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Hydroponics And Aquaponics Systems To Expand On Campus
Hydroponics And Aquaponics Systems To Expand On Campus
ELIAS OLSEN/THE ITHACAN
The hydroponics system located in Terrace Dining Hall allows herbs grown to become ingredients for meals in the dining hall.
By Emily Snyder — Staff Writer
Ithaca College’s student-run hydroponics and aquaponics systems are receiving materials to improve and expand within the next few months.
Paula Turkon, assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Studies and Sciences, oversees seven undergraduate student researchers who maintain the hydroponics and aquaponics systems in the Center for Natural Sciences and the hydroponics system in Terrace Dining Hall. Hydroponics is a method of cultivating plants through the nutritious water beneath them. Aquaponics incorporates fish into the hydroponics system.
Turkon said hydroponics is an efficient method because the plants receive nutrients directly from the water. The traditional medium, soil, takes longer to distribute nutrients to the plants.
Materials have been ordered to expand the systems into the greenhouse from the growing room in CNS, Turkon said. The greenhouse allows for more natural light and space for additional crops, she said. However, using an uncontrolled environment generates more challenges. She said it is necessary to regulate the temperature in the greenhouse because the tilapia and plants demand temperatures of about 85 degrees.
To deal with these complications, Turkon plans to grow cold–weather plants in the winter and warm–weather plants in the summer.
Turkon also said the team faces challenges with aquaponics because it has to accommodate the fish. Although aquaponics is more natural than hydroponics because the waste the fish produce provides nutrients for the plants, aquaponics is not completely sustainable because the fish in the system are fed fish meal, Turkon said.
Turkon and the project team have been researching more sustainable and locally available food for the fish as a way to improve the system.
Turkon said bringing aquaponics to campus in the spring of 2013 was important to her because fresh produce could be made available to the campus year-round. The hydroponics system was installed the following semester.
“The overall benefit is to try to provide some local produce,” Turkon said. “It can’t get any more local than this.”
Junior Jennifer Skala manages the hydroponics system in Terrace Dining Hall in addition to tending to the systems in CNS.
“We use the system to demonstrate our alternative grow methods to the broader campus community and provide the kitchen with healthy and local herbs for use in their meals,” Skala said.
Because the water in the hydroponics cycle is renewable, the system can be beneficial to regions like New York state that have colder climates or areas that struggle with water shortages, Turkon said.
Turkon, who has experience performing archaeological research in Mesoamerica, was inspired by floating gardens called “chinampas.” Chinampas are a traditional Aztec agricultural method that requires a plot of fertile land to float on freshwater lakes.
“Aquaponics is actually a modern technological version of a prehistoric technology,” Turkon said. “It’s this continuous process that’s adding nutrients to the soil. The soil is supporting the plants and cleaning the water as well.”
Turkon learned about aquaponics from Miles Crettien ’09, who co-founded VertiCulture, an aquaponics farm in New York City. Turkon also received guidance from local aquaponics farmer Steven Austin in the system’s beginning stages.
Herbs grown in Terrace Dining Hall become ingredients for meals in the dining hall.
The hydroponics system allows chefs to garnish dishes with herbs from the garden, Jeff Scott, general manager of dining services on campus, said. The hydroponics system serves to educate both students dining at Terraces and the members of the project on sustainability.
“It’s a reminder of our commitment to sustainability,” Scott said.
Scott said that further expansion of the system has been discussed and that he is eager to hear proposals of agricultural methods from students.
Scott is seeking students who can implement innovative growing methods such as growing vertically or growing in the courtyards.
Integrating hydroponics and aquaponics systems on campus allows students to assist Turkon in the project and receive research credits. Senior Lauren Saylor became involved with the project as a freshman when Turkon introduced the project in her environmental seminar. In addition to maintaining the CNS system each week, Saylor is conducting independent research on pathogenic contamination in aquaponics and hydroponics systems.
“This system benefits the researchers most directly,” Saylor said. “I believe that this will educate the campus on sustainable food production — we do this already at Terraces to a small degree.”
Skala hopes to increase the productivity of the Terraces hydroponics system to produce more fresh food for the dining hall. In the future, Skala wants to continue researching innovative fertilizers and nutrient disorders in crops.
Sophomore Carmen Liberatore recently joined the team and said she is adjusting to the maintenance procedures that include cleaning the water filters, feeding the fish and pruning the plants.
“It’s such a niche interest, and it’s cool to have the chance to dig into it,” Liberatore said.
Pythium Root Rot on Hydroponically Grown Basil And Spinach
Pythium Root Rot on Hydroponically Grown Basil And Spinach
FEBRUARY 12, 2018 URBAN AG NEWS
by Neil Mattson for eGro (https://e-gro.org/pdf/E301.pdf)
Waterborne diseases that infect roots are a common production issue in hydroponic production. Several species of the water mold, Pythium, attack greenhouse crops. Basil and spinach are susceptible to economically devastating levels of Pythium root infection in hydroponics. In this article, we will present symptoms of Pythium infection and management strategies.
Many Pythium species, are generalists, meaning they can attack a wide range of plant species. Pythium aphanidermatum and Pythium dissotocum are two species commonly reported in hydroponics. Both species can produce zoospores, a mobile propagule that can propel itself through water.
Figure 1. Roots from basil growing in hydroponic rafts (deep water culture) exhibiting root discoloration from Pythium root rot. Photo: Neil Mattson, Cornell University
Symptoms of Pythium Root Rot
As Pythium infects and colonizes roots it can lead to a visible discoloration (browning) and decay of the root system (Figures 1 and 2). Overall root system development may be poor with few lateral roots or root hairs (Figure 1). Often the outer portion of the root (cortex) sloughs away leaving behind the inner part of the root (steele). This leads to the characteristic “rat tail” appearance of Pythium infected roots. The root system can eventually turn slimy and black.
Figure 2. Roots of baby leaf spinach growing in a Speedling tray in raft hydroponics infected with Pythium root rot. Notice discolored roots with poor branching. Photo: David de Villiers, Cornell University
Figure 3. Baby leaf spinach infected with low levels of Pythium root rot. Notice slightly discolored roots. No shoot symptoms are evident but overall plant size may be somewhat reduced. Photo: David de Villiers, Cornell University
Shoots of affected plants may not initially show symptoms of Pythium infection, however, the plants may be reduced in overall size (Figure 3). As the disease progresses, plants may become severely stunted and leaves may be chlorotic (yellow) which is often mistaken for a nutrient deficiency when it is really caused by poor root system development (Figures 4 -6). Plants may also wilt due to the inability of the root system to support plant water needs. At first, wilting may take place during only the hottest, brightest time of the day, but eventually wilting may become permanent.
Figure 4. Leaves of baby leaf spinach infected with Pythium aphanidermatum (A) are chlorotic and greatly reduced in size compared to uninfected control plants (B). Photo: Ted Alhanti , Cornell University
Figure 5. Hydroponic basil infected with Pythium root rot demonstrating chlorosis (yellowing) of leaves as well as stunted plants. Photo: Neil Mattson, Cornell University
Figure 6. Hydroponic basil showing varying degrees of plant stunting and chlorosis due to infection from Pythium root. Photo: Neil Mattson, Cornell University
Management
Once plants are infected, Pythium can be very difficult to control. Therefore the best approach to Pythium management is adopting a suite of practices that reduce or eliminate exposure to the disease organism, restrict its spread, and promoting environmental conditions that reduce disease proliferation.
Exclusion and Sanitation
There are several ways Pythium can enter greenhouse operations, including from: water (especially surface water sources), soil and plant residue from workers’ shoes, air-borne dust, greenhouse tools, previously infected plants/seedlings, and some container media. Follow good hygiene practices to limit entry such as: foot baths to sanitize shoots and boots, sanitization of tools, and inspection of new plant material prior to transplanting. If the water source is found to harbor waterborne disease a treatment system should be installed. Container media with organic matter (such as peat, coir, compost, etc.) can occasionally contain Pythium. Source materials from a reputable supplier with quality control procedures in place.
Because of the prevalence of Pythium it will be difficult (or impossible!) to completely restrict Pythium from hydroponic operations. Therefore, it is important to periodically sanitize surfaces that come into contact with plants or the hydroponic nutrient solution, such as: pond or NFT channel surfaces, irrigation tubing, tools, and carts or other receptacles used to hold plants or move them around. Sanitize containers or seedling trays before reusing. When sanitizing surfaces be sure to remove debris/organic matter first. Be sure to include inspection of plant roots in your routine IPM scouting practices. Toss infected plants at the first sign of Pythium. Don’t reuse growing media.
Environment
Environmental conditions that favor Pythium include excessively high fertility, waterlogged substrates (for example, in the seedling stage), low dissolved oxygen, and extreme temperatures. Injury to roots such as through mechanical damage, allowing roots to dry out, or extreme temperatures can provide an entry point to Pythium. Maintain a target root zone temperature of 68 to 75 °F (20 to 24 °C). Lower temperatures favor establishment of Pythium dissotocum and higher temperatures favor development of Pythium aphanidermatum. At Cornell University, we have found that use of a water chiller to reduce hydroponic pond temperatures to about 68 °F is an effective way to reduce, but not completely eliminate, Pythium aphanidermatum from ponds with baby leaf spinach. Low dissolved oxygen levels in hydroponics have also been reported to increase Pythium infection. Therefore it is important to ensure adequate aeration so as to achieve greater than 6 ppm dissolved oxygen and ideally saturated dissolved oxygen (about 8- 9 ppm O2) in nutrient hydroponic solutions.
Biofungicides
Biofungicides are microbial-based products that act to prevent disease development. Several commercially available products are labeled for control of root-disease of greenhouse vegetable crops, see the excellent e-Gro article on this topic here. Some of these materials are primarily suited for use in substrates (such as seedlings or larger plants growing in container media) while some are also meant for use in hydroponic nutrient solutions. Biofungicides should be used as a preventative control strategy before a problem arises (rather than as a curative). Always follow the product label, and be sure to check if a given material is registered for use in your state.
In summary, if you are growing hydroponic basil or spinach you will almost certainly come across Pythium. However, careful attention to your growing practices and sanitation procedures can limit this disease to an occasional annoyance rather than an annihilating nemesis.
References
- Penn State Extension. 2017. Pythium, online factsheet. Retrieved on January 23, 2018 from https://extension.psu.edu/pythium
- Raudales, R.E. and McGehee, C. 2016. Pythium root rot on hydroponic lettuce. e -Gro Edible Alert. Volume 1, Number 4. Retrieved on January 23, 2018 from https://e -gro.org/pdf/E104.pdf
- Raudales, R.E. and McGehee, C. 2017. Biofungicides for control of root diseases on greenhouse- grown vegetables. e- Gro Edible Alert. Volume 2, Number 7. Retrieved on January 23, 2018 from https://e -gro.org/pdf/E207.pdf
- Sutton, J.C., Sopher , C.R., Owen -Going, T.N., Liu, W., Grodzinski, B., Hall, J.C. and Benchimol, R.L., 2006. Etiology and epidemiology of Pythium root rot in hydroponic crops: current knowledge and perspectives. Summa Phytopathologica , 32 (4), pp.307 -321.
Publication date: 1/31/2018
A Lush Green Garden Without Soil On The Rooftop
You no longer need soil to grow a sustainable garden. A DIY tinkerer, D D Rajesvaran cultivates his plants by floating their roots on mineral enriched water on the terrace of his house. It is called hydroponics.
A Lush Green Garden Without Soil On The Rooftop
Soma Basu MADURAI | FEBRUARY 09, 2018
Fruit of labour and love: D D Rajesvaran and his wife Grace Rajesh spend much time inside their greenhouse named Southern Springs Hydroponics to check the progress of no-soil less-water plants. Photo: S. James
You no longer need soil to grow a sustainable garden. A DIY tinkerer, D D Rajesvaran cultivates his plants by floating their roots on mineral enriched water on the terrace of his house. It is called hydroponics.
As I stepped on to the roof of Rajesvaran’s house in Vishwanathapuram, I caught a glimpse of the future.
Inside a clean, perfect and healthy greenhouse with not a speck of dirt or soil, he has grown over a dozen varieties of fruits, herbs, and green leafy vegetables. The soft sound of gurgling water in the compact enclosed room and the sunlight filtering in through the green mesh over the fresh plants in contrasting colours was an instant feel-good and a sight to behold.
“These are the growing green walls of hydroponics,” he says with pride. Still visibly fascinated by the less water-based and no-soil planting system, he says initially he too did not believe but the yield he has got in just four months has made him chew his thoughts. He is the first Madurai resident to successfully grow a hydroponic garden at home.
The abundance of the very healthy looking green spinach, parsley, local keerais, mint, asparagus, celery, red and green lettuce, bok choy has magically revved up 400 sq.feet on his rooftop. “You can actually grow up to thousand plants in 500 sq feet,” he says, “and I have just begun.”
He is very happy to get a head start on his dream project, the idea for which came from a friend. This was about two years ago when he had to take his bore well from 250 to 900 feet. “And when I got the water tested in the lab, it showed a lot of microbial elements and two dangerous elements – chlorine and sodium – much above the normal levels.”
The quality of keerais grown locally in the city already under the grip of water shortage struck him and he began reading about hydroponics on the net. “Israel and the US were full of success stories and it was very heartwarming to see how technology had automated soil-less growing methods, such as hydroponics, aquaponics, and aeroponics,” says Rajesvaran.
There are techniques like the Dutch bucket system or the single bucket deep water cultivation but Rajesvaran chose hydroponics based on Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) because mixing 16 types of water-soluble macro-and micronutrients and trace elements in different measures and practically directing the plants to grow brought out the chemistry student in the otherwise quintessential businessman.
In places where there is not enough fertile ground or enough water, hydroponics can provide a much-needed solution, wows the 68-year-old now who in the last 12 months -- through trial and error -- has also grown brinjals, lady’s finger, types of beans, cucumbers and watermelon.
But it is the rich harvest of cherry tomatoes and two exotic breeds of tomatoes – the Big Boy from UK (resemble our desi tomatoes but are bigger and bright red in colour with resistance to cracking and work well in salads and sandwiches) and the San Marzano, the famous plum tomatoes of Italy known for the elongated pointed shape, thick flesh, fewer seeds, sweeter and low acidity – that has put Rajesvaran on a high.
Experimenting with circulating water and soluble nutrients was challenging enough but growing plants of different climatic conditions and temperatures required regulated conditions and constant monitoring. It prompted Rajesvaran – whose family markets motor pump boosters, stabilizers, inverters and solar panels and run restaurants in the city besides a cosmetic manufacturing unit in Pondicherry -- to turn into an ardent urban farmer in no time.
“He grew up in verdant Kanyakumari before shifting to Madurai in 1963, so his passion for greenery was showing,’ says his wife, Grace, “it was like he was living his dream.”
For weeks together, both of them would check day and night the seeds they had sown, the progress of the plants from sapling to trees and anxiously awaited the first fruits. Just a fortnight back their greenhouse, which they have named ‘Southern Springs Hydroponics’, was a riot of red and greens. The tomato trees had grown 10 feet tall and with much joy, they went around distributing the fruit. “It has been a very rewarding experience,” beams Rajesvaran.
“Greens are the easiest to grow but once you understand the basic concept of hydroponics, you can grow anything,” he adds.
Hydroponics will save Madurai’s water, he makes a case, as a struggle for land, water and resources will increase. “Indoor or rooftop gardening will make our food more accessible to us. Hydroponics makes plants grow much faster because they neither have to search for nutrients like in soil nor fight the soil bugs. Safe from fungal attacks, they require no weeding and we can also regulate their growth to any height and increase the yield as well,” he further explains.
Rajesvaran spent Rs.Two lakhs to set up his greenhouse and put the NFT Hydroponics system in place. The greenhouse is designed to give complete control of the growing environment, including light, temperature, humidity, CO2, and nutrition. He has used the regular irrigation tubes through which the water circulates continuously and is mixed with the enriched solution so that the plants’ roots are bathed in the nutrients. Rajesh has connected his NFT to a 500 watts solar power plant which keeps a motor running for oxygenation in the tubes and four small fans that circulate the air inside the enclosure.
“Once the set up is established, you just have to learn to balance the water chemistry by getting the right mix of nutrients, with the right seeds, and at the right pH,” he says, adding, regular cleaning of the tubes after each harvest is equally important.
“Hydroponics is less wasteful farming future,” he says, “It gives you the real, delicious, fresh and also fast food that is not necessarily seasonal,” “The Babylonians used hydroponics at its most basic for their ancient hanging gardens and we have come full circle.”
QUOTE
Hydroponics uses up to 90 percent less water than soil farming and you can grow high-density, high-value, rich in taste organic food 365 days literally anywhere -- D D Rajesvaran
For the beginners
The hydroponic system is uncomplicated, easy to learn and maintain, says Rajesvaran who has devised a starter’s kit to make the system more accessible to all. It contains a 20 litres plastic basket with a cover tray and the pots to sow the saplings, different varieties of seeds, a small air pump to oxygenate the water, a TDS meter to check nutrient level and the water-soluble nutrients divided into four groups of master solutions. It costs Rs.3,800.
He is also in the process of developing a Junior kit that will be the miniature model of the water circulating system. Priced at Rs.10,000
Understanding Water pH in Hydroponics
Understanding Water pH in Hydroponics
February 1, 2018
It’s a hot summer afternoon and you decide to water your plants because they’re wilted. You ask yourself a question, why do they keep dying? pH measures acidity or alkalinity which you must understand in order to grow a healthy plant. If you were gardening on a hot day maybe your water supply isn’t great. That’s another story.
Introduction
Why is pH important? If the pH of a solution is not within the correct range the plant will not have the ability to absorb some of the essential elements required for proper plant growth. All plants have a particular pH range, which will produce healthy growth, and this level will vary from plant to plant, but most plants prefer a slightly acidic growing environment (5.8 to 6.2). Most plants can survive in an environment with pH values between 5.0 and 7.0.
Plants grown in acidic environments can experience a variety of symptoms, including aluminum (Al), hydrogen (H), and/or manganese (Mn) toxicity, as well as nutrient deficiencies of calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg).
Conversely, in alkaline environments molybdenum (Mo) and macronutrients (except for phosphorus) availability increases, but phosphorus (P), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu) and cobalt (Co) levels are reduced, and may adversely affect plant growth.
From the chart, you can see that each element can become more and less available to the plants as pH changes. If the pH of your solution is out of the desired range, one or more of the essential elements will become unavailable to the plant, causing nutrient deficiencies, which will result in slow growth rates, and poor yields.
pH Control
Chemical reactions can be inhibited or promoted by the concentration of hydrogen ions in a mixture. We can measure this on a pH scale. Industrial acidic substances are 2.0 pH - lemon, 5.0 pH - coffee, 7.0 pH - milk, 9 pH - baking soda, and 12+ pH - lye. Almost anything that contains hydrogen ions or lack of them can, therefore, produce a pH. As your plant grows through its life cycle, it absorbs minerals from the water and deposit waste materials of its own. The removal of nutrients and addition of waste material can cause water pH levels to fluctuate, so in order to allow for the normal course of chemical reactions to take place, we need to maintain a desirable pH level. If we don't, we can experience nutrient lockout.
Water pH
Water also has a pH so remember to check your water source. For example Your medium is 6.0 pH but you want it to be 6.2. You mix a+1 pH and then add it hoping for a 6+1=7. However, you forgot that the water you diluted with wasn’t pH measured so you don’t know if you achieved 7 or not until you measure it. Measure your water and your medium to figure out exactly what pH you need. Here’s an example: Water is 5 and medium pH is 4. You would need +2 to make it 7. Then you need +3 for the medium to make it 7. What actually happens with pH-up and down is somewhat like this but the way you adjust it, by adding a little pH and testing and repeating the procedure, keeping in mind what your water’s pH is. You can always use the pH-up and -down buffering solutions to find pH stability.
pH- Getting back to neutral from acidic
If your soil’s pH in too acidic you will want to bring it back to a neutral 7. You can do this using lime( alkaline calcium oxide), a brittle white caustic solid obtained by heating limestone. You can find lime in containers at your grow shop and add it to your soil the next time you decide to water your plant. Growers know by trial and error how much lime they need to use to push acidic soil back to a pH level of 7. Not all limes work well so be sure to get the gardening lime.
pH- bringing back to neutral from alkaline
If the pH of your soil is too alkaline then you can bring it back to a neutral 7 by adding small amounts of any of the following. Moreover, most growers find a pH-down product more functional.
Liquid humic acid
Cottonseed meal
Lemon peels
Coffee Grounds
High-acidity fertilizer
These are acidic. Always introduce small amounts of the substance, checking the pH level the next day and readjusting as necessary. Make sure to protect your eyes and skin; you will need to wash them if you come in contact with the pH buffers.
Other pH problems
pH is important because low or high pH levels can cause nutrient lockout. pH irregularities can also cause growth stunting, leaf spots and wilting. Always check the pH level of your soil before treating a nutrient problem. pH is an essential part of growing that you must understand to have harmony with your plants. Thanks for reading.
If you enjoyed this, you might also enjoy these post about nutrients:
"How to mix nutrients in a hydroponic system"
"Growing with A tank and B tank"
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pH hydroponics pH down hydroponic system acidic neutral alkaline water pH
The Hydroponics Revolution
Fertiliing vast tracts of land and flying fresh vegetables across the globe comes at a huge environmental cost. But more and more people are turning to hydroponics - growing plants in water, without any soil.
The Hydroponics Revolution
February 5, 2017
By BBC World Service
Providing food for seven billion people is fraught with difficulty.
Fertilising vast tracts of land and flying fresh vegetables across the globe comes at a huge environmental cost. But more and more people are turning to hydroponics - growing plants in water, without any soil.
The idea itself is hundreds of years old, but new twists on the old technique are now shaping the future of food. We investigate some of the most innovative hydroponics projects, from the refugees growing barley for their goats in the Algerian desert to the underground farm built in an abandoned London bomb shelter. But how efficient can the process become?
Can hydroponics begin to offer a serious alternative to conventional farming?
Producer: Sam Judah Presenter: Harriet Noble Photo credit: Shutterstock
USDA Reaffirms Organic Certification for Container Production Systems
In the most recent edition of the Organic Insider newsletter, USDA states, “Certification of hydroponic, aquaponic, and aeroponic operations is allowed under the USDA organic regulations, and has been since the National Organic Program began.”
USDA Reaffirms Organic Certification for Container Production Systems
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) clearly reaffirmed its position this week on the inclusion of hydroponic, aquaponic, and aeroponic within the organic program. In the most recent edition of the Organic Insider newsletter, USDA states, “Certification of hydroponic, aquaponic, and aeroponic operations is allowed under the USDA organic regulations, and has been since the National Organic Program began.”
This is a significant victory for farmers and producers across the country to provide more certainty over certification standards. The Coalition for Sustainable Organics, a group of environmentally and socially responsible growers committed to maintaining USDA’s current high standards, thanks USDA for its thoughtful approach on this issue. In addition, CSO thanks all the growers, consumers, farm workers, marketers, input suppliers, auditors, and others who took the time to participate in the debate by submitting comments, providing testimony, speaking with your customers and consumers, and reaching out to government officials to help educate members of the NOSB as well as the broader organic community regarding the benefits and legitimacy of organic container production methods.
The Organic Insider is a routine publication of the USDA to inform the organic community and industry on a range of topics related to organic agriculture at USDA, including regulatory updates, requests for public comments, and notices about upcoming activities. This edition also includes links to the materials from the Fall 2017 National Organic Standards Board meeting such as transcripts,presentations made by the USDA, votes, formal recommendations and USDA’s initial responses to the recommendations.
While this publication is important, growers are still reporting wide differences in how individual auditors are evaluating their organic operations with frequent changes to their reviews despite USDA’s consistent policy. In addition, the National Organic Standards Board’s (NOSB) Crops Subcommittee continues to discuss additional regulations for container production systems. It remains unclear how these efforts may unfold moving forward. In addition, USDA acknowledged it received NOSB’s recommendation to prohibit aeroponics from certification.
CSO continues to work with its members to ensure the organic community remains open to a wide diversity of participants in order to provide organics to all and ensure regulatory certainty.
Living Greens Farm is Hooked on Aeroponics
Living Greens Farm is Hooked on Aeroponics
The Faribault company produces lettuce year-round, 21 days from seed to salad.
JANUARY 23, 2018
KATE LERETTE
What do popcorn and lettuce have in common? Nothing, really. It’s how Dana Anderson describes how produce is grown at Living Greens Farm: “It’s like pushing the popcorn button on the microwave,” he says.
Based in Faribault, Living Greens Farm is one of the largest indoor farms in the world, according to Anderson, who is the founder, president, and chairman. The company uses a computer system to control elements such as light, temperature, humidity, and CO2, combined with aeroponics—a method of growing plants by suspending their roots in the air—to grow lettuce, herbs, and microgreens. Rather than using soil, plants are sprayed with a nutrient-rich solution.
“Aeroponics is the fastest way to grow plants,” says Anderson. “Harvest is less than 21 days for a head of lettuce. It’s about two times faster than traditional farming.”
While Living Greens Farm didn’t invent aeroponics, it did develop its own vertical growing and traversing misting systems. The patented systems use 200 times less land and 95 percent less water than a traditional farm, says Anderson, which is huge, given that “70 percent of the world’s fresh water is used for agriculture.”
Anderson launched Living Greens Farm in 2012 after working out of his garage for three years. He and his team raised $8 million from friends and family to help get the company off the ground.
In October, Living Greens Farm completed its first expansion, increasing growing space from 5,000 square feet to 21,000. With the additional space, the company added 32 growing units to its existing 10, increasing its production to 1 million heads of lettuce per year.
Living Greens still has plenty of room to grow; right now it’s using only about 35 percent of its space. Once the company reaches max capacity, it will have 60,000 square feet of growing space. “When all is said and done,” says Anderson, “we will be able to produce a head of lettuce for every person in the entire MSP metroplex.”
The company currently sells greens at Lunds & Byerlys, a handful of Cub Foods and Hy-Vee stores, Fresh Thyme and other major co-ops. A few stores in Iowa will begin carrying its products this year. In addition to growing its grocery-store base, Living Greens Farm is working on adding accounts with food services at local colleges and corporate offices. Anderson also is exploring licensing opportunities worldwide and expanding its operations in other markets.
“There are hundreds of people who do this type of farming as a hobby, but in terms of large commercial companies, we only have three or four major [U.S.] competitors,” says Anderson. “What makes us different is our patented systems and our impact on the economy; we keep more dollars in the state.”
Is Hydroponics The Most Sustainable Type of Farming?
Is Hydroponics The Most Sustainable Type of Farming?
By Emily Monaco
Hydroponics seem a bit like farming technology from the future. These soilless growing systems use liquid nutrient solutions to feed plants grown on stacked towers in enclosed greenhouses, where, often, everything impacting plant growth — from the light plants receive to the moisture of their roots— is controlled by a computer. Hydroponics has been touted by some as the most sustainable growing system out there — thanks, in large part, to the fact that these farming systems can be built in close proximity to the cities they need to feed.
Abandoned factories and shipping containers have become home to such greenhouses, which are also vertical farms. MightyVine, a Chicago-based hydroponic tomato growing facility, built its greenhouses on former farmland that had had its topsoil removed to prepare it for development. This planned project was subsequently abandoned, leaving the land empty and not farmable. But by building a greenhouse, suddenly, the land was agriculturally viable again.
Yet, when the National Organic Standards Board announced its recent decision to allow hydroponic farming operations to be certified USDA organic, many proponents of the organic label reacted in dismay. (1) This, explains Dr. Linley Dixon, chief scientist of organic watchdog group the Cornucopia Institute, is because hydroponic growing does not support soil health. This major detail is not only one of the key principles of the organic farming movement, but it’s also one of the most important contributing factors to reversing the effects of climate change, according to a UN Food and Agriculture Organization paper. (2)
Grace Communications Foundation defines sustainable crop production as “growing or raising food in an ecologically and ethically responsible manner.” (3) In order to do this, the philanthropic organization explains, growers must show sustainable practices in several categories — from minimal pesticide use to a focus on soil health, to water conservation — with an overall goal of ensuring that these practices can be sustained over time.
In order to best judge the sustainability of hydroponics, then, it’s interesting to look into how these operations fare in various categories pertaining to sustainability.
5 Questions About Hydroponics Sustainability
1. Transport
Transport is one of the first benefits of hydroponics most proponents of the farming system will cite when arguing in favor of its sustainability. After all, hydroponic operations can be set up within urban centers, thus substantially reducing the need for transport (and the gas-guzzling it requires).
Wil Hemker, a scientist, and fellow at the University of Akron notes that this is particularly interesting when you consider perishable, high-value crops, such as leafy greens.
“Not all crops can be tailored to hydroponic and container growing,” Hemker says, pointing to grains and root crops as two commodities that are better grown in the ground. But when it comes to very perishable crops, growing them locally may be the best option: not only are they less likely to suffer over the course of long transport journeys, but produce picked when ripe and eaten quickly is a better source of vitamins and minerals. (4)
“To think like a developing country and keep everything local as much as we can — that just makes a carbon cycle sense in our world,” adds Hemker.
That said, Hemker also notes that transport is not necessarily the most important factor to consider when comparing the sustainability of hydroponics with that of field-grown crops. “If you look at the carbon footprint for shipping, it’s a very small percentage of overall production,” he explains. “So even though its perception might be heavy, it’s not so much when you actually do the numbers.”
2. Energy Use
While indoor agriculture currently expends more energy than field growing, the industry is seeing a number of innovations that could close this gap. “As renewable energies are coming onboard, better materials for the greenhouses for indoor agriculture are coming onboard, and that energy load will come down,” says Hemker.
This, of course, depends on the policies of individual growers. MightyVine’s technology comes from the Netherlands, where farmers have been committed to sustainable hydroponics since 2000. “Almost two decades ago, the Dutch made a national commitment to sustainable agriculture under the rallying cry, ‘Twice as much food using half as many resources,’” writes Frank Viviano for National Geographic. (5)
In this densely populated nation (1,300 inhabitants per square mile), high production is important, and it is here that many of the major developments in hydroponic technology have occurred.
Lazarski notes that the Dutch technology his company uses takes advantage of diffused glass to make the most of sunlight, making greenhouses less demanding in energy than many others in the industry. And other innovations, specifically in using renewable energy, could help reduce the carbon load of hydroponics even further.
3. Pesticide Use
As far as pesticides are concerned, hydroponics has as all other systems beat. Whether it’s conventional pesticides and herbicides like glyphosate and dicamba, or organic alternatives like copper, hydroponic operations have less need for such treatments than field-grown crops. “In a well-maintained, well-integrated indoor horticulture practice, there are no pesticides or herbicides needed,” explains Hemker.
The enclosed environment makes it easier to keep insects out, and integrated pest management techniques are not only available but widely used among hydroponic growers. Many growers even introduce natural predators into the enclosed systems to weed out any pests.
“Every tomato greenhouse has some kind of white fly in it,” Lazarski explains, noting that in order to combat them, “You bring in these little microscopic wasps on cards. They’ve evolved to hatch, fly around and look for white fly eggs, and lay their eggs on the white fly eggs. It’s almost like an alien type horror movie on a microscopic level.”
Pesticides are always available as a last resort, but as compared to field-grown produce, where the first line of defense is pesticides, there’s no contest. And even when pesticides are used in hydroponic systems, they are never leached into the environment, as can happen with conventional or organic field-grown crops.
4. Soil Health
In addressing pesticides, however, we do touch upon one key downside of hydroponic farming: a closed-loop system may not add pesticides to the soil, but that also doesn’t contribute to soil health at all.
“Soil is such a carbon sink,” says Dixon. He adds that, in not adding organic matter to the soil, hydroponics are missing out on a key way of contributing to a solution to climate change: building the soil’s ability to draw carbon out of the atmosphere. (6)
While Hemker notes that some hydroponic growers do add back to the soil by composting, for example, Dixon believes that it’s not enough. “The problem is that’s not really cycling nutrients because there’s no crop plant in the soil there to take up those nutrients,” he says.
Some operations work with local farmers to put their compost to good use, but the truth remains that contributing to soil health is a much more difficult endeavor for a hydroponic system than for a soil-based system.
5. Water Conservation
When it comes to water use, hydroponic growing tends to be a better bang for the ecological buck. The Dutch growers who have pioneered sustainable hydroponics have reduced their dependence on water for key crops by as much as 90 percent, reports National Geographic, and Hemker notes that, on average, 30 to 40 percent less water is needed to grow a pound of lettuce indoors than outdoors.
“We use 10 percent of the water of field-grown tomatoes,” says Lazarski of MightyVine’s operations. “And that’s because we catch all the water from the roof, and the snowmelt, we retain it in a basin, and then we pump it into the greenhouse.”
“As far as water is concerned, which is typically a much bigger concern in U.S. agriculture, hydroponics is hands-down the far better than conventional growing,” Lazarski adds.
That said, Dixon claims that a properly executed soil-based system can compete with a hydroponic system when it comes to water usage. “If you have soil that’s high in organic matter, it captures rainwater as well,” he says, noting that a “real” organic farm uses about the same amount of water as a container operation.
Looking Beyond the Utopia
Ultimately, comparing the ideal hydroponic and the ideal soil-based system is futile when so few operations of either kind are ideal. Large-scale hydroponic and container operations have the same problems as large-scale organic or conventional farms: They’re cutting corners when it comes to sustainability to be more profitable.
“In some ways, it’s an unfortunate debate because it pits people against each other who have many of the same goals in mind,” writes Dan Nosowitz for Modern Farmer. “Organic activists and small hydroponic farmers both want to grow food sustainably, at their core. But, as with most of the agricultural developments during the current administration, this decision isn’t about small farmers.” (7)
“I get this question all the time,” says Josh Lee, the farmer behind Green Top Farms, a salad delivery company that grows its microgreens in a New York City vertical farm. “What’s better: hydroponics or growing in the dirt? And that’s kind of a loaded question because you could just say, ‘What’s better: growing in dirt over here, or growing in dirt over here?’”
Lee is the first to admit that, while he was initially excited by the idea of a “utopia of beautiful green cities where all these towers are growing all these different crops,” and he currently believes that his work brings New Yorkers closer to their food, all is not perfect with hydroponics. “I’m very quick to shoot down any ideas about indoor hydroponic farming being the be-all-end-all solution to climate change woes,” he says.
The answer may, in fact, reside in the coexistence of both systems. Not only can hydroponic and vertical farming systems keep people closer to their food (both in mindset and in geographical proximity), but the promise of innovations within the industry lends promise to the idea of a sustainable farming future: lighting conditions can be changed and the mineral makeup of nutrient solutions can be modified, for example, to improve the nutritional makeup of certain fruits and vegetables without needing to turn to genetically modified products.
“You don’t have those engineering opportunities in the soil,” says Hemker.
Lee’s utopia of green cities may not be the answer, but it seems we can’t take hydroponic farming out of the equation when it comes to developing a truly sustainable farming solution for the future.
This story comes from OrganicAuthority.com and is written by Emily Monaco. Organic Authority obsessively covers the latest trends and news in food, seasonal recipes, nutrition, wellness, natural beauty, and more. Organic Authority has all the tips and expert advice you need for delicious good living.
Hydroponic Vegetables Not That Safe, Says Bangkok Food Safety Group
Hydroponic Vegetables Not That Safe, Says BangkokFood Safety Group
- 22 Jan 2018
- WRITER: ONLINE REPORTERS
Samples of hydroponic vegetables shown at the Thai-PAN media conference in Nonthaburi province on Monday. (Thai-PAN photo)
Nearly two-thirds of the samples of hydroponically-grown vegetables tested were found to be contaminated with pesticides in excess of the maximum residue limit, according to the Thailand Pesticide Alert Network (Thai-PAN).
The non-governmental organisation working on food safety recently tested 30 samples of vegetables marked as hydroponic and sold at fresh markets and supermarkets in Bangkok and other provinces.
Nineteen of them, or 63.3%, contained pesticides at levels above the maximum residue limit. Three others were found to have residue but not exceeding the limit, while the other eight samples were free of residue.
The tests were made exclusively on vegetables grown at hydroponic farms - where crops are grown in a water-based, nutrient-rich medium, without the use of soil.
Thai-PAN coordinator Prokchon Usap told a news conference the findings suggested that hydroponic vegetables were not as safe as some consumers might have thought.
Thai-PAN conducted a similar test on fruits and vegetables grown in soil late last year and found that 54.4% of the samples were contaminated with pesticides exceeding the limit.
"Some people understand that hydroponic vegetables are safe and use less pesticides or are even free of them. That’s not true," she said.
Ms. Prokchon said the tests found 25 types of toxic chemicals such as Ametryn (herbicide), Azoxystrobin (fungicide), Carbofuran and Methomyl (insecticide and acaricide).
She said the findings would be presented to the farm operators to encourage them to better regulate the use of toxic chemicals in hydroponic vegetables.
She urged the consumers to check the details of the test at the Thai-PAN website.
AmHydro’s “ Introduction to Hydroponic Crop Production” Seminar Series
AmHydro’s “ Introduction to Hydroponic Crop Production” Seminar Series
February 22nd & 23rd in Eureka, CA
In this interactive 2-day course, you’ll learn the basics of running a hydroponic farm and business from industry leaders. With this knowledge, you’ll be better equipped to grow and sell produce to your local community. Best of all, you’ll get hands-on experience in a greenhouse.
COST: $995 for two people. Bring a friend!
HOSTED BY: American Hydroponics
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:
- The history of hydroponics
- How hydroponics effects the world today
- What is controlled environment agriculture (CEA)
- Basics of hydroponic farming
- Pest & disease control
- How to market your produce
Classroom AND Greenhouse Instruction!
LOCATIONS: The Ingomar Club and the HCOE Hydroponic Training Center, both in Eureka, CA
For more info and to sign up, please visit:
http://amyhydro.com/seminar
How This Greenhouse And Fish Farm Operation Is Fuelled
How This Greenhouse And Fish Farm Operation Is Fuelled By Bitcoin Mining
Local company using waste heat from bitcoin miners to operate new business in St. Francois Xavier
By Samantha Samson, CBC News Posted: Jan 04, 2018 5:00 AM CT Last Updated: Jan 04, 2018 6:34 PM CT
Myera Group uses waste heat from bitcoin miners to keep their building warm enough to grow plants like lettuce. (Lyzaville Sale/CBC News)
- Where to invest: Bitcoin or Canadian Tire money?
- Beyond bitcoin: How cryptocurrencies are changing the world
- Bitcoin's dirty secret: it wastes an incredible amount of energy
More than 30 computers sit on the second floor of a former car museum west of Winnipeg, quietly working to mine bitcoin.
The heat generated by those computers, which are verifying bitcoin transactions by solving cryptographic puzzles, helps warm nearby plants in a makeshift greenhouse.
To water, the trays filled with lettuce, basil and sprouted barley fodder, Bruce Hardy, the owner of this 20,000-square-foot building in the Rural Municipality of St. Francois Xavier, clicks a button.
A pump waters the plants with wastewater from tanks located on the first floor in which around 800 Arctic Char swim and breed. The wastewater from the tanks is rich in nitrates, a great fertilizer for the plants upstairs.
It's a complex operation but that's the beauty of it, according to the owner.
"It's all connected, much like Earth," said Hardy, president of Myera Group.
'A popular move'
His company's goal is to use technology to create sustainable food systems.
Hardy runs his own software company and has been in the bitcoin mining business for two years. He used to pay for air conditioning to cool off the computers but quickly realized there was a better use for the heat.
"When bitcoin came, they were an excellent proxy for what a server could do in terms of emulating heat, and whether we could use that heat for agricultural purposes," he said.
About a year ago, he opened his operation in the old Tin Lizzie Auto Museum and the former Grey Nuns convent located on Highway 26 just west of Winnipeg
The greenhouse operation is small right now, but Hardy says he hopes to create several greenhouses in St. Francois Xavier that are fuelled by waste heat from bitcoin mining. (Lyzaville Sale/CBC News)
"From what we've seen so far, it looks like a popular move for the community," says Dwayne Clark, the Reeve of the RM of St. Francois Xavier. "It's already cleaned up what used to be an eyesore for a number of years."
The company is still experimenting with using the heat from bitcoin mining in different ways. Right now, about one-quarter of the second floor is filled with computers and plants, but Hardy hopes to eventually fill the space.
Starting the operation would have been a lot more difficult without the bitcoin cash, said Hardy. The price of a bitcoin is hovering around $19,000 Cdn.
"The revenue from those bitcoins has helped me to keep staff on, it's helped me create these displays so we can show people what we're doing in agriculture innovation," said Hardy.
Hundreds of Arctic Char swim in these tanks at Myera Group's operation in St. Francois Xavier. (Lyzaville Sale/CBC News)
Ways to use 'Manitoba's gifts'
Hardy hopes his operation becomes a place where people can research and develop sustainable food systems while programmers work with bitcoin technology.
Australian researchers and Chinese investors have expressed interest in his operation, he said.
Manitoba is a prime location for electricity-intensive operations like this, said Hardy.
"Hydro is one of our best assets in the province," said Hardy.
Manitoba has the cheapest commercial hydro electricity rates in the country and among the lowest temperatures of major North American cities, making it attractive to bitcoin miners.
"If we can take our energy and use it here in Manitoba, we value-add that energy, and we can do all sorts of great things," he said.
Bruce Hardy, president of Myera Group, hopes to create a global campus in St. Francois Xavier for food sustainability. (Lyzaville Sale/CBC News)
Why Use Hydroponics or Aquaponics
Your best chance for success in gardening in a survival situation is diversification.
Why Use Hydroponics or Aquaponics
Posted on January 8, 2018
Hydroponics, Aquaponics or Soil?
Your best chance for success in gardening in a survival situation is diversification.
Traditional soil crops paired with hydroponics and aquaponics, indoors or out, can increase your yields extend your growing season, and ensure food sources even if one method fails.
Example: Corn is not necessarily an ideal hydroponic crop, and does well in traditional soil methods. Tomatoes do well in hydroponic setups. You can increase your corn planting area, giving a higher yield of a crop that is versatile and can be stored easily.
Moving your tomatoes to a hydroponic setup gives you more control over harvest time, staggering crops to ensure you lose less of a highly perishable crop. If done indoors with lights, tomatoes can be grown year round.
Protein readily available and renewable
With aquaponics, not only do you create a symbiotic natural environment, but you get a complete balanced offering of food, with vegetables being grown and fish being fed. A readily available protein source never hurts.
Food unique to you and your needs
By using alternative methods of growing, You can give yourself and your family nutritional variety in winter months or off seasons. If done indoors, you can have food that may not grow in your climate or USDA zone.
Expanding the variety of your crops ensures your family’s health and can be a valuable asset for bartering.
What crops do best for each setting
Crops that do very well in hydroponics systems: tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, spinach, strawberries, and eggplants.
The best crops for aquaponics: leafy lettuces, kale, chard, basil, mint, arugula.
What this means for you
Think of the diversity you can add to your diet without sacrificing space for precious potatoes, corn, beans, and wheat. Imagine being able to offer such a variety in a bartering situation.
Hydroponics and aquaponics may seem complicated or like too much work, but they are worth the effort. It really doesn’t take much equipment or know how to start the simplest setups.
Both methods are becoming very popular alternatives to traditional farming, so information, kit plans, and physical kits are widely available.
Recommended reading:
Aquaponics Gardening: A Step-By-Step Guide
Hydroponics for self-sufficiency
Kits and supplies:
Aggressively Organic To Send Hydroponic Systems to Puerto Rico
Aggressively Organic To Send Hydroponic Systems to Puerto Rico
HYDROPONICS STARTUP RAISES FUNDS TO SEND FARMING TECHNOLOGY TO PUERTO RICO
Aggressively Organic aims to send 50,000 Micro Growth Systems™ to the U.S. Territory
Earlier this week we announced via social media that we’re raising funds via a rewards crowdfunding campaign on Humanity Project to ship 50,000 Aggressively Organic Micro Growth Systems™ to Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.
We’re setting out to raise $500,000 on Humanity Project to manufacture, create, and deliver our patent pending Aggressively Organic Micro Growth Systems™ to Puerto Rico so that individuals, agencies, and relief groups can use these self-contained personal hydroponic systems to start growing phytonutrient rich food immediately upon arrival. Vegetables and herbs grown in Aggressively Organic Micro Growth Systems™ would be available for harvest as soon as 30-60 days without building out any additional electrical, water, or other resources.
There’s an incentive for those who donate, too. When a donor purchases some systems for a family in Puerto Rico, we at Aggressively Organic will send the same amount of systems to the donor so they can grow their own food at home as well.
As soon as we receive $500,000 for 50,000 systems, we will will allocate all of our efforts, energy and capacity to fulfill on the promise of providing short, mid and long-term relief to Puerto Rico and the citizens there. We cannot currently fund this production, but can provide our revolutionary farming technology at $10.00 a system rather than their retail pricing of $20.00. All the end user would need to provide would be enough water (24- 32 oz) every 30-90 days and sunshine or lighting.
To learn more and support our mission to send our Micro Growth Systems™ to Puerto Rico visit: https://humanityproject.com/projects/aggressively-organic-relief-for-puerto-rico/
By Bridget O'Reilly | December 8th, 2017 | Food Insecurity
Letcetra Agritech – A High-Tech Hydroponic Farm
Letcetra Agritech – A High-Tech Hydroponic Farm
December 26, 2017 Start Up Valli Sarvani
Letcetra Agritech was founded in 2016 by three engineers of different backgrounds.
The main motive which united them to establish this startup was to provide quality food with the help of hydroponics.
Letcetra Agritech is a Goa based startup. The company provides various services to their users. These include establishing customized hydroponic systems, training, research and development, sales etc.
Lettuce, tomatoes, bell peppers, basil etc. are their main products.
The company helps in establishing Turnkey setups which are useful for those who have land and want to use it in a productive way.
As the population of the country has been growing, the produced food is not meeting the needs. In order to solve this problem effectively, the hydroponic system is recognized as one of the best ways.
The company has a comprehensive commercial hydroponic system in which they design the ways, an operation to run it successfully and solutions to maintain it properly.
Furthermore, everyone can have their customized hydroponic system which is suitable to their needs.
According to the demographic areas, and the respective demand and supply, the company suggests the types of vegetables to be grown. If the clients need, the company even offers a buy-back guarantee.
The hydroponic system is gaining wide popularity in recent days due to its advantages. Unlike traditional agriculture, there is no need to depend on the nature for sunlight, water, and other things.
LED lights are used to compensate the sunlight, and air conditioning systems control the temperature and humidity.
Even the land required for this system is lesser compared to traditional agriculture. 85 percent less water is required as the system uses recycled water. Nutrition requirements are also less. The harvest is pesticide free. Growth cycle is shorter and year-long growth is assured.
Letcetra Agritech also provides training to grow the crops in the hydroponics system.
You can contact them on all days except Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Image Reference: Letcetraagritech
Hydroponic Farm, Housing Project Planned Near Pablo, Montana
Hydroponic Farm, Housing Project Planned Near Pablo, Montana
January 07, 2018 at 11:27 am | By PEREGRINE FRISSELL Daily Inter Lake
A developer planning an ambitious housing project and hydroponic farm near Pablo believes his company is on the brink of realizing its goal after years of wrangling grants, permits and community support.
Previously the farm and residential development were going to be adjacent to each other, but the developer has switched course and is putting each on separate lots a little under 3 miles away.
The firm, Hawaii-based Aloha Noblehouse Inc., which has an executive director and president based in Marion, plans to construct a commercial farm on a 31-acre site on Minesinger Trail, just off U.S. 93 south of Polson toward Pablo.
Just less than 3 miles away, closer to Pablo, will be an 80-unit single-family housing development that will offer low-priced mortgages. Both properties are on the Flathead Indian Reservation.
The idea is that people who choose to live in the housing should be able to support themselves and their family by working a job at the nearby agricultural production facility, said Gerald Greenstein, president of Aloha Noblehouse. He intends the project to enhance food security and affordable-housing options and promote economic development in the area between Polson and Pablo.
“Our area is desperately in need of affordable housing,” said Jodie Paxton, executive director of the Ronan Housing Authority.
Paxton said she supported the project and was in talks with the developers early on to manage the housing when it was going to contain rental units.
They have since switched to plans to sell the units so the housing authority is no longer involved, but Paxton said the proximity to Salish Kootenai College would make the development an important addition to the area.
“Unfortunately it’s tough to live here, it’s tough to find a job that can pay for what it costs to own a home,” Paxton said. “I think it would go a long way toward assisting those who are in a lower income bracket to buy a home.”
The developer, in an application for a New Markets Tax Credit, states the housing portion of the development will include an electric vehicle charging station, a daycare for children between 2 and 5 years of age, community center and a triage nurse station. A triage nurse is generally referred to as the first nurse to evaluate a patient, determine the severity of the maladies and decide where to refer them for more comprehensive care.
The organization has yet to file for any permits with Lake County that would be needed before construction were to begin, said Jacob Feistner, director of the Lake County Planning Department.
They have received letters of support from several organizations, including the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and the Ronan School District. The project has also been endorsed by the Lake County commissioners and the Salish Kootenai Housing Authority.
Greenstein and his colleagues at Aloha Noblehouse are still working to pull together the funding they need to begin construction. He hopes the project will provide a sustainable business model that could act as a catalyst for similar developments to go up throughout the nation. Aloha Noblehouse also holds property in Idaho and Hawaii.
The proposed sites will operate with a mixture of renewable energy resources, and the developer hopes to get them as close to carbon-neutral as they can, according to an executive summary of the project.
While the farm would be small in size compared to most commercial farms, the developer hopes to have a large output by producing year-round in a large greenhouse-like setting using hydroponic farming techniques. Aloha Noblehouse predicts the project could create between 25 and 40 jobs, according to a copy of its business plan.
The developer plans to grow organic lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, yellow squash, zucchini and peppers, as well as basil and thyme. The business plan states the company will seek USDA organic certification and seek production contracts with the food supplier giant Sysco.
They estimate their total annual sales to be in the range of 1,600 tons of food, totaling about $4.4 million the first year, according to the executive summary. They expect it to grow closer to $5 million in following years.
The developers say they would like to partner with Salish Kootenai College, the Montana University System and nearby Kicking Horse Job Corps for educational opportunities and to help find people to staff the facility.
The application also states they will seek to install a restaurant attached to the agricultural production facility. It would be operated as a privately held, for-profit limited liability company.
The project has gained the approval of the Lake County Community Development Corporation.
“As an agency that works on economic development, we absolutely support developments that add new housing, create jobs and add value to agriculture in the area,” said Gypsy Ray, executive director of the Lake County Community Development Corp. “From what I’m aware of, all of those things would be part of the program if successful.”
Ray noted that while she had spoken with the developers and supported the project, she had not worked closely with them in recent weeks or months. She said they were still seeking funding and investors, and that had been the major hurdle for a while.
The single-family residences are expected to begin in the $140,000 range, and Aloha Noblehouse has arranged options with financiers to make competitive mortgages attainable for those with good credit. The default design will be three bedrooms and one bath, Greenstein said, but could be altered for an additional fee if enough prospective residents express interest.
The developer also has been angling for a New Markets Tax Credit, a federal tax credit available for ventures that include real-estate investment in low-income areas of the United States. The credits would go toward the housing project only, not the agricultural center.
The tax-credit program was nearly eliminated in the negotiation process for the new federal tax plan that passed through Congress just before Christmas. Aloha Noblehouse contacted Montana’s U.S. senators and representative to enlist their help in preserving the credit, and the final passed version does not eliminate the program.
Reporter Peregrine Frissell can be reached at 758-4438 or pfrissell@dailyinterlake.com.
Hydroponics Startup Looking To Decentralize The Food Supply Chain
Hydroponics Startup Looking To Decentralize The Food Supply Chain
doitvoluntarily (75) in news • January 5, 2018
In 2016, it's estimated that the global hydroponic market was worth more than $230 million.
It's anticipated that the global market will surpass $395 million by 2020. Though there are some estimates that place the market value much higher, suggesting that it could reach more than $13 billion by 2025.
The hydroponics approach is expected to keep on growing because it provides farmers with more control over the growing process.
Not only that, but it also provides a host of benefits such as using less water, taking up less space, and helping to protect against pests, producing higher yields than traditional methods, and so on. However, some critics of the method suggest that the produce is inferior to traditional methods as far as quality and nutrients because of the way that it's grown.
The global hydroponics market is expected to grow over 6.4 percent over the next decade.
A number of different crops are able to be grown with hydroponic growing methods and they are things like cucumbers, peppers, lettuce, strawberries, and more.
Right now, Europe is said to have the largest hydroponics market, making up roughly 36.44 percent.
They are followed by the Asia Pacific region that makes the 2nd largest market in terms of revenue. Following in 3rd place is the North American market and although they might be 3rd right now, they've got the fastest growing market.
There are a variety of companies already in this space and a great deal of different hydroponic growing projects that are taking place around the world. You've got dozens of crops being grown with this method in greenhouses, in shipping containers, in backyards, and a variety of different growing spaces.
One entrepreneur who is interested in this growing method, Jonathan Partlow, spent about 5 years working on his design for a hydroponic growing system that would help to decentralize the food supply chain. He wanted to provide people with a growing medium and something that could easily work in a variety of different spaces both big and small.
Eventually, he came up with Aggressively Organic.
This company offers pint-sized hydroponics that makes it easy for people to have fresh and quality produce available right in the convenience of their own home. Partlow came up with the micro growth system you can see below.
The growing system consists of a glueless corrugated box that has a plastic liner, coco coir disc, and comes with some nutrient solution mix.
They've already shipped these mini growing systems to some farmers in a beta group and they are also looking to use the product to provide humanitarian relief to areas that are struggling with food insecurity.
One of their recent humanitarian efforts included working to get the Aggressively Organic mini growing systems to Puerto Rico. For that effort, they've set up a crowdfunding page to try and raise funds (trying to raise about $500k) to bring about 50,000 systems to the island.
With their mini design, the plan is for you to cut and take the produce when you need it.
You harvest whenever you are hungry, and when you've got dozens of different ones growing at one time it makes preparing a decent snack or meal fairly easy. Vegetables and herbs grown could be harvested within 21- 60 days; depending on what you're growing.
Partlow says that this growing method can produce lettuce using only an eighth to a quarter-gallon of water, compared to traditional growing methods which might use 3 gallons or more when trying to grow a head of lettuce. And the Micro Growth Systems are expected to retail for around $20 US and the only thing the user needs to provide is light and water.
At the moment their patent is still pending and the product is still in manufacturing, those interested can sign up on their site to try and become a beta grower.
Their system claims to be able to grow more lettuce in a 10 x 10 room than a traditional organic farm might be able to grow with a half acre of land.
Aggressively Organic is based in Indiana and they hope with their business that they'll be able to bring more than 200 jobs to the area by 2021.
Pics:
Pixabay
via GreenandVibrant.com
Twitter/Aggressively Organic
Sources:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171206006224/en/Global-Hydroponics-Market-Report-2017-2023-Market-expected
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hydroponics-market-2020-forecasts-168-cagr-with-hvac-holding-largest-share-569069051.html
http://www.freshplaza.com/article/186162/Aggressively-Organic-relief-packages-helping-Puerto-Rico-regrow-after-Hurricane-Maria
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160811005565/en/Global-Hydroponics-Market-2015-2020---Market-anticipated
https://aggressivelyorganic.com/
http://www.gardencentermag.com/article/pint-size-hydroponics/
https://www.scalarmarketresearch.com/market-reports/hydroponics-market
http://www.freshplaza.com/article/186162/Aggressively-Organic-relief-packages-helping-Puerto-Rico-regrow-after-Hurricane-Maria
https://humanityproject.com/projects/aggressively-organic-relief-for-puerto-rico/
http://www.insideindianabusiness.com/story/37020852/fishers-ag-startup-launches-campaign-for-puerto-rico
Understanding Organic Hydroponics
Understanding Organic Hydroponics
January 2, 2018
Do you feel afraid, hesitant and indecisive about organic hydroponics?
Introduction
There are two types of hydroponic nutrients, synthetic or organic based. A synthetic is in the form of water soluble salts developed by humans for plant intake. Comparable to the way table salt separates in water to form Na+ (cation) and Ci- (anion), the pre-formulated fertilizer salts separates into the correct spectrum concentrations of needed ions components needed for plant success. Organic fertilizer components are dependent upon organism in the water to convert the organic materials into an inorganic usable form for plants. Because of the non soluble of many nature sources of nutrition, organic based hydroponic have 20 - 30% fertilizer salts with the rest being soluble organic components, such as guano, plant extracts, worm castings, potash and kelp. Because all of the components are not identical in structure and properties they separate at different rates in the solvent creating a minor pH fluctuation. This is the major difference between synthetic and organic based nutrients, but is easily conquered with patience and practice.
Reservoir Stability
Organic hydroponic reservoir tanks gain from stability because they attract and develop some level of microbial activity. In nature, the soil is regularly a stable place when it comes to temperature and to extent moisture content, pH, and fertility levels.
Good Habits
Keep hydroponic reservoir tank levels topped up to the full line with fresh nutrient water daily or automatic with a float valve.
Maintain hydroponic reservoir tank cover, heavy light can destroy the organic hydroponic nutrient solution.
Add only filtered or RO water to the organic hydroponic reservoir, tap water will contaminant the solution.
Premix your organic nutrient concentrates with a small amount of filtered water before adding to the reservoir.
Add calcium first to the hydroponic reservoir tank, to neutralize filtered water.
Monitor the pH, EC and temperature of your organic nutrient solution daily.
Bad Habits
Add a big volume of filtered water directly to a running reservoir tank that has been depleted without having any organic nutrients in it, avoid huge swings in EC, TDS, and pH.
Depend on chemical pH adjusters. Use filtered out rainwater, and if your system is running correctly, the pH will swing itself where it needs to be within a few days of mixing fresh for the first time. (pH 5.8 - 6.5)
Allow reservoir tank temperatures to fluctuate widely.
Monitoring Organic Solution
Organic hydroponic is a living and monitoring key parameters can tell you a lot about the health of your organic hydroponic systems and the needs of your plants.
Key parameters are EC, pH and nutrient water temperature
For most growers, EC is a measure of how many nutrients are in a given reservoir tank. Synthetic nutrient and mineral salts give off higher readings. Maintain a lower EC with organic solutions than you would with conventional hydroponic solutions.
pH in organic hydroponics will often start out less than optimal when first adding your nutrients to the fresh filtered water, over the course of a few days, you should see the pH finally stabilize into a fair range of 5.8 to 6.5. Once stabilized, your reservoir tank should be maintenance free expect from top-ups with filtered water and diluted nutrient concentrates.
Temperature is big. An organic hydroponics reservoir that experiences big swings in temperature is at risk of developing issues. Keep a stable 65 to 75 degree F reservoir tank temperature.
If you loved this, you might also love these posts about nutrients:
"How to mix nutrient in a hydroponic system"
AmHydro’s “ Introduction to Hydroponic Crop Production” Seminar Series
AmHydro’s “ Introduction to Hydroponic Crop Production” Seminar Series
February 22nd & 23rd in Eureka, CA
In this interactive 2-day course, you’ll learn the basics of running a hydroponic farm and business from industry leaders. With this knowledge, you’ll be better equipped to grow and sell produce to your local community. Best of all, you’ll get hands-on experience in a greenhouse.
COST: $995 for two people. Bring a friend!
HOSTED BY: American Hydroponics
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:
- The history of hydroponics
- How hydroponics effects the world today
- What is controlled environment agriculture (CEA)
- Basics of hydroponic farming
- Pest & disease control
- How to market your produce
Classroom AND Greenhouse Instruction!
LOCATIONS: The Ingomar Club and the HCOE Hydroponic Training Center, both in Eureka, CA
For more info and to sign up, please visit:
http://amyhydro.com/seminar
New Jute Plug
New Jute Plug
These organic plugs are made of Jute.
It is a versatile material. The plants from which jute is obtained mainly occur in warm, humid areas such as Bangladesh, China, and India. In the Netherlands, we also used it within the industry, but the production of jute decreased in the early 1970s. Partly due to the emergence of the petrochemical industry. Due to the environmentally-friendly nature of jute, production has now become a little more attention.
Jute and Hydroponics
Within the hydroponics cultivation, it could be a new 100% sustainable and biodegradable plug. The latest jute products are characterized by the use of jute mixed with patented water storage flakes, which combination allows optimum moisture and air balance in the plug. If necessary, the carrier can easily be removed from the soil or plant and is fully compostable. It has long been known that the water absorption capacity of Sisal and Jute natural fiber composites is high.
The natural fibers are hydrophilic, allowing them to absorb moisture more quickly and turn it off. Various studies have been conducted into the water absorption capacity of these composites. But if you want to retain the moisture you need, for example, modern SAPs, polymers based on acrylic acid or methacrylic acid, which has been polymerized together with an "internal crosslinking agent". This is a substance that makes connections between the polymer molecules so that they form a three-dimensional network that can swell but not dissolve in water. The polymers are partially neutralized, for example with sodium or potassium hydroxide. The remaining acid groups and the sodium or potassium ions ensure the retention of products. But it does play a role in the possible interactions with nutrients.
What is clear is that this jute plug is characterized by the use of jute and patented water storage bio-flakes which combination allows an optimized moisture and air balance. So no doubt they have found an optimal solution for making the plug suitable for each breeding phase, and it is also available in different variations and sizes.
If you would like more information or a free sample go to our site Hydroponics-Nederland
Global Growables, Inc. Partners With DNM Farms
Global Growables, Inc. Partners With DNM Farms
The first Mobile Growable hydroponic container is growing herbs and greens to augment the Aquaponics and Greenhouse on a farm near Santa Fe New Mexico
San Juan Capistrano, Dec. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Food deserts, food insecurities and lack of education are real issues facing many local communities nationwide and the partnership between Global Growables and DNM Farms provides a sustainable solution that feeds, educates and donates to the local community. This sustainable model does not require government funding or intervention and generates a recurring revenue stream for decades to come.
The first Mobile Growable unit is on location at DNM Farms which is owned and operated by George Budagher, a long-time New Mexico resident that has an existing Aquaponic farm and Greenhouse. DNM Farms has over 1,500 live fish in three large tanks. The fish feeds the community and provides a sustainable solution as the fish waste feeds and fertilizes the tomatoes, peppers, lettuces, and herbs in the 5,000 square foot greenhouse.
DNM Farms recently added the Mobile Growable container to grow high-quality greens and herbs to service the local chefs from private country clubs and restaurants. The Mobile Growable container is made from refurbished freight containers and grows micro-greens, herbs and leafy-greens indoors 24/7 365 days a year using liquid-cooled LED lights and sophisticated hydroponic technology.
The Mobile Growable container will grow over 10,000 pounds of fresh produce annually using 10% of the water of traditional soil-based farming and will provide the chefs at local private clubs, restaurants, and hotels with fresh, organic and local organic food. The combined yield from the Greenhouse, Container, and Aquaponics will feed hundreds of families, provide local jobs and provide financial support to the community with donations from the sale of fresh, healthy and locally grown food.
In addition, DNM Farms will host school field trips, provide fresh produce at farmers markets, provide culinary education and tours to help educate and feed the kids and families living in the community. In addition, local residents living in cities from Santa Fe to Albuquerque New Mexico now have a reliable source for affordable and locally grown fresh vegetables, leafy greens, herbs and fresh fish.
Click here to listen to a recent podcast with Rick Ladendorf, founder of Global Growables.
George Budagher, founder, and farmer explains, “We have over 1,500 Tilapia fish growing in three tanks and they provide our plants with natural fertilizers i.e. fish poop, which in-turn provides the plants natural fertilizers and nutrients for maximum yield and flavor. We deliver live fish to the chefs and grocers and we service the local chefs with specialty herbs, micro-greens and hard to find leafy-greens at local private country clubs, restaurants and hotels. A portion of the proceeds and product are donated to local schools, churches and food banks, which is our way of giving back to the community.”
Global Growables mission is to reduce childhood obesity, prevent and reverse chronic illnesses through education, provide access to affordable plant-based foods and more importantly create sustainable solutions that doesn’t rely on the government. Rick Ladendorf explains, “I recently asked a child if they could tell me where a carrot comes from and he replied, “Wal-mart”! While I was not surprised, I can honestly say his response is a reflection of our society where the lack of educational funds allocated to health in the schools and lack of nutritional knowledge in the home is a major contributing factor to the health crisis. And until we change behavior in the home, mom will continue to load the shopping cart with unhealthy options and the obesity epidemic will continue to get worse. The partnership with DNM Farms will provide local families access to affordable food and provide the education needed to change behavior.”
ABOUT GLOBAL GROWABLES, Inc.
Global Growables designs builds, installs and manages Mobile Growable Containers made from refurbished freight containers. Global Growables is strategically aligned with Prevo Health Solutions, the private club industry’s premier wellness experts and Executive Producer of America’s Healthiest Clubs certification program. Global Growables and Prevo Health work together to bridge the gap between the have’s and the have not’s, the private club with the community and the public and private sectors.
For more information call 888-321-1804 or visitwww.globalgrowables.com.
ABOUT DNM FARMS
DNM Farms is a sustainable farm located halfway between Santa Fe and Albuquerque New Mexico. The 8,500 square foot facility is comprised of a 5,000 square foot greenhouse, four 1,500 gallon aquaponic tanks and 3,500 square feet of production area that includes a designated area for growing mushrooms. DNM Farms grows and delivers mushrooms, leafy greens, micro-greens, vegetables and specialty herbs and greens.
For more information call George Budagher at 505-228-5318.