Carnival Cruise Lines or supermarket chain Publix, which receive some greens shipped from California.
Eventually, the August statement said, Organic Nutrition plans to build that facility out to 500,000 square feet of hydroponics greenhouses and seven Aqua-Sphere fish farming systems.
That vision includes pairing its fish and hydroponics operations with breeding facilities for Black Soldier Flies, according to promotional company videos posted on YouTube. It plans to use food waste to grow the insects. The insects would provide protein meal to their tank-based fish farming systems, and it plans to use the fish waste as fertilizer for its hydroponic crops.
While the details of their plans have emerged in Florida and Maine, Organic Nutrition said in its August statement that it’s planning five facilities in four states. It has not disclosed details of those other plans.
It hopes to fuel some of its future projects with $50 million in foreign investment through the China-based Da Tang Investment Group and the EB-5 program. The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program gives expedited green cards to investors who put more than $500,000 into a qualifying U.S. business.
Leaders of Cate Street, Organic Nutrition or the U.S. contact for Da Tang Investment Group did not respond to requests for comment left in mid-December and this week.
On Wednesday, a company website at organicnutritioninc.com disappeared at least two weeks after going live. Google saved portions of the page Dec. 25.
Farmers of The Future at Urban Organics
Farmers of The Future at Urban Organics
December 26, 2017 by Morgan Mercer0 Comments
The interior fish incubation room of Urban Organics // Photo by Tj Turner
An inconspicuous white tube travels along the length of the ceiling, connecting two very different rooms. The first room is a cool 60 degrees and smells slightly fishy. Gray concrete floors and colorless walls make the space appear colder than it is. The neighboring room couldn’t be more different. The air smells sweet and vaguely earthy. When you open the door, it feels like stepping into the glow of a warm spring day.
This is a farm of the future.
In the middle of St. Paul, tucked inside a brewery that sat empty for years, life is thriving in the dead of winter. No soil. No natural light. Just a white pipe that carries the lifeblood of the entire operation from room to room: water. Kale, red romaine, and other leafy greens grow on racks stacked five planters high. In an adjacent room, tens of thousands of Arctic char swim in 26,000-gallon tanks. Thanks to the fish, the plants at Urban Organics grow all year long.
With a new 87,000-square-foot space at the Schmidt Brewery complex, Urban Organics is one of the largest commercial aquaponics facilities in the world. The company converts waste produced by fish to fertilize thousands of pounds of produce a month. The farm, which is certified organic by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is 10 times larger than Urban Organics’ first facility at the historic Hamm’s Brewery complex in St. Paul.
An Arctic Char pool, racks of leafy greens and an Arctic Char // Photos by Tj Turner
“When we would tell people our plan, we still joke about the number of people who thought we were nuts. They would say, ‘Don’t quit your day job,’” says Dave Haider, who did just that when he closed down his construction business to launch the original Hamm’s site with three other partners in 2012.
Since then, the team has built a worldwide reputation as a pioneer in year-round urban organic farming. In 2014, the Guardian dubbed Urban Organics one of the 10 most innovative farms in the world. The company sets itself apart with a state-of-the-art design, courtesy of an ongoing partnership with Pentair, a global leader in water technology. At a time when the agriculture industry faces increasing environmental challenges like climate change and water shortages, Urban Organics is out to prove there is a more sustainable way to produce fresh food—one that uses less water, and stays close to home.
“People want to know where their food is coming from and that it is being farmed in this safe, sustainable manner,” says Dave, who has seen aquaponics transition from a largely unknown concept to more of a mainstream idea in recent years. “We’re still trying to prove to people that we’re not nuts, but it’s not as many as it was.”
A game-changing partnership
Fred Haberman examines rows of Romaine Lettuce // Photo by Tj Turner
Limp. Tasteless. Old. Too many stores in the Twin Cities stocked bad lettuce, and Fred Haberman was fed up. The problem was shipping. By the time his salad greens arrived from California and hit local shelves, they were already days old. That’s when Fred remembered Will Allen, a former professional basketball player who started an urban farm in Milwaukee. That’s what the Twin Cities needs, Haberman thought—food grown where it’s consumed. Coincidentally, Dave had the same idea, too.
With two other partners, they formed Urban Organics. At the time, there were only a handful of companies testing hydroponic growing methods in urban areas, and even fewer trying aquaponics. A partnership with Pentair helped the company break into the fledgling industry.
“When they reached out to us it seemed too good to be true,” says Dave of the water tech company. “They saw it as a way to address some of these food concerns we’re facing now. This was their way of not only supporting a local company like ours, but catalyzing an industry as well.”
Pentair supplied all of the pumps, filters, and aerators needed to get the state-of-the-art aquaponics facility up and running. The system converts wastewater from the fish tanks into plant food. First, solid waste is filtered out. Then, bacteria convert the remaining ammonia into nitrates. This nitrate-rich water is what nourishes the 12 varieties of leafy greens Urban Organics grows.
Not only is the company’s organic produce free of pesticides and chemicals, but it also uses significantly less water than traditional soil-based farming practices. Nitrate-rich water is pumped underneath plant beds to minimize evaporation and deliver nutrients straight to the plant’s roots. All the water—except what evaporates on the plant side—is continually recycled and reused through the facility’s closed-loop system, too.
Last April, Co-op Partners Warehouse started selling the St. Paul-grown greens to stores and restaurants across the Midwest, including Wedge Commuity Co-op, Mississippi Market, and Seward Co-op. For a company that often buys and transports large volumes of California-grown salad mixes throughout the Midwest, Co-op Partners Warehouse was happy to finally have a local option.
“Urban Organics is using a sustainable system for production. Our customers want to support this type of innovation in the food industry,” says Lori Zuidema, the sales manager at Co-op Partners. “It reduces the need to transport food across the country [and] our year-round reliance on California produce.”
Packaged greens at Urban Organics ready to be shipped to stores // Photo by Tj Turner
By the time California lettuce makes it to stores, Lori says it’s already often six days away from expiring. Thanks to Urban Organics’ proximity, its products last seven to 10 days longer on the shelf. Plus, the St. Paul company offers unique salad mixes—like the rosé blend, a mix of red lettuces—that she can’t find anywhere else.
Right now Urban Organics harvests up to 15,000 pounds of produce a month. That’s enough to fill 45,000 pre-packed salad containers for stores like Lunds & Byerlys. Annually, the St. Paul farm will also harvest 275,000 pounds of fish—either Atlantic salmon or Arctic char—for restaurants like Birchwood Cafe that want a local and sustainable protein option. Beyond food, Urban Organics is an investment in a neighborhood. By rehabbing spaces at two defunct breweries, the St. Paul business leveraged urban farming to create jobs and spur economic development.
“We don’t want to replace traditional farming. It should be complementary,” says Dave, who sees smaller, local farms like Urban Organics as an opportunity to conserve water, save on distribution costs, and expand traditional growing areas. “I think we can do a lot better.”
High-tech food, designed by data
An Urban Organics seed planting machine // Photo Tj Turner
Aside from leafy greens and fish, Urban Organics is a data farm. Hidden throughout Urban Organics’ facility are more than 100 probes and sensors programmed to measure the slightest shifts in water temperature, pH levels, and dissolved oxygen. From seed to shelf, Urban Organics can track a single plant throughout its 35-day life cycle. Harvest logs allow the team to monitor growing trends and see how the fish influence the plants and vice versa. Every day, each probe in the facility shoots off a report to the company’s central computer. Those small slices of information help Dave and his team understand how to improve the farm’s design to raise fish and grow produce in the most sustainable and efficient way possible.
“We’re still in some ways pioneering an industry. There is no playbook for this. We learn something on a daily basis,” says Dave. “Everything we’re doing here is being recorded, which is going to help us design the next better facility.”
That’s in part what made the first site at Hamm’s Brewery so valuable. After farming that location for more than two years, Urban Organics knew how to upgrade the blueprint of the Schmidt Brewery site. First, Urban Organics scaled up in size—from 8,000 square feet to 87,000 square feet. Then, it switched out its grow lights from compact fluorescents to LEDs. That change alone helped the company cut down on its biggest cost, electricity, by 40 percent. Last, Urban Organics got smarter about its water. At the Hamm’s site, water flowed from the fish tanks, to the sump, to the plants, and then back to the fish again. But Dave found that wasn’t ideal. If the pH in the water from the fish tanks spiked, it could cause the plants’ leaves to yellow. So Urban Organics devised a solution that allowed him to separate the system into two continuously looping water cycles. Dave can pump nutrient-rich water from the fish to the plants as they need it, giving him greater control to create the best water conditions for both sides.
“This is a world that requires a lot of iteration because it’s new,” says Fred, who credits the engineering strength and aquaponics experts at Pentair for putting Urban Organics in a league of its own. “Even though this idea of leveraging the symbiotic relationship between fish and plants has been around for millennia, the idea of using technology to do it is new.”
Urban Organic’s seedlings // Photo by Tj Turner
By early 2018, Dave plans to have the Urban Organics farm in St. Paul running at its full potential. His team hopes to harvest the first of the Arctic char this spring, and more than triple the amount of greens it cranks out each month. But that’s just the beginning. Dave and Fred are already plotting the next city they want to expand to and brainstorming the next iteration of Urban Organics: a facility powered entirely by solar energy.
“I don’t think we can stay the course with traditional farming as our population grows in hopes that we’re going to have healthy food 50 years from now,” says Dave. “I’m not saying we’ve cracked the code and others haven’t. We’re just doing our part to come up with a perfect solution.”
Filed Under: Arts and Culture, Homepage Featured, MakersTagged With: Aquaponics, craft culture, Dave Haider, Fred Haberman, Schmidt Brewery, Urban Organics
Which Hydroponic System Should You Use? 4 Best Options
Hydroponics is an outstanding approach l. of growing microgreens, baby greens and lettuce 365 days a year. It's an extremely popular horticulture technique, however, new indoor growers should know that it requires a certain amount of maintenance and skil
Which Hydroponic System Should You Use? 4 Best Options
December 26, 2017
Do you ever stop and wonder if there is other hydroponic system out there? What if it turned out that all this time you've been missing the right information on hydroponic systems?
Introduction
Hydroponics is a outstanding approach of growing microgreens, baby greens and lettuce 365 days a year. It's a extremely popular horticulture technique, however new indoor growers should know that it require a certain amount of maintenance and skill.
Nutrient Film Technique (NFT)
Nutrient film technique (commonly known as NFT) is a method of growing in which the microgreens have their roots in a depth-less stream of recirculating nutrient enriched water, in which are dissolved all the ingredients required. There is no solid rooting medium. A root mat is not fully in the depth-less stream of recirculating water and partly over it. The stream is very shallow and the upper surface of the root mat which develops above the water, it is slightly damp, is in the air. Around the roots which are in the air, there is a film of nutrients - hence the name nutrient film technique. If the root system is immersed in water, a situation comparable with water logged soil condition is achieved. The only oxygen accessible will be the dissolved oxygen in the recycling water. In order to bypass this situation, it is necessary to maintain the nutrient film principals.
Ebb and Flow / Flood and Drain
Ebb and flow systems (commonly known as flood and drain systems) mimic the way that plant root on the sides of streams are exposed to air when the stream is low but are in the water when the stream level is high. The grow medium is above the reservoir tank, which distributes the nutrient water to the flood tray and grow medium at a set time, so throughout the day the plant will go through moments of dryness as the nutrient water returns down through the roots back into the reservoir tank. The level of the water is measured so that the nutrient water doesn't overflow the flood table. An overflow drain in the flood tray also helps control flow by allowing the water to return back into the reservoir tank. The ebb and flow system recycles the nutrient water at timed intervals. These systems are mostly flat to ensure that the nutrient is delivered to all the plants. The system has a separate reservoir that sits underneath the system. A tube connects the reservoir to the system and a pump is used to send the nutrients from the reservoir and into the flood tray, where it will return back down into the reservoir tank. This system requires less pumping than an NFT system, in a few cases pumping nutrients to the plants only two or three times a day. Hydrocorn clay pebbles are the most popular medium to be used in the net pots in an ebb and flow system.
Drip Irrigation
Most outdoor growers irrigate giant plots by setting up tube systems that can span over big distances on soil. In some cases a well is created to supply the water. A pump pushes the water up from the well and filtered. This is crucial because fresh water contains particles that will clog an irrigation system. A o-ring filter is a common type of filtering system used with drip irrigation. The water is pumped slowly through a main tube that splits into lines along the way. Each line is kept quite close to each plant, so plant spacing is critical. Some pressure valves and back flow valves may be needed to have the system work perfectly. The key to drip irrigation system is to keep the water close around the plant. Drip irrigation only puts water where the roots will get it right away and conserves a lot of nutrients and water. Drip irrigation works just like the ebb and flow method, except nutrients are carried to and from the plants much slowly, thru the drip irrigation ring. Drip irrigation is something that ebb and flow users can changeover to conserve nutrients. Rather or throwing out a reservoir and filling it up with new nutrients, drip irrigation uses up everything. Drip irrigation uses the least amount of water desired to grow leafy greens and is relatively simple for the experienced hydroponic grower to do.
Aeroponics
Aeroponics improves the use of air around the root zone for plants to take in nutrients through water vapor for plant growth. The roots are dangling in the air and fed with a fine vapor of nutrient water for a very little period of time with more recurring interval. The standards of aeroponics are based on growing plants whose roots find the perfect condition with regards to oxygenation and dampness. These conditions take into consideration better plant nutrient intake in a more balanced way, with rapid development of plants. Excellent growing condition by controlling the temperature and humidity reassures a grower with high yields. Even the consumption of plant nutrient that is given to a closed system of the plant container is very limited allowing water savings. To produce a 2 lbs of eggplants in a traditional farm consumes about 66 to 92 gallons of water, growing hydroponically consumes about 17 gallons of water, while only 4 to 7 gallons is consumed in aeroponics. This system offers the opportunity to enhance crop production and diminish costs compared to traditional farming methods. Aeroponics successfully takes advantage of every vertical space for farming or production of the greenhouse and can be used for maximum production of food per area.
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growingmicrogreens nutrientfilmtechnique nftsystem ebbandflow floodanddrain
hydroponicsystem hydroponics aeroponics dripirrigation nft indoorfarming
Why Engineer Ajay Naik Sold His Successful Startup To Become A Hi-Tech Farmer
Letcetra Agritech is a hydroponics farm that occupies just 150 square metres of space but grows three tonnes of lettuce a month.
Why Engineer Ajay Naik Sold His Successful Startup To Become A Hi-Tech Farmer
Rakhi Chakraborty December 23, 2017
Letcetra Agritech is a hydroponics farm that occupies just 150 square metres of space but grows three tonnes of lettuce a month.
“I am an early adopter. Early adopters of any new technology are few and far between, but in business, there is no reward without risk. The ones who can see the vision when no one else can, and work on it like there is no tomorrow, will succeed. The rest will follow,” says Ajay Naik, the Founder of Letcetra Agritech Pvt. Ltd.
Founded in 2016 and built at the intersection of agriculture and technology, Letcetra Agritech grows organic vegetables using hydroponics and sells them across hotel chains, supermarkets and farmers markets. “We also help set up commercial hydroponic farms for large-scale growers,” says Ajay.
Second Innings
Ajay had a successful mobile apps company which he sold to a German firm. For his second innings in the startup game, he chose a field radically opposite to his background of software engineering – agriculture. Although since he is an engineer, it was a given that his farming enterprise would be a technological one as well.
“I was looking for agricultural technologies that help grow organic food and I came across hydroponics, in which one can grow healthy food without using soil in a controlled environment with very less land, water, and labour. After doing research for two months, I decided to start a hi-tech vertical hydroponics indoor farm to grow top-quality pesticide-free exotic vegetables,” says Ajay.
Hydroponics
Apart from enabling the growth of produce that is 20-30 percent higher on quality than traditional agriculture allows, hydroponics also helps save water and resources during farming. Using hydroponics, one can grow crops in any environment- be it sterile unproductive lands or bustling urban centres. “It helps cutting down on expensive intermediaries and shipping costs and reducing our carbon footprint. It is user-friendly so that any grower with a will can apply it successfully,” he had stated in a previous interview.
Experts estimate that earth has only sixty years of topsoil left. If the current trend of destructive agricultural practices continues, we will not be able to grow food in six decades’ time. Our population is booming while our ability to feed that population is fast deteriorating. Hydroponics can be a viable alternative to this looming crisis. For now, Ajay is one of the few pioneers of this system in India.
ALSO READ: How these guerrilla gardeners are reclaiming urban spaces to grow food
Letcetra Agritech
Ajay says, “After seeing the lack of technology in farming, I wanted to understand the economics of the business. After assessing that I plunged headlong. In all this, we have always wanted to be farmers who use technology to grow pesticide-free, high quality, and affordable vegetables. Our success will always be measured by how much we grow versus how much we earn.”
Ajay’s indoor farm occupies an area of 150 square metres in which he grows three tonnes of lettuce a month. His company’s name Letcetra is a cheeky derivative of lettuce. “Lettuce etc.,” he says. In the future, he plans on adding more variety of crops, but for now, lettuce and salad greens are a good return on his investment. “Goa is a conducive place to start a farm, as the state sees visitors from all over the world and they all have a need to be served fresh and high-quality vegetables,” he says.
Business Model, Revenue, and Growth
Though a hydroponics farm assures financial returns in the long run, setting one up is an expensive affair. For thosesetting up a hydroponic farm in a poly house, the initial investment is approximately Rs 560 per square foot. The majority of this goes towards setting up pumping systems and electrical equipment.
For those setting up their farm indoors, the expense is considerably higher at approximately Rs 3500 per square foot. This is because you’ll be swapping sunlight for LED lights and air conditioners and heaters for temperature control. Ajay found growing exotic vegetables a quick way to recoup his investments. Given the perennial demand for fresh and organic salad greens, he is confident his lettuces will continue to pave the path to profitability.
“As of now, I have two investors, whose angel investment was key to our development. On the operational cost front, we are profitable even though we are just a year old. As for the rest we expect to break-even in a year from now. We are expanding to a bigger farm now and also in the process of expanding to Bengaluru. We want to become the largest producers of pesticide-free vegetables in India. We are expanding, and targeting a production of five tons of pesticide-free exotic vegetables per day by the first quarter of 2019,” says Ajay.
Personal Journey
There are two key challenges Ajay has faced while becoming a successful hydroponics farmer. One has been fighting the status quo. He says, “The hardest part of becoming an entrepreneur is keeping yourself motivated to keep fighting. When you are trying something, which no one has dared to try before, everyone around you will tell you that you are taking a foolish risk. Keeping yourself going is very important.”
The second has been finding people who connect with his vision. “Even with all the difficulties, I am happy with what I am doing as I am being able to live my dreams while making a positive difference in our society,” he adds.
Having overcome many rigorous obstacles since starting Letcetra Agritech, Ajay is gearing up to face an equally demanding but bright future. He says, “The executive chef of one of the most reputed seven-star hotel chains in India told us after tasting our lettuce that we have cracked the formula to grow the best lettuce in India. We have a very bright future. We are a country whose population is rapidly growing and we are here to feed this behemoth. We are working very hard on research and trying to make sure we can get the formula right at scale, which will be a great investment.”
India is an agrarian country but the exploitative agriculture industry is seen as the least lucrative of livelihoods. With millennials like Ajay marrying technology with the traditional, one hopes that such ventures appeal to the young upstarts looking to make a positive difference in the world through their work. Ajay’s advice for them: “I believe in what LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman said – ‘Entrepreneurs are those who jump off the cliff and build a plane on their way down.’ If you are seeking to make a switch, just jump.”
How This Startup Produces 700 Tonnes of Fruits and Vegetables Without Soil
Triton Foodworks started as an experiment in urban farming in September of 2014 by four friends — Deepak Kukreja, Dhruv Khanna, Ullas Samrat, and Devanshu Shivnani.
How This Startup Produces 700 Tonnes of Fruits and Vegetables Without Soil
Foraying into urban farming, a group of friends has set up a green enterprise that is based on hydroponics.
There is growing concern in urban and semi-urban areas about the dangers of the pesticide-ridden food that is sold in the market.
Following the Green Revolution in the mid-1960s, the use of pesticides in India has increased. Although the period saw the boom in agriculture like never before, the flip side of this revolution has left the country consuming poisonous food. Food production in large quantities at the cost of their health has made people wary and look for alternatives.
In the confines of an urban setting, four youngsters from Delhi are venturing into hydroponics to provide an organic and healthier option for the urban populace.
Hydroponics is the method of growing plants in a water-based, nutrient-rich medium, without the use of soil. This method essentially cuts down the amount of water being used compared to the method in which plants are grown in soil. In some cases, up to 90 percent less water is used in the hydroponics method compared to the traditional soil-based agriculture — a boon for water-starved urban areas. One can plant four times the number of crops in the same space as soil farming.
An Experiment In Urban Farming
Triton Foodworks started as an experiment in urban farming in the September of 2014 by four friends — Deepak Kukreja, Dhruv Khanna, Ullas Samrat, and Devanshu Shivnani.
In early 2014, Ullas was exploring ways to develop his agricultural land in Mohali for his mother, who suffers from ILD, a degenerative disorder of the lungs. When the doctors told him that life on a farmhouse would in fact be counterintuitive for his mother due to dust and other issues related to farming, he became obsessed with finding a way to farm in a clean and hygienic manner.
Dhruv, who was in Singapore at the moment working on his tech startup, wanted to come back to India and start something here. On a catch-up call, the two got discussing how much fun it would be to start a business together; especially something that made sense economically and ecologically. Following a lot of research, they zeroed in on hydroponic farming, something that connected with both of them. Dhruv visited a few hydroponic farms in Singapore to see firsthand how it works. Ullas met Deepak online while researching on hydroponics. The team quickly realized that to make this thing big, they needed a formal structure and a financial disciple — which is when Devanshu was roped in.
“We were just a bunch of friends who wanted to do something in the space of food and agriculture. We were very excited by the opportunities of rooftop farming and farming within the limits of the city. We did a pilot to grow strawberries in Sainik Farm of Delhi. We used an open system with vertical towers to grow eight tonnes of strawberries out of 500 sqm of land. Eventually, we decided against setting rooftop farms due to feasibility issues. Instead, we set up full scale, commercial farms in the outskirts of cities,” says 38-year-old Deepak, technical Co-founder, who takes care of the farming aspect of the business.
Like any bootstrapped startup, Triton Foodworks also faced a huge number of issues at every step. Their farm at the Sainik Farm was demolished by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) because the team refused to pay a bribe.
“We went to the Delhi government to ask for some sort of help in setting up farms in Delhi; we were called ‘food terrorists’ to our face. Quite a few vendors still owe us money for our early projects, something which is a huge issue in this industry. We had no previous data to map our progress against, no previous players who could be used as a yardstick in the field,” says 27-year-old Devanshu, who takes care of the finances and the financial modelling for the business.
Taking Hydroponics Ahead
“Toxic food is the biggest issue we are trying to resolve. People don't realise how toxic their food really is. We don't use chemical pesticides for our plants. The second issue is the fact that we are running out of land and water to grow food. Lastly, we are addressing the problem of traceability, consistency and, by extension, accountability in farming. You buy a bag of chips and you can trace it back to the field in which the potatoes were grown, but if you pick up a tomato from your vegetable vendor, there is no way to know where it came from, who harvested it, when was it harvested, and what all did he put in it to grow. We are teaching people to ask these questions by offering them answers even before they realise this information is important,” says 27-year-old Dhruv, who looks after operations and marketing.
The team relies on Ayurvedic recipes and bio control to fight off pests and other infections, as an alternative to pesticides and insecticides. The team grows the same amount of food grown under conventional farming with just about one-eighth of the area and using 80 percent less water.
The team has successfully set up more than 5 acres of hydroponic farms across three locations in India. The strawberry farm in Mahabaleshwar grows 20 tonnes of strawberries a year and a 1.25 acres facility in Wada district of Maharashtra that produces about 400 tonnes of tomatoes, 150 tonnes of cucumbers, 400 heads of spinach, and over 700 bunches of mint.
Triton also operates an acre facility in Shirval, Pune that grows tomatoes and cucumbers, which are used to feed farmers' markets in Pune. The team also advises companies in Hyderabad, Manesar and Bengaluru that are interested in incorporating hydroponics.
Triton currently has over 200,000 sqft of area under hydroponic cultivation in various locations in the country. Using hydroponics, it produces more than 700 tonnes of residue-free fruits and vegetables every year.
“Our systems enable us to save around 22 crore litres of water per year as compared to traditional agriculture. In terms of volume, our vertical systems grow food comparable to 10,00,000 sqft of land when using traditional agriculture methods, which translates into a saving of more than 800,000 sqft of land to grow the same amount of food. Since our farms are located within a 100-km radius from cities, our produce carries lesser food miles,” says 27-year-old Ullas.
The team is currently in the process of setting up stalls in farmers' markets in Pune and Mumbai.
What the USDA Organic Board's Decision Means for Aquaponics and Hydroponics
Many USDA Organic soil-based growing should be about restoring the nation's soil, and therefore organic farming cannot happen in the water. Some of these activists, such as Dave Chapman, a soil organic tomato grower, have threatened to leave the USDA label, saying that it undermines the value of the program.farmers say that organic
What the USDA Organic Board's Decision Means for Aquaponics and Hydroponics
By Lexi Harder | 12.20.2017
As an aquaponics farmer, I know that the produce and fish I grow are organic. How could they not be? At Oko Farms, the NYC aquaponics farm where I work, we use pesticide-free forms of pest management, feed our fish non-GMO food and treat sick fish without the help of antibiotics. However, we do not sell our produce with an organic label, choosing instead to emphasize the sustainability of our growing practices. This is because Oko Farms is not USDA Organic certified, and farmers who sell produce with an organic label without being certified face steep fines.
USDA Organic is a certification process for farms, akin to a long checklist. The label is helpful for consumers to know that any USDA Organic produce they buy has met a minimum standard of organic growing. USDA Organic farms must follow federal guidelines dictating use and quality of pesticides, soil quality, additives, and animal raising practices, with the aim of reducing the impact on the environment. More importantly for farmers, having the USDA Organic label allows farmers to sell their goods at a higher price point than conventionally grown produce. Still, many small farms, like Oko Farms, choose not to certify because it is an expensive process. In addition to USDA Organic, other organic certifications exist, and consumers can also look for labels denoting local produce and humane treatment of livestock.
The "Battle" Over Hydroponics and Aquaponics
On November 1st of this year, an important "battle" over USDA Certification came to a head. Unlike in the European Union, USA hydroponic, aquaponic, and aeroponic farms have all been eligible for USDA Organic certification, and in the past decade or so more and more organic hydroponic produce has been appearing on grocery shelves. Proponents of soil organic farming have fought this allowance for over twenty years. This fall, after an opposite vote in April, the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) voted that aquaponics and hydroponics should be allowed to continue to be certified organic, but voted no on aeroponics (a practice similar to hydroponics, but where plant roots are sprayed with instead of suspended in a nutrient solution). Currently, around 100 hydroponics farms are certified organic, only one aquaponics farm, and no aeroponics farms.
Many USDA Organic soil-based farmers say that organic growing should be about restoring the nation's soil, and therefore organic farming cannot happen in the water. Some of these activists, such as Dave Chapman, a soil organic tomato grower, have threatened to leave the USDA label, saying that it undermines the value of the program. In actuality, there is no legal provision that organic growers must benefit the soil. But in many ways, this anger is due to the fact that increasing amounts of organic produce in big grocery stores are now hydroponically grown by huge agribusinesses, specifically from Driscoll and Wholesum Harvest. Hydroponic greenhouses can produce, for example, organic tomatoes at a lower cost than soil grown tomatoes. This worries soil organic farmers who fear being edged out of the $40 billion organic market.
Still, for small hydroponics and aquaponics farmers (like me), the NOSB's ruling is a good thing. As Marianne Cufone has testified, hydroponics and aquaponics farms do use organic practices, so they shouldn't be excluded from the economic benefit of the USDA Organic label. The board's decision is an economic boon to young aquaponics and hydroponics entrepreneurs, many of whom want to start operations in urban areas where there is low access to fresh greens. While it is unlikely that every small operation will decide to follow the USDA Organic certification route, it brings a level of legitimacy to a form of farming that the general public still views with a heavy level of skepticism. In my opinion, a situation that benefits many and diverse types of sustainable farming can only be a good thing.
Thank You and Next Steps From The Coalition For Sustainable Organics
Thank You and Next Steps From The Coalition For Sustainable Organics
Eighteen months ago, the outlook for hydroponic, aquaponic, and containerized growing methods in the National Organic Program looked bleak. A small, yet vocal, minority in the organic sector had mounted a campaign within the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) to prohibit these production methods from organic certifications despite a lack of scientific basis to do so. Through the hard work and dedication of CSO’s Board and member companies, we were able to launch a strategic advocacy plan to push back against this unfair and arbitrary effort. After three failed votes in the NOSB, our place in the organic industry is safe for now but more work is needed to ensure the continued success of these systems.
As the NOSB considers additional potential regulations that may impact your on-farm practices, we must remain vigilant in our efforts to educate policymakers on the integrity and sustainability of your production systems. The CSO still needs you as a member to fight the good fight and ensure a sustainable future in the U.S. organic industry for farmers incorporating containers in their operations. Please fill out the linked application form today to join the CSO.
The CSO is closely monitoring the following additional potential threats to hydroponic, aquaponics and containerized growing methods:
1) Some Certifiers Continue to Refuse to Certify Legitimate Organic Operations: In spite of the recent NOSB votes rejecting proposals to prohibit container, hydroponic, and aquaponic production tools used by organic growers, widespread inconsistencies remain between USDA-authorized certifiers. Many certifiers are defying USDA regulations and refusing to certify operations incorporating containers beyond their use for nursery stock. Other certifiers will certify growers using certain types of substrate, but not growers using Nutrient Film Technique or Floating Raft Systems regardless of the fact they have created complex, living biological systems to cycle nutrients in an organic manner.
2) NOSB’s Next Steps for Containers Remains Unknown: At the close of the November 2017 NOSB meeting, the Board released a draft agenda indicating a plan to continue to pursue additional recommendations to revise USDA’s organic standards related to containers including potential regulations on new labeling requirements and the reuse and recycling of containers. This remaining uncertainty hurts growers and producers looking to make investments and upgrades.
3) Groups Opposed to Organic Certification for Containers Threaten Legal Action: After their latest setback at the NOSB, our opponents are now planning to file legal action against the USDA over the current certification policy that does allow for container production systems. Specifically, they claim that the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 and as amended REQUIRES that crops must be grown in the soil. The CSO stands ready to defend the rights and interests of its members.
4) Voluntary “Regenerative Organic” Label Efforts Move Forward: The Rodale Institute is leading efforts to create a new and at this time voluntary, label currently taking the name of Regenerative Organics. This label would exclude containers from participation. Groups like the Organic Consumers Association are coalescing around this effort. Details of that standard can be found here. The idea is to add specific requirements for soil management including tillage practices as well as social justice and animal welfare elements that are not part of the current USDA standard.
Your Help Is Needed
The CSO needs your continued participation in efforts to safeguard your rights to select the most appropriate growing methods in your organic operations. Our opponents continue to push Congress to pass restrictions on our operations and will only ramp up their efforts after their defeat at the NOSB.
Actions to take:
Join CSO if you have not done already. Our sustained efforts on behalf of the hydroponic, aquaponics and container industry in Washington, DC rely on dues from farming operations like yours.
Contact your elected officials to make sure that they see this issue as being important to their district or state. You are a key to humanizing the issue for them. Some examples of ways to engage include:
- Send a version of the draft letter below.
- Offer a tour of your operations to the Member or staff.
- Visit Washington, DC to see your Member of Congress. If you are a member of CSO our team in will coordinate meetings on your behalf.
Please forward any notes and the contact information you gathered during the visit to Lee Frankel at info@coalitionforsustainableorganics.org.
You can find the contact information for your Member of Congress and Senatorat the highlighted links.
Thanks for your help.
Sample Letter to email or fax
The Honorable XXXXXX
United States House of Representatives or United States Senate
Local Address
Date
Dear Representative XXXXXX,
As your constituent, I am writing to invite you to visit our farming operation to learn more about the use of hydroponic/container/aquaponic cultivation to grow certified organic produce for our community.
Our company grows [list your products here] in [city of facility/farm] and employs XXX people. In addition, we are perfecting our growing methods to expand our line into more and more fresh produce items. Our current production is helping to make fresher produce available to our community and alleviating food deserts in the area. We achieved certification under the U.S. Department of Agriculture and take pride in meeting all the necessary requirements under the law to meet this incredibly high standard.
You may be aware that, over the last few years, USDA’s advisory committee on organic agriculture, the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB), has been considering multiple proposals to revoke the existing organic certifications for growers using hydroponic methods to produce fresh vegetables, herbs, and fruit. While the latest proposal was defeated by an 8 to 7 vote, the NOSB continues to examine ways to limit our ability to maintain our organic certification through their insistence that only farms that look like theirs should carry the organic label.
This is an unnecessary and burdensome action that will significantly impact our livelihood, jobs in your district, and reduce the availability and accessibility of fresh organic produce. If the use of these innovative and practical growing techniques is limited, our company will no longer be permitted to continue to produce certified organic fresh produce, and our economic potential will be significantly impacted.
I look forward to welcoming you to our operation to demonstrate our use of these techniques to help meet the rising consumer demand for organic produce.
Thank you for your consideration. You can contact me at [email address] or by phone at [phone number].
Respectfully,
Your Name
Farm/Operation Name
A Beginner’s Guide to Vertical Farming
Also known as indoor farming, vertical farming has in recent years gained recognition as a solid method of sustainability. The system was born out of the challenges affecting the 21st century, specifically issues like food shortage, resource depletion, and overpopulation.
A Beginner’s Guide to Vertical Farming
November 28, 2017
Written by Claudia Beck
Also known as indoor farming, vertical farming has in recent years gained recognition as a solid method of sustainability. The system was born out of the challenges affecting the 21st century, specifically issues like food shortage, resource depletion, and overpopulation.
Feeding the future: vertical farming
Vertical farming is the practice of food production that takes the form of vertically stacked layers and vertically inclined surfaces. The method is executed inside a controlled environment building, usually without soil or natural light.
The method of growing the crops in a vertical farm involves the following elements.
• Temperature control
• Humidity control
• Artificial lighting
• Control and monitoring of nutrients and fertiliser
When undertaking vertical agriculture as a small to medium business, planning is essential. You need to ensure that you can sell what you grow, and that your production costs are not too high. The first step to ensuring this, therefore, is picking the right crops.
The aspiring vertical farmer needs to conduct a feasibility study and come up with a profitable and sustainable plan. This is because each species you plan to grow will have a growing method tailored to its needs. Determining the daily nutrient and light uptake each crop requires is crucial.
Animated GIF credit: Lizzie Lomax
The indoor farm represents significant benefits to the consumer as it increases food accessibility. Because farms can be located anywhere, more people can start growing their own crops. Production then moves closer to the consumer, and farms are able to produce consistent value and volume year-wide. Currently, building-based and shipping container vertical farms are the most common.
How does indoor farming work?
There are several key factors that determine the viability of a vertical farm.
1. Physical layout
The objective of indoor farming is to maximise volume. This is achieved by maximising the output efficiency per square meter, which is where the vertical tower structure comes from.
2. Lighting
Image credit: Business Wire
Optimising light for crop growth in vertical agriculture usually involves a mixture of grow lights and natural light. Specialised technologies like rotating beds increase the efficiency of the light sources and can fulfil different crop requirements.
3. Growing medium
There are three different models for the indoor agriculture system.
A. Hydroponics
In hydroponics, crops grow in the nutrient-rich water basin and water is recirculated, creating better efficiency and lower water consumption. Scalable in size and cost, hydroponic farming is highly adaptable to its farmers’ production goals and needs. It includes methods like Drip Irrigation, Deep Water Culture, Ebb and Flow, Nutrient Film Technique, and the Wick System.
B. Aeroponics
Image credit: Foundation Far
Aeroponic farming involves frequently spraying crops with a nutrient-based mist, using a periodic timer (no soil, sunlight, or water). Aeroponics delivers nutrients directly to the plant roots to conserve water and reduce intensive labour. Scalability is another massive benefit with this method, and crops are easily harvested without soil.
C. Aquaponics
A closed-loop food production system, aquaponics is the practice of cultivating both fish and plants. The fish provide nutrients and beneficial bacteria to the plants,which in turn filter the water for the fish. Aquaponic farming creates a highly productive and balanced ecosystem with many benefits, including its water-conservative approach.
4. Sustainability features
Image credit: Cleanroom News
Many built-in sustainable features like rainwater tanks, wind turbines, and multipurpose spaces can offset energy costs in a vertical farm. Indoor farminguses less water than conventional farming practices and is not season-dependent for seed growth, which maximises revenue year-round.
What can you grow in your vertical farm?
With the right hydroponic, aeroponic, or aquaponic farm set-up, you can grow almost anything. Just because you can do so, however, doesn’t mean you should. Consider the following aspects when choosing the best crops for your vertical farm.
1. Economic viability
Especially if you’re growing for profit, study the economics of the species you have shortlisted for your indoor farm.
A. Demand
What is the demand for this crop within your area or within the market you choose to serve? You may decide that your project will provide for your family as well as for your local community.
B. Growing technique
Though vertical farming methods mean lower overheads on average, the size and particular system you use dictates your short and long-term production costs. You’ll want to keep these figures as minimal as possible.
C. Climate
Different systems have climate requirements (heating, cooling, and lighting) that may necessitate another sectioned-off space. Consider if you have the room and operations budget for your chosen system design.
As a grower, striking a balance between these elements ensures maximum yield and value out of your indoor farm.
2. Timing and liability
All good things take time—patience is a necessary element of indoor agriculture. This truth is embodied in what is called in farming as a ‘turn.’ A turn is the total amount of time it takes to introduce a seed or seedling into the farm system, grow it, and harvest it as a mature plant, for sale at the market or serving on your plate.
There are two types of crops you can choose to grow: fast turn crops and slow turn crops. Dependent on your growing reason, needs, and requirements, you can pick either one or both for your vertical farm.
Image credit: Forbes
Fast turn crops include lettuce, cabbage, chard, collard greens, mustard greens, parsley, cilantro, mint, chives, basil, and various microgreens. They usually take up to six weeks to produce.
Slow turn crops are typically harder to grow, but have a higher revenue margin compared to leafy greens. This includes ‘woody’ herbs like oregano and rosemary, and fruiting crops like strawberry and tomato. A good guide to follow for a beginner grower is to plant 80 percent greens, and 20 percent herbs.
Vertical agriculture: from farm to fork, all under one roof
Vertical farming can be as small or as large in scale—it all depends on the farmer’s goals and requirements! A vertical farm can benefit both your home and business, providing your community with reliable access to fresh produce.
While the traditional block of land enabled families to grow their own food, block sizes have gotten increasingly smaller throughout the decades.
Luckily, indoor farming lets us grow crops with a fraction of the space, sun, soil, and water conventional farming uses. What’s more, vertical farms are protected from the harsh weather brought about by climate change. The result? Robust and resilient crops turning up whenever needed, grown in soil and water-conservative, stable crop systems.
Title image courtesy of Digital Trends
University Greenhouse Expands to Include An Aquaponics System
University Greenhouse Expands to Include An Aquaponics System
- By Emily Gielink | Reporter
-
- November 27, 2017
Aquaponics, the combination of hydroponics and aquaculture, is working its way on to the University’s campus as the greenhouse attempts to expand its newest program. As the University strives to become a more green and sustainable campus, aquaponics may be the next step toward this goal.
Hydroponics, the study of growing plants without soil, and aquaculture, the farming of fish or other aquatic organisms, are efficient methods of producing both plant and fish crops, according to a study conducted by Iowa State University professor D. Allen Pattillo.
The University greenhouse is home to different species and biomes, but its newest addition includes tanks of fish, pumps and crops. Kevin Neves, the University biology instructor, started this system in fall 2016 when he arrived on campus along with two other students. He has been working in aquaculture for 15 years, and in the three years before coming to the University, he was working on an integrated multi-trophic aquaculture setup in Maine.
“In a standard aquaculture operation, you’re growing fish and you’re feeding the fish. Fish produce waste, and we need to deal with that waste in one form or another,” Neves said.
The greenhouse aquaponics system currently has two tanks full of yellow perch, which are fed standard fish food. The perch grow to about 10 or 12 inches, the standard to sell them for consumption. Next, all the feces and uneaten food go into another tank filled with freshwater shrimp and an orange mesh that allows bacteria growth.
The shrimp then take the ammonia fish produce and convert it into nitrate, which is a type of plant fertilizer. The nitrates travel through pipes into floating beds in which plant roots grow into water. Most of the water then is drained out and pumped back into the yellow perch tank.
Plants being grown from this system include kale, spinach and a few experimental plants, such as tomatoes. Neves first tried to grow thyme and lettuce, which failed in the system.
“It’s environmentally friendly, it’s sustainable, everything looks good and it has so little impact on the environment,” Neves said.
This system is low maintenance, only requiring those who maintain it to feed the fish, and occasionally add a few gallons of water to the system as water evaporates in the greenhouse.
Frank Schemenauer, a horticulturist for the greenhouse, became involved with the project after he discussed the possibility of housing the aquaponics system with Neves. Schemenauer focuses on logistics and input during assembly, assisting students growing plants for and within the system and troubleshooting potential pest problems for the plants.
“I think the aquaponics system is a great addition to the greenhouse,” Schemenauer said. “It highlights the potential to produce food in a closed-loop system, utilizing fish waste as a resource to facilitate plant growth with minimal environmental impact.”
One of the students who helped create the aquaponics system was Lana Neff, a third-year marine and aquatic biology major. She now helps with basic care and maintenance of the system.
“I think this system is providing students and future students with a fun and hands-on educational source where students can actually see what an aquaponics system looks like, instead of going off of pictures in a book,” Neff said.
Although the Office of Campus Sustainability has no knowledge of the system, some students are aware of the newer program and have visited the aquaponics system.
The aquaponics system can be compared to the green roof system on top of the Oaks Dining Hall. The Oaks grows fresh produce and then incorporates them into the meals served to students. With the current system, Neves hopes to incorporate the fish and plants he grows into Dining Services.
Aquaculture is expanding in numerous states, including Ohio, where over 25 fish and crustacean species are cultured and sold.
As the Earth’s population grows, people continue to deplete the Earth’s resources, including marine life, according to Matthew Smith, Ohio State University Extension Aquaculture Specialist. “Overfishing is real, and although harvesting techniques have gotten a lot better, much of our bodies of water are overfished,” he said. “Aquaculture helps alleviate the burden on our waters.”
As for long-term goals, Neves is trying to gain funding for the greenhouse aquaponics system. If he receives funding, he intends to add on to the greenhouse and add more tanks and plants for large-scale production, in hopes of profiting from the system.
“It’s proof of the concept, and so the goal would to be to sell these locally-environmentally-friendly, green perch,” Neves said. “There’s a huge market for hydroponic crops, and people are really excited about that.”
This Shipping Container Is A High-Tech Growing Machine | Editorial
The township recently laid claim to being the first New Jersey municipality to take delivery of a portable, hydroponic box farm. It's basically a 40-foot-by-80-foot metal shipping container that has been converted into a high-tech growing machine.
12-07-17
By Times of Trenton Editorial Board
Robbinsville is thinking inside the box as a way to go green.
The township recently laid claim to being the first New Jersey municipality to take delivery of a portable, hydroponic box farm.
It's basically a 40-foot-by-80-foot metal shipping container that has been converted into a high-tech growing machine.
Plants are grown in nutrient-rich water that requires no soil. Indoor lighting takes the place of sunlight to produce the photosynthesis needed to grow leafy green vegetables. An added advantage is that plants can be grown year-round in a temperature-controlled environment that is regulated by computer software. And no pesticides are needed to raise fresh organic food.
The box farm, called a Leafy Green Machine, is made by Freight Farms, a Boston company, and costs $104,000, according to Kevin Holt, Robbinsville's recreation activities coordinator.
He sees a bright future for the box farm. Initially, the town plans to grow lettuce and other greens for the benefit of township programs, such as Meals on Wheels and the senior center, where the box will be set up.
Town sees big future in small, hydroponic box 'farm'
The box farm - located in a portable shipping container - can grow lettuce, leafy greens and kale
Once food production is up and running, Holt expects it will produce nutritious greens such as lettuce, mustard greens, Asian greens, endive and an assortment of herbs for nonprofits and other organization that feed the needy.
The hope is that the township will eventually start a community share garden and sell greens to residents to help pay for the initial investment. If all goes according to plan, the township will pay off the farm box in five to seven years.
Robbinsville is breaking new ground with this food-growing experiment. If it is successful, it will pave the way for other towns and organizations to follow its example.
The beauty of a self-contained food growing system is that it can be placed in just about any urban lot, where it can produce about 1,000 heads of lettuce a week, according to box farm manufactures.
Imagine what this could mean for "food deserts," poor areas where fresh, healthy vegetables at reasonable prices are scarce.
Of course, this small-space farming is no panacea for solving world hunger, but it certainly could put a dent in it, especially if scaled up to bigger proportions.
Robbinsville is starting out small, but it is paving the way for a possible food revolution.
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Wisconsin School Grows Crops in Hydroponics System
Students at a private school in eastern Wisconsin are growing their own food for lunch in the school's cafeteria. The hydroponics system at St. John Lutheran School in Plymouth is part of a pilot program through the nonprofit Feeding America, USA Today Network-Wisconsin reported.
Wisconsin School Grows Crops in Hydroponics System
by The Associated Press
Sunday, December 10th 2017
(Image Courtesy MGN Online)
PLYMOUTH, Wis. (AP) -- Students at a private school in eastern Wisconsin are growing their own food for lunch in the school's cafeteria.
The hydroponics system at St. John Lutheran School in Plymouth is part of a pilot program through the nonprofit Feeding America, USA Today Network-Wisconsin reported.
The system is kept in a large plastic shell and was installed about a month ago. Nutrient-rich water is cycled through the system and enables growth without the need for soil.
"In this day and age of conservation and resources, what a great way to show the students every day that there are ways to try and be a little more self-sustaining and have less of an impact on the environment," said Jay Lindsey, the school's principal. "Along the lines of problem-solving, it's a great educational tool for the kids."
Students have tried planting lettuce so far. Science teacher Libby MacGillis planted starfighter lettuce seeds in the classroom before students helped transfer the plants to the hydroponics system. The lettuce is a fast-growing and high-yielding green.
"They grow really, really fast. They sprout in about 24 hours," MacGillis said. "We'll plant them one day and by the next day I'll already have plants."
Cafeteria staff then used the lettuce for the salad bar, Lindsey said.
"We'll grow other crops, but we did this first because we know it works really well," MacGillis said. "We might try strawberries and peppers."
It took the school time to find the right water and nutrient balance for the plants. The first batch of crops was killed when the water in the system leaked out overnight. The problems were worth it after seeing the students' excitement, MacGillis said.
"They loved it," she said. "Everyone wanted to try it."
The school has about 200 students from 3-year-olds to eighth graders.
Constantinides, School Officials Open First Hydroponic Science Labs in District
Constantinides, School Officials Open First Hydroponic Science Labs in District
Shachar Sharon | December 8, 2017
School Officials Open First Hydroponic Science Labs in District
Lab is First Completed Part of Councilman’s Science 2050 Budget Initiative
Astoria, N.Y. – As part of New York City Council Member Costa Constantinides’ initiative to invest in science learning spaces, he and school officials today celebrated the opening of the first hydroponic science lab in the district. He joined NY Sun Works Executive Director Manuela Zamora, NYC Department of Education District 30 Superintendent Dr. Philip Composto, PS 122 Principal Anna Aprea, teachers, and students for a ribbon cutting celebration.
Labs were constructed in one elementary and one middle school classroom at PS 122 using a $160,000 allocation from Constantinides as part of the Fiscal Year 2017 Budget. Constantinides allocated almost $2 million of funding in that budget to schools throughout the district as part of his Science 2050 Budget Initiative to improve science learning spaces. He invested in hydroponic science labs, STEM labs, and technology upgrades. These investments were made to ensure that children have the tools they need to learn so that they can improve our community in the future.
Construction on the hydroponic science labs at PS 122 took place over the 2017 summer break and instruction began in September. Plants and equipment that use water and other mediums for plant growth were installed in the classrooms. These labs provide hands-on education to students in many subjects including biology, agriculture, sustainability, technology, and nutrition. Students learn about environmental innovation and global resources.
Faculty members are trained to integrate the labs into the school’s curricula. The School Construction Authority worked with NY Sun Works to implement the lab and train faculty.
Constantinides said, “We are proud to kick off our Science 2050 Budget Initiative with this opening. With these innovative learning spaces, children have the opportunity to interact with plants, study the biology of how they grow, and receive meaningful lessons in ecology and agriculture. These types of multi-faceted science learning experiences will give students academic benefits in a variety of subject matters. Giving children have the tools they need for a 21st Century academic experience will ensure that they can become our future leaders. Thank you to PS 122, NY Sun Works, and the School Construction Authority for your partnership in important initiative.”
“We are thrilled to partner with visionary Councilmember Constantinides,” said Manuela Zamora, NYSW Executive Director. “The NY Sun Works Greenhouse Project Labs address the needs of the 21st Century. In these classrooms, students learn about the science of sustainability while growing food with cutting edge hydroponic technology.”
“PS 122 is very excited to open up the hydroponics lab to our students. The PS 122 teachers in the science labs report that students living in an urban environment often have little connection to nature and where food comes from. By bringing what is typically outdoors inside the classroom, we hope to connect our students to the greater environment. Ultimately, we hope to build on the natural curiosity of the students to provide an elevated set of skills, a broader perspective on the issues facing our communities, and to foster environmental leadership,” said PS 122 Principal Anna Aprea.
“We are grateful to Council Member Constantinides for his generous funding and support,” said Lorraine Grillo, President and Chief Executive Officer of the New York City School Construction Authority. “Thanks to our strong partnerships with local leaders, PS 122 students and families will now have access to a state-of-the-art hydroponic science lab.”
Constantinides has continued to make investments in science learning spaces a priority. Duringthis past budget cycle, he secured over $3 million for hydroponic science labs at different schools, STEM lab updates, solar panels, technology upgrades, and other facilities updates.
Council Member Costa Constantinides represents the New York City Council’s 22nd District, which includes his native Astoria along with parts of Woodside, East Elmhurst, and Jackson Heights. He serves as the chair the City Council’s Environmental Protection Committee and sits on six additional committees: Civil Service & Labor, Contracts, Cultural Affairs, Oversight & Investigations, Sanitation, and Transportation. For more information, visit council.nyc.gov/costa.
Controversial Ruling Says Organic Crops Don’t Have to Grow in Soil
Is soil an essential element of organic farming? Or can a crop grown in a soil-free container still be considered organic?
PHOTO BY MUSTAFAGULL/ISTOCK
Controversial Ruling Says Organic Crops Don’t Have to Grow in Soil
Some organic growers say hydroponics shouldn’t be certified organic
BY KATIE O'REILLY | NOV 13 2017
Is soil an essential element of organic farming? Or can a crop grown in a soil-free container still be considered organic?
Since the launch of the National Organic Program in 2000, hydroponic, aeroponic, and aquaponic crop systems have been eligible to use the coveted USDA Organic seal on their products, so long as their operations comply with all other USDA organic regulations. But some organic farmers say healthy soil is the non-negotiable foundation of organic methods, and for years they have objected to the inclusion of hydroponics in organic certification. In recent months, the discussion over organic hydroponics has become more intense than ever and, to their great disappointment, organic pioneers have lost the latest round of the debate.
On November 1, members of the government-appointed National Organic Standards Board (NOSB), which functions as an advisory board to the USDA, voted eight-to-seven to reject a proposal that would disallow hydroponic and aquaponic farms from being certified organic. In the months leading to the vote, organic farmers organized 15 rallies around the country with signs reading, “Real Farmers Do it in the Dirt” and “Don’t Water Down Organics with Hydroponics.” In a last-ditch effort to speak out in support of what they see as preservation of the integrity of organic certification, dozens of them packed the NOSB’s two-day-long meeting earlier this month in Jacksonville, Florida.
The NOSB did vote against continuing to allow aeroponically grown crops, which typically have to be sprayed with nutrients, to use the organic-certified label. But hydroponics and aquaponics are still fair game—and organic traditionalists say this decision likely came down to market considerations. “The National Organic Program’s mission seems to be changing from serving the organic community to serving corporate agriculture,” says Dave Chapman, a longtime Vermont-based organic tomato farmer. Chapman points out that in 2010, the NOSB voted 14-1 to exclude soil-less forms of growing; the USDA, however, opted not to take the recommendation, prompting the past seven years’ debate on the subject. “What changed between now and then? A multi-million-dollar hydroponic industry with powerful lobbyists is what’s changed,” Chapman says.
Dave Chapman speaks at a "Protect Organic" rally in Jacksonville, Florida. | Photo courtesy of Dave Chapman
He’s referring to global hydroponic market, which is projected to hit $490.50 million by 2023. In the United States, approximately 100 hydroponic operations are already certified organic. Investors tend to see agri-technologies—such as those that allow crops to grow in artificially lit, vertical indoor stacks, or in water-filled containers with farmed fish or other aquatic animals whose waste supplies plants with nutrients—as profitable ventures, given their potential for high yields.
Some organic farming pioneers, now mourning what they see as the devaluation of the organic brand they fought for decades to establish, see the ruling as a way to allow corporate agriculture to continue to infringe on their $47 billion industry. So in a sense, the dirt debate invokes the age-old Davis vs. Goliath question of whether this marks another triumph care of capitalism. (Case in point: one of the biggest container producers presently enjoying the bona fides of the USDA Organic seal is Driscoll’s—a berry giant worth nearly $3 billion whose organic supply comes from both certified in-ground and containerized production, and a company that lobbied the NOSB for continued hydroponic certification.) But at its heart, it’s a battle over food production methods and, to an extent, over the values we place on various styles of production.
What We Talk About When We Talk About Organic
Proponents of hydroponics and aquaponics say their methods of production offer an environmentally conscious solution for feeding a growing population in our rapidly changing and resource-challenged climate. “Sure, having more farmers produce food bearing the USDA Organic label creates more competition in the marketplace, but the reality is, we don’t have enough food in the U.S. to feed people, and so we import a lot of food,” says Marianne Cufone, an aquaponic farmer, environmental lawyer, and the executive director of a food security-focused nonprofit, theRecirculating Farms Coalition. “Organic food has long been cost-prohibitive, and maybe this ruling will allow urban farmers and others who don’t have access to soil to invest in organic production, create some healthy market competition, and make good food a little more affordable.”
But traditional organic advocates—many of whom Chapman says shed tears when the November 1 decision was handed down—believe that truly healthy food can only be grown in truly healthy soil. “It’s not possible to grow food with optimal nutrition in a system that doesn’t necessarily photosynthesize the sun, and carelessly ignores the soil,” he says.
But Cufone, who rejects what she describes as the stereotype of the sterile, indoor hydroponic farm (her own aquaponic operations, pictured to the right, are outdoors), insists that hydroponics and aquaponics could lead to more resilient community food systems. “Expanding production cuts down on the fossil fuels needed to import food and could really help mitigate climate change,” she says. “The NOSB is sending a critical message that sustainability and innovation are valuable in U.S. agriculture. This could spur growth of urban and rural farms alike—inclusiveness is important in our food system.”
Often, container farmers use less water than traditional farmers. The fact that controlled-environment farms can be constructed near cities carries the potential to slash transportation emissions. But critics of controlled agriculture systems point out that indoor farms often consume huge amounts of energy, negating hypothetical climate benefits. Dirt-firsters’ main argument, however, centers around the fact that “organic” is about much more than a lack of synthetic pesticides and herbicides.
Chapman points to Sir Albert Howard, the British botanist who planted the seeds of the organic movement in the 1940s. “Howard’s research showed that ‘organic’ was about building sustainable systems that are based on the looping of nutrients and resources in the soil,” says Chapman, adding that true organic farming calls for “intensive composting, obsessive marshalling of organic matter, and precise cover-cropping and rotation systems.” He says modern soil science supports Howard’s findings. “Maintaining and improving the organic matter in the soil without fail leads to an increase in plant health and fertility,” Chapman says, adding that all this is optimized when plants photosynthesize energy from the sun, outdoors. “None of these interactions are happening with hydroponics or aquaponics.”
What’s more, recent studies have proven what many organic farmers and environmentalists have long suspected: soil with high amounts of organic matter is better at sequestering carbon—and thus mitigating climate change—than other soil. As Chapman sees it, those who cash in on the lucrative organic seal have a responsibility to contribute to the planet’s “carbon sponge,” by developing and nurturing healthy, diverse soil systems. “If we change how we farm on a big scale, we can literally start to cool the planet. [Traditional organic farming] can repair broken water cycles, and desertification and drought are results of broken agriculture,” Chapman says. He says he’s worried that the organic movement could lose soil farmers to more novel tech-assisted farming methods—and that this could result in “a real loss for global society.” He adds, “And now we have to have a confusing conversation about whether certified organic food is actually organic, or if it’s fauxganic—grown without soil?”
At this month's NOSB meeting, there was talk of compromise in the form a food label that would indicate whether a food item was grown in natural soils. Think: “USDA Organic In Ground”, “USDA Organic Hydroponic,” and “USDA Organic Aquaponic.” Cufone, for one, is fine with that, saying, “All farmers are very proud of their process and product, so more transparency is comfortable for most people.” Chapman concedes that such a system would be “better than what we have now.” However, he says he can’t support it as a solution. “It implies that organic-certified hydroponic-grown food is organic. So on some level, I’d need to accept that, but I just don’t—it’s a complete reinvention of the word [organic].”
Chapman says that among his fellow soil-loyalist compatriots, there’s early but earnest talk about jumping ship altogether and creating a new organic label. “That sounds huge, but you know, when I started doing this 35 years ago we were an alternative label, and the USDA hated us. It’s gonna be a lot of work, but we want integrity in a label, with no confusion.” As Chapman sees it, last week’s NOSB ruling amounted to a death knell for the National Organic Program. “They’re killing it,” he says. By this he doesn’t mean to imply the organic industry will be dead and gone. “It’s just going to be like a zombie having lost its soul,” he explains, “and those of us who started the movement aren’t going to stand for it, and be part of the walking dead.”
Johannesburg Launches First Rooftop Farm Plan
Johannesburg Launches First Rooftop Farm Plan
The Star / 12 October 2017, 2:50pm / Anna Cox
IN BUSINESS: Nhlanhla Mpati is a small-scale entrepreneurial farmer who started a roof-top farm on top of the Chamber of Mines building in the Joburg CBD. Picture: Dimpho Maja / ANA
The first commercial, rooftop small-scale farm has been launched in the Joburg CBD on the top floor of the 93-year-old Chamber of Mines building.
This urban farm has already supplied almost 15kg of basil to the Johannesburg Fresh Produce Market and to surrounding cafés and coffee shops during the past 45 days.
The project, called the Urban Agriculture Initiative, was launched by Wouldn’t It Be Cool (WIBC), an incubation and mentorship organisation which helps entrepreneurs get started.
The project has been such a success thus far that the Department of Small Business Development has provided funding for another 100 small-scale farms to be rolled out in the inner city.
The Chamber of Mines intends giving these farmers more space as it still has 400m² of unused space in its heritage building.
Michael Magondo, chief idea sherpa for the WIBC, said they were not competing with residential space, but would be happy to make use of any unutilised space, indoors or outdoors.
The organisation identified and trained Nhlanhla Mpati as one of the first roof-top farmers, as he had some farming experience.
“We want to see all 100 farms rolled out now that we have government funding. We want to create entrepreneurs, jobs, skills and food security.
“There are many vacant government and provincial buildings, plus privately owned ones, as well as deserted parking garages and spaces in which farms can be set up.
“Although the donation of premises is welcome, and some property companies have donated their rooftops to us, we will try to pay market-related rents. All our entrepreneurs are fully trained in business and backed by us,” he said, adding that the aim was to turn Joburg into one big, sustainable ecosystem.
Mpati, who started farming in the CBD in August, said he already had orders for the next six months for basil, as it was out of season.
He proudly shows off his crop, saying the plants were farmed hydroponically, meaning that they don’t require soil and, therefore, use very little water.
He doesn’t use pesticides or insecticides.
He intends expanding to farming spinach, potatoes and carrots, among others.
Mpati, who says his basil grows in 21 days, has been interested in gardening since he helped his granny in Kagiso on the West Rand with the planting of flowers and vegetables, which she loved.
He studied plants and agriculture by himself and is particularly interested in growing specialised plants which are not easily available.
“I do a lot of my own research and I am learning all the time,” he said, adding that he had done several entrepreneurial courses.
“I am very happy so far with this business. Many restaurants are already ordering from me, and the Produce Market is impressed with the quality of my plants. They have already increased their prices because of the high quality of my basil,” he said.
He has preliminary orders for the next six months, but would welcome more.
WIBC has several partners and backers, including the City of Joburg, FNB, the Affordable Housing Company, the Inner City Partnership, Thebe, Botha Roodt, Bizcre8 and Stay City.
Contact Mpati at 081 3141972 for produce or Magondo on 0828577636 for available space.
Murphy: Down and Dirty
Murphy: Down and Dirty
NOVEMBER 9, 2017 09:30 AM
World Variety Produce launched organic vegetable kits in pouch bags last December, says Robert Schueller, director of marketing.
© World Variety Produce
By AgWeb Guest Editor
AgWeb.com
At first glance, the decision of the National Organic Standards Board last week to allow hydroponic and aquaponic production methods to be marketed as Certified USDA Organic might seem logical. If no chemicals or synthetic fertilizers are used, why wouldn’t the resulting hydroponic produce, for example, be considered organically grown?
But the board’s decision was vociferously opposed by a coalition of organic farmers and producers, who lobbied intensely, according to news reports, urging USDA to restrict certification to soil-based systems of farming.
“[The decision] was sad, because the rally speeches and all the testimonies of the farmers were so moving,” Dr. Linley Dixon, lead scientist at the Cornucopia Institute, an industry watchdog organization supporting the ban, was quoted on the Organic Authority website. “Everyone did such a good job explaining the situation, [but] it didn’t matter. It was very sad. There were a lot of tears.”
The 15-person board voted eight to seven to reject the proposal that would have restricted organic certification to “traditional” farmers, according to news reports. There are approximately 100 certified organic hydroponic operations in the U.S.
So why the controversy? What’s the difference if crops are grown organically in soil or in a water-based medium? Isn’t that merely a matter of a different medium?
Soilless is Soulless
Not at all, many organic farmers argued. Indeed, this issue has been debated within the organic industry for many years. Those against the continued certification of soilless systems argue that such techniques violate the basic principles of organic, which, as Abby Youngblood, executive director of the National Organic Coalition, explained to National Public Radio, “are really about soil health, regenerating the soil.”
Dixon agreed, noting that hydroponic systems do not cycle nutrients back into the soil to build soil health, an important tenet of organic agriculture. Indeed, most marketing and advertising for organic foods depict pastoral scenes of farmsteads with amber waves of grain, contented cows grazing on green forage and tidy orchards bursting with ripe apples or cherries.
The family farm, old-school image of hardworking growers toiling to deliver healthier foods, while simultaneously healing the land, is key to the organic movement’s positioning.
The argument in favor of organic hydroponics, of course, centers on efficiency, and in fact, those systems can be energy-efficient and sustainably operated. Hydroponic systems also do not normally require the addition of pesticides, even those permitted by organic rules, due to the fact that such crops are grown under controlled conditions indoors.
As far back as 2010, organic farmer coalitions were badgering USDA to institute a moratorium on the organic certification of all new hydroponic and aquaponic operations. In a letter to then-USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack, they argued that, “We believe it is incumbent upon USDA to accept the NOSB’s 2010 recommendations to prohibit soilless hydroponic vegetable production as certified organic. The recommendation specifically states that hydroponic and aeroponic ‘cannot be certified as organic growing methods…’ ”
Part of the dispute is related to the fact that farmers seeking organic certification must undergo rigorous soil testing in order to be certified organic. Hydroponic and aquaponic systems are getting a free pass around those criteria, the farmers said, claiming that it confuses consumers when there is no distinction between the farming methods and their importance to the health of the larger food system.
Leaving aside the issue of whether soil itself is essential for foods to be identified as organically grown, the organic farm coalitions may have a point, albeit not on the dirt vs. no-dirt issue.
Along with the environmental impact of organic methods of crop and livestock production, the other important element is the opportunity to maintain agricultural diversity and support access to the business for family and small-scale growers. Because organic produce, meat and dairy command premiums in the marketplace, it’s possible for small farms to be profitable at a scale that would be near-impossible if production revolved around hybrid corn and GMO soybeans.
Hydroponic operations, on the other hand, tend to require sufficient capitalization that if such production methods are to be scaled up, they’re more than likely to be sustainable only by well-funded corporate interests. Leaving aside the optics of food grown with miles of plastic piping inside what amounts to a translucent airplane hanger, the last thing that organic agriculture needs is to continue on the path of corporate domination of the market, which is already well underway.
Certainly, population growth alone, not to mention the ongoing loss of prime farmland to development, argues for the expansion of hydroponics as a supplement to conventional food production. Forget exports for a moment; by mid-century, the U.S. is going to have to ramp up its domestic ag output just to keep pace with the growth in the American population, and hydroponics need to play a role in that effort.
In the end, it seems to me the solution is for organic farmers opposed to indoor agriculture to make their case the old-fashioned way: One customer at a time.
If soil health is so critical to environmental protection and food sustainability — and it is — that ought to be an easy argument to make.
And win.
Editor’s Note: The opinions in this commentary are those of Dan Murphy, a veteran journalist, and commentator.
Herbs From the Underground
Herbs From the Underground
Farm One just opened an indoor rare herb and flower garden in a TriBeCa basement and many prominent chefs are flocking to it.
By ALYSON KRUEGER | DEC. 6, 2017
In the basement of a loft-style building in TriBeCa that houses a vet, a dog swimming pool, an eye-and-ear infirmary, and a two-Michelin-starred restaurant, there is a working farm.
Farm One is a hydroponic facility, which means that the plants do not grow in soil. Many of these farms are located indoors, in controlled environments, with artificial lighting.
The new two-room space, which opened in November in a former cycling studio for high-altitude training and an old storage area, is only 1200 square feet. There is no fresh air or natural light; there is not even a window. Yet the venue can grow around 580 varieties of rare herbs and flowers (200 at a time) that supply New York’s top restaurants. Le Turtle,Le Coucou, Mission Chinese Food, and The Pool get regular deliveries from Farm One, sometimes several times a week.
“I wouldn’t want to pay for a space with great retail frontage,” said Robert Laing, the farm’s chief executive and founder. “All we need is a floor drain, water, power, temperature control, and the ability to seal the space so bugs don’t get in.” The farm does deliberately bring in a few types of insects that are beneficial for plants, like ladybugs. “You can buy them on Amazon,” he said.
Katherine Chester, a farm hand at Farm One, harvests for a morning delivery.CreditSarah Blesener for The New York Times
Seeds are planted in materials like coconut husks and are put in a tray so water and nutrients can circulate below them. LED lights above simulate the sun. Growing time is not long; many plants, like microgreens, are ready in a little over a week.
People who find it weird to eat food grown in a basement have no reason to worry, said Neil Mattson, associate professor and greenhouse extension specialist at Cornell University. “There is nothing icky about it. Plants don’t care whether they get light from the sun or the lamps. It’s the same thing.”
Matthew Hyland, the chef and owner of Pizza Loves Emily, a client of Farm One, agreed. “A hydroponic garden in general is an amazing thing,” he said. “It’s lit nicely; it smells good in there; the temperature is nice; everything about it is very pleasing.”
The plants grow on shelves that can be expanded or contracted like the stacks in a university library (this setup almost doubles the growing space.) On one level there might be anise hyssop, an herb with tiny lavender-colored flowers and square stems that tastes strongly of mint and licorice. On another, mustard green, a plant that tastes a lot like spicy horseradish. The colors are so diverse and vibrant that the head horticulturalist, David Goldstein, has taken to arranging them on trays for parties.
From top: Amazon neon cherry dianthus and neon rose magic dianthus; edible flowers; nasturtium leaves; and anise hyssop flowers. Farm One can grow some 580 varieties of rare herbs and flowers. CreditSarah Blesener for The New York Times
Mr. Laing, a British-Australian entrepreneur with a sharp sense of humor, can walk around the farm and tell you exactly what every variety is and to whom it is being delivered. “This is my favorite,” he said, pulling off a leaf of papalo. “Crush it up a little bit in your hand and smell it first — there is cilantro, citrus peel. It’s super fresh and quite grassy.” He paused. “I never want to sell software again.”
In a previous life, Mr. Laing worked in Japan, where he started a translation software company. After eight years he turned his attention to his true passion: food. He took culinary classes and visited farmers’ markets across the world, discovering many rare herbs he had never heard of along the way. “And I was someone I thought knew about food,” he said. So he started researching ways to bring these herbs to chefs.
Farm One grew out of this research. In April 2016 the new company started growing products at a small indoor farm at the Institute of Culinary Education, also in Lower Manhattan, on Liberty Street. By August, the farm had its first client: Daniel Boulud’s Daniel. By the end of the summer, the herbs had sold out, which led Farm One to open a second location this fall, at 77 Worth Street.
For $50, New Yorkers can take a tour of the farm, tasting dozens of rare flowers while sipping a glass of prosecco, and they are given a box of herbs to take home. Farm One also offers seminars on the basics of hydroponics, and any herbs and flowers not snapped up by chefs are available for purchase through its website. Mr. Laing is discussing bringing the farm to other cities.
The harvest room at Farm One. CreditSarah Blesener for The New York Times
Mr. Laing attributes the farm’s success to two factors: Rare products and low overhead. “Pluto basil can be sold for $40 a pound as opposed to $10 to $15 for regular basil,” he said. And since the farm is small, the cost of expensive LED lights is minimized. Larger hydronic farms like FarmedHerein Chicago have had to close.
Farm One is also poised to cash in on the Instagram-driven food world, where chefs are willing to pay extra money for novelty items like rare herbs and flowers. Mr. Hyland, for example, is besotted by pluto basil. “They are really beautiful looking on a pizza with the little leaves everywhere,” he said. “Customers know it’s a custom-made product.”
Atera, the restaurant upstairs at 77 Worth, brings certain customers down to the farm for tours. It also offers one course in which the chef, tableside, dresses a dish with the herbs sourced from the basement. “Everyone gets pretty excited,” said Matthew Abbick, the restaurant’s general manager.
Farm One is not the only place chefs can procure these herbs; chef farms or wholesalers in California or Ohio ship a variety of rare products across the country. However, New York chefs like that the greens at Farm One are grown locally and haven’t been sitting in a warehouse or delivery truck for days. “Farm One snips the herbs in the morning for an afternoon delivery,” said Victor Amarilla, the executive chef at Le Turtle. “I actually see my delivery guy walking up now. I see him twice a week.” Farm One boasts on its website that delivery is just a 30-minute bike ride away from 90 percent of the restaurants in the city.
At Atera, a restaurant housed in the same building as Farm One, there is a course in which the chef, tableside, dresses a dish with the herbs sourced from the basement. CreditSarah Blesener for The New York Times
There are also the environmental benefits. The farm recycles and reuses water, purging it every three weeks, which minimizes waste. But there are downsides. Studies show that in general, the environmental costs of lighting and heating indoor farms are significantly higher than shipping something across the country that’s been grown in the California sun. “We know it’s an issue and we are working on it with things like getting more efficient LED lights,” Mr. Mattson said.
Other insiders say that hydroponic farming is essential, especially as climate change makes growing seasons volatile and unreliable. “One of the most important things people will need to do over the next 100 years with climate change is bring food creation and cultivation back to cities where people are moving,” said Dan Nelson, an entrepreneur in Brooklyn who is researching the urban agriculture movement and who took a Farm One seminar on hydroponics. “That’s my humanity-level thesis,” he added.
The New York City Council is currently exploring Bill 1661, a piece of legislation to define urban agriculture and bring about industry standards that will help it advance.
The main concern of chefs, though, is having ingredients they can cook with today. And many are applauding Farm One’s contribution to their operations.
“New York has the greatest summer vegetables and fruits and leafy greens, and in the winter, we are in a real dead zone,” said Mr. Hyland. “Having a product year round that we can really be proud of, would be a great win for New York City food.”
Understanding Humidity and Temperature
Want to maximize your knowledge on humidity and temperature? Here are six topics that are sure to help.
Introduction:
In order to maintain the A1 environment for plants to grow in a controlled setting with artificial lighting, it is essential for you to understand the nature of the environmental influences and how to measure and evaluate them. This blog describes the physical and chemical resources of the following environmental components and their calculations: humidity, temperature, CO2 concentration, air flow rates, and number of air exchanges per hour. In addition, the basic concepts of energy balance, radiation, and heat conduction and convection are outlined in detail.
Temperature, Energy, and Heat:
Temperature is an indicator of the realistic heat energy content of an object or a substance. Many plant physiological processes are affected by plant temperature, which is controlled by the transfer of heat between plant tissues and the surrounding environment. That being so, monitoring and controlling the air temperature is critical for managing plant physiological activity and response. In an indoor environment, air temperature is often controlled at a comparatively constant level, resulting in constant plant temperature and, as a result, consistent physiological activity.
Energy Balance
Any object with a temperature above 0 K (absolute zero) emits thermal radiation, including the plants themselves and their environment. Energy received by plants includes absorbed radiant energy from lights and the absorbed infrared irradiation from the environment. Energy leaving microgreens includes energy lost through emitting infrared radiation, heat convection, heat condition and heat loss thru evaporation. The heat by conduction and convection from leaves is referred to as sensible heat, and that connected with the evaporation or condensation of water as latent heat. Microgreens leaves have high absorption in the photosynthetically activity radiation (400 to 700 nm), but the chemical energy fixed by photosynthesis is inconsequential small compared to the total energy of the plant. Leaves of nearly all species have a low absorption in the close by infrared scale (700 to 1500 nm) because those wavelengths are transferred through or reflected from the leaf. In difference, absorption is high (roughly 95%) in the far infrared waveband (1500 to 30,000 nm), that can contribute notably to the thermal energy load on the plant.
Radiation
Radiation in the far infrared wavebands is essentially blackbody radiation discharged by environment objects. Objects of higher temperature discharge larger quantities of far infrared radiation than objects at a lower temperature. The main source of radiation energy in indoor environments are lights and reflectors. Conventional lights for indoor grow rooms and greenhouses, such as high-pressure sodium lights and metal halide lights, have exterior temperatures of over 212ºF and emit large amounts of far infrared radiation. This radiation is absorbed by plants, causing increased plant temperature regardless of environment air temperature, through hindering control over plant physiological activity. In an indoor environment, this challenge is compounded by the small interval between lights and plants that is advantageous for maximizing space use efficiency and plant productivity. So, it is preferable to use light sources that emit much less far infrared radiation, such as LEDs (30ºC/86ºF) and fluorescent lights (40ºC/104º).
Heat Conduction and Convection
Energy is managing between a plant and its environment at the molecular level. Energy is transferred by conduction from the leaf cells to the air molecules in contact with the leaf. Conductive heat moves the interface between leaf and air is restricted without convective motion due to the low thermal conductivity of air. Conductive heat interchange can also happen between plant parts and other solid or liquid media. However, the impact of this conductive heat interchange on the plant's energy blueprint is small, because plants do not have physical contact with solid objects or liquid media. Controlling leaf and air temperatures evenly at every growing level is important in indoor grow rooms. If air circulation in a grow room is inadequate, air temperatures at the higher growing levels will be warmer than lower levels, causing the leaves in the higher canopy to also be warmer. by providing air movement in the whole grow room, the vertical air and leaf temperature inclines can be minimized, as well as differences within each horizontal canopy.
Humidity
Water vapor is the gases state of water and humidity is a measure of its content in the air. The amount of climatic water vapor can range from nearly zero up to 4% of the total mass of air. Absolute humidity, or humidity ratio, is a measure of the real water vapor content in the air and is communicated as the ratio of the mass of water vapor to the mass of dry air for a defined volume of air. The air can hold on to more water vapor at higher temperatures than at lower temperatures. Relative humidity is temperature dependent and used to communicate the water vapor content of air found on the maximum amount of water the air can hold for a given temperature and pressure. It is almost all expressed as a percentage or ratio of the given water vapor content to the maximum at a given temperature. As a blueprint, if the air temperature becomes less with no change in water vapor content, the maximum water holding volume of the air drops, resulting in a higher relative humidity. Water vapor is produced by evaporation from open water surfaces and evaporation from wet surfaces such as soil and plants. In a indoor environment, plants are constantly adding water vapor to the air through transpiration, which is the evaporation of water from plant surfaces to the environment. Well, actively growing plants can transpire a large amount of water, resulting in a rapid increase in the water vapor content and humidity in a semi-closed indoor environment. When the air conditioning system is operating, humidity is kept under control because water vapor condenses on the cooling coils, dropping the moisture content, and thus humidity, of the air. For that reason, one approach to controlling humidity in an indoor environment is to alternate the functioning of the lights to generate heat and cause the air conditioner to run, resulting in concurrent cooling and dehumidification of the grow room.Dehumidifiers can be installed in the indoor environment that do not rely on the operation of air conditioners. These units may be used in indoor environment applications that require day/night cycles when turning on the lights for dehumidification would be undesirable. They can also be used to avoid operating lights and air conditioners during peak hours use periods, lower energy cost.
Vapor Pressure Deficit (VPD)
Relative humidity is commonly used as a measure of air humidity, it supplies no direct information about the driving force of transpiration and evaporation. Instead, the vapor pressure deficit (VPD) is a measure of the driving force, meaning that transpiration and evaporation rates are proportional to VPD. VPD is the difference (deficit) between the amount of moisture in the air and how much moisture it can hold when it is saturated at the same air temperature and is expressed in units of pressure. While water vapor content increases, water molecules apply more force on each other, resulting in a higher vapor pressure. Because air can hold more water vapor at higher temperatures, the maximum water vapor pressure is higher at higher temperatures. When the VPD is too low, transpiration will be reserved and can lead condensation on leaves and surfaces inside the indoor environment. Also, when the VPD is high, the plant will draw more water from its roosting an effort to avoid wilting. If the VPD gets too high, plants close stomata and shut down the transpiration altogether in an effort to prevent excessive water loss. In indoor environment, the idea range for VPD is from 0.8 kPa to 0.95 kPa, with an optimal setting of around 0.85 kPa.
CO2 Concentration
CO2 is a naturing occurring chemical compound. It is a linear covalent molecule and is an acidic oxide, and reacts with water to give carbonic acid. CO2 is a nonflammable, colorless, odorless gas at standard temperature and pressure and exists in earth's atmosphere at this state as a trace gas. Atmospheric CO2 concentration varies with time of day and location depending on adsorption and respiration of plants and animals, and human activity. CO2 is produced from the combustion of coal or hydrocarbons, the fermentation of liquids, and the respiration of humans, animals, and fungi.
Air Current Speed
Air current speed is defined as distance air travels over a specified period of time, such as one meter per second. Air velocity is the term used when the direction of air current speed is specified. Inadequate air current speed around plants suppresses gas diffusion in the leaf boundary layer, which later on reduces rates photosynthesis and transpiration and hence plant growth. Maintaining suitable air speeds indoor environment creates small turbulent eddies around the leaf surface that facilitates gas exchange between the plants and the surrounding environment, promoting plant growth. Low airspeeds can cause variations in air temperature, CO2 concentration, and humidity inside the plant canopy, resulting in inconsistent growth on leaves and other surfaces in the grow room, helping to prevent unwanted growth of bacteria and molds. Fans can be used to circulate air movement and control airspeed within the plant canopy in the grow room. To achieve exact airspeed control, special calculation and design master plans regarding the location, number, and capacity of fans are required when an indoor grow room is built.
Number of Air Exchange Per Hour
Number of air exchange per hour is a measure of how many times the air within a defined space is replaced by new air, which is defined as the ratio of hourly ventilation rate divided by volume of room air. If possible the number should be small for the purpose of controlling the environment and preventing entry of pathogens and pest. But, a minimum air exchange rate should be maintained to prevent the accumulation of ethylene in a indoor grow room, which can cause damage to the plants.
What am I missing here? Let me know in the comments and I'll add it in.
Next week I'll post about lighting.....
Tags: humidity temperature hydroponic specialists urbanagriculture indoorenvironment
Indoor Ag-Con Asia Returns to Singapore, Introduces Indoor AG Pitch Competition with $150,000 In Cash Grant Prizes
NOVEMBER 27, 2017 BY RONY DELUCIA
Indoor Ag-Con Asia Returns to Singapore, Introduces Indoor AG Pitch Competition with $150,000 In Cash Grant Prizes
Indoor Ag-Con
Indoor Ag-Con covers growing using hydroponic, aeroponic & aquaponic techniques. It is hosting a 2-day conference, trade show & pitch competition on Jan 16-17.
Still buzzing from @indooragcon Asia! Thanks for the great event.” — @Galactic Farms
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SINGAPORE, SG, November 27, 2017 /EINPresswire.com/ —
The indoor agriculture industry has grown rapidly as consumer demand for fresh, local produce anytime, anywhere is forcing shifts in global supply chains. Indoor Ag-Con is the premier event covering the technology of growing crops in indoor systems, using hydroponic, aeroponic and aquaponic techniques. It is returning to Singapore for the third time in January 2018. This years’ event will be focused on accelerating innovation in the industry, in areas as diverse as plant biology and artificial intelligence.
Our two-day event will be hosted at the Marina Bay Sands, Singapore on January 16-17, 2018, and will include an exhibition hall and an exciting lineup of speakers including representatives from AEssense, Eco Insect Farming, Microsoft, Sanan Bio and Urban Crop Solutions, among many others. We will be covering a broad range of crop types – such as leafy greens, mushrooms, insects, aquaculture and medicinal crops – as well as technologies ranging from artificial intelligence to LED lighting to control systems. Participants will receive an exclusive hard copy of the newest edition in our popular white paper series in the event gift bag. Participants will have the chance to network during the day, through our event app and at our popular after party on the first evening of the event. The event is sponsored by Fresh Box Farms, Upgrown Farming, and Urban Crop Solutions.
For the first time, Indoor Ag-Con Asia’s exhibition hall will include country pavilions, with companies from Canada, Japan, Singapore, the Netherlands able to represent their home countries at the event. Further details on joining a country pavilion can be found at indoor.ag/Asia.
Our events have long supported entrepreneurs in this fast-growing industry, for instance, we sponsored the first Startup Weekend Singapore to include an indoor agriculture focus in 2017. We are taking this commitment one step further in 2018 with an indoor agriculture pitch competition – Indoor Ag-Ignite – to find the most innovative new ideas globally in indoor agriculture. The competition is open to any team or company of under 40 employees developing or deploying technologies for the indoor agriculture industry. Three winning teams will receive prize packages including Startup SG grants of S$50,000 per team thanks to the sponsorship of SPRING Singapore. Startup SG grants are divided into two parts; a S$25,000 non-dilutive cash grant and a further S$25,000 grant with an option to convert into equity at the next institutional fundraising.
We’re accepting applications to pitch on our website until January 8, 2018. The initial round of pitches will take place on January 15, 2018 at Marina Bay Sands, and a panel of three judges will select five finalists to pitch to our entire Indoor Ag-Con audience on January 17, 2018. A panel of judges will select the three winners. Please visit our website at indoor.ag/pitch for more information.
Participant Feedback: @Galactic Farms “Still buzzing from @indooragcon Asia! Thanks for the great event.”
Indoor Ag-Con, which hosts meetings in Las Vegas and Philadelphia in addition to Singapore, is the leading convener of growers, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, policy makers, and investors involved in the growth of the sector. Our audience includes greenhouse and vertical farm growers, technology companies, executives from the food and beverage sector, venture firms, startups and established urban farmers.
Since it was founded in 2013, Indoor Ag-Con has captured an international audience at all its, attracting some of the top names in the business. Events have welcomed over 2,250 participants from more than 20 countries.
Newbean Capital, the host of the conference is a registered investment advisor; some of its clients or potential clients may participate in the conference. The Company is ably assisted in the event’s production by Rachelle Razon, Michael Nelson and Sarah Smith of Origin Event Planning.
3rd Annual Indoor Ag-Con Asia
Date – January 16-17, 2017
Place – Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
Registration – currently open to the general public from US$399
Features – Two-day seminar, with keynote speakers, exhibition hall, after-party, and pitch competition
For more information, please visit www.indoor.ag/asia or call +1.775.623.7116
Nicola Kerslake
Newbean Capital
7756237116
email us here
Akron-Based Vigeo Gardens Nets Produce Deal With Quicken Loans Arena
Vincent Peterson, Mark Preston and Jacob Craine started Akron-based Vigeo Gardens as a small hydroponic garden in Craine's basement in 2014. It has quickly grown into a 6,100-square-foot, high-efficiency vertical farm with 2017 sales set to exceed $750,000.
Akron-Based Vigeo Gardens Nets Produce Deal With Quicken Loans Arena
December 3, 2017
Genovese basil grows beneath LED lights at Vigeo Gardens in downtown Akron. The indoor farm provides hydroponic lettuce, hydroponic basil and microgreens to more than 40 restaurants in the Cleveland and Columbus markets, along with major food distributors, grocery stores such as Heinen's and Giant Eagle, and most recently, Quicken Loans Arena. (Vigeo Gardens)
By Megan Becka, special to cleveland.com
AKRON, Ohio - Vincent Peterson, Mark Preston, and Jacob Craine started Akron-based Vigeo Gardens as a small hydroponic garden in Craine's basement in 2014. It has quickly grown into a 6,100-square-foot, high-efficiency vertical farm with 2017 sales set to exceed $750,000.
Vigeo Gardens currently occupies the third floor of the former B.F. Goodrich Company tire factory in downtown Akron, and provides hydroponic lettuce, hydroponic basil and microgreens to more than 40 restaurants in the Cleveland and Columbus markets, along with major food distributors, grocery stores such as Heinen's and Giant Eagle, and most recently, Quicken Loans Arena.
"To be able to supply the home of the Cavs is a dream come true and will hopefully open up a lot of doors for us," Craine said.
The deal took about three months to secure, and the first shipment of lettuce, basil and microgreens will arrive at the arena on Monday, according to Vigeo Gardens Director of Sales John Hairston.
Vigeo founders Peterson, Preston, and Craine, along with five full-time employees, grow more than eight varieties of lettuce and 20 types of microgreens at their indoor farm, as well as basil and wheat grass. According to Craine, indoor farming offers several benefits, including being able to grow and harvest produce year-round, without the use of pesticides or chemicals.
Vigeo Gardens' lettuce and basil are harvested the same day they ship and sold live, which means the produce can last for up to two weeks in the fridge or longer.
"It's as fresh as you can possibly get," he said.
The farm is also on a mission to refine and grow its operation, using the least resources possible.
"We've spent the last two years designing, developing and tweaking the systems to perfect vertical hydroponic farms," Craine said. "Everything in our space is designed, engineered and built by us."
Innovations include designing a vertical racking system to house the plants and a custom nutrient solution. The trio also worked with a Chinese manufacturer to create custom LED lights.
The farm is working to be waste-free by 2018 through composting and waste-water recycling initiatives and is working with FirstEnergy to become the first zero-carbon footprint farm in Ohio.
"Our goal is to expand throughout the Rust Belt, because there is a need for fresh produce all the time, especially during winter months. We'd like to continue our work repurposing old factories, like we have here in Akron, into high-efficiency vertical farms to supply communities with fresh produce," Craine said.
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Johannesburg's New "Agripreneurs" Dig For Green Gold On Skyscraper Rooftops
DECEMBER 1, 2017
Johannesburg's New "Agripreneurs" Dig For Green Gold On Skyscraper Rooftops
OHANNESBURG, Dec 1 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - The soaring “Chamber of Mines” building in central Johannesburg, a hub for South Africa’s mining industry, is a symbol of a bygone era when pioneers began flocking here in the late 19th century to dig for gold.
Nhlanhla Mpati is a small-scale entrepreneurial farmer who started a roof-top farm on top of the Chamber of Mines building in the Joburg CBD.
Today, it is also the site of a new venture aiming to entice the city’s unemployed youth into green entrepreneurship.
The action this time is happening not underground but sprouting from the rooftops of the inner city’s iconic skyscrapers.
The initiative to create urban gardening businesses on vacant roofs was launched more than a year and a half ago by the public-private Johannesburg Inner City Partnership.
Farming is hardly the first thing that comes to mind as a source of job creation and entrepreneurship, said Brendon Martens of Wouldn’t It Be Cool (WIBC), an innovation incubator leading the effort.
“Agriculture is generally seen as a low-tech, bottom of the pyramid-type activity when it’s at the small scale. It’s what a single mom does just to make ends meet,” he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
But Martens and his team are striving to turn the concept on its head by bringing market needs together with cutting-edge farming methods and hands-on business training.
HI-TECH VEGGIES
The initiative uses hydroponics technology, which allows basil, lettuces, spring onions and other crops to be grown in special water solutions without requiring soil or large open spaces.
Here plants grow faster and use up to 80 percent less water than in traditional farming. The technique also eliminates problems like soil erosion.
Another advantage is that crops are grown locally, cutting down on transportation time and costs, and delivering the freshest-possible products to the consumer.
That is a big shift given as much as 80 percent of what is on offer at the Johannesburg fresh produce market, Africa’s largest, is imported from outside Gauteng province, said Martens.
“We pull that value into the communities in the inner city that really need it,” he said.
The farm atop the Chamber of Mines, where neat rows of plants bloom under plastic high above the traffic buzzing below, began operating in September.