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UrbanKisaan Is Betting On Vertical Farming To Bring Pesticide-Free Vegetables To Consumers And Fight India’s Water Crisis
Severe droughts have drained rivers and reservoirs across parts of India, and more than half a billion people in the world’s second-most populous nation are estimated to run out of drinking water by 2030
September 17, 2020
Image Credits: UrbanKisaan
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Severe droughts have drained rivers and reservoirs across parts of India, and more than half a billion people in the world’s second-most populous nation are estimated to run out of drinking water by 2030.
Signs of this are apparent in farms, which consume the vast majority of total water supplies. Farmers have been struggling in India to grow crops, as they are still heavily reliant on rainwater. Those with means have shifted to grow crops such as pearl millet, cow peas, bottle gourd, and corn — essentially anything but rice — that use a fraction of the water. But most don’t have this luxury.
If that wasn’t enough, Indian cities are facing another challenge: The level of harmful chemicals used in vegetables has gone up significantly over the years.
A Hyderabad-headquartered startup, which is competing in the TechCrunch Disrupt Startup Battlefield this week, thinks it has found a way to address both of these challenges.
Across many of its centers in Hyderabad and Bangalore that look like spaceships from the inside, UrbanKisaan is growing crops, stacked one on top of another.
Vertical farming, a concept that has gained momentum in some Western markets, is still very new in India. The model brings with it a range of benefits. Vihari Kanukollu, the co-founder and chief executive of UrbanKisaan, told TechCrunch in an interview that the startup does not use any soil or harmful chemicals to grow crops and uses 95% less water compared to traditional farms.“
We have built a hydroponic system that allows water to keep flowing and get recycled again and again,” he said. Despite using less water, UrbanKisaan says it produces 30% more crops. “We grow to at least 30-40 feet of height. And it has an infinite loop there,” he said.Kanukollu, 26, said that unlike other vertical farming models, which only grow lettuce and basil, UrbanKisaan has devised technology to grow over 50 varieties of vegetables.
The bigger challenge for UrbanKisaan was just convincing businesses like restaurant chains to buy from it. “Despite us offering much healthier vegetables, businesses still prefer to go with traditionally grown crops and save a few bucks,” he said.
So to counter it, UrbanKisaan sells directly to consumers. Visitors can check in to centers of UrbanKisaan in Hyderabad and Bangalore and buy a range of vegetables.
The startup, backed by Y Combinator and recently by popular South Indian actress Samantha Akkineni, also sells kits for about $200 that anyone can buy and grow vegetables in their own home.
Kanukollu, who has a background in commerce, started to explore the idea about UrbanKisaan in 2018 after being frustrated with not being able to buy fresh, pesticide-free vegetables for his mother, he said.
Luckily for him, he found Sairam Palicherla, a scientist who has spent more than two decades studying farming. The duo spent the first year in research and engaging with farmers.
Today, UrbanKisaan has more than 30 farms. All of these farms turned profitable in their first month, said Kanukollu.“
We are currently growing at 110% average month on month in sales and our average bill value has gone up by 10 times in the last 6 months,” he said.
The startup is also working on reaching a point within the next three months to achieve $150,000 in monthly recurring revenue.
The startup has spent the last few quarters further improving its technology stack. Kanukollu said they have cut down on power consumption from the LED lights by 50% and reduced the cost of manufacturing by 60% per tube.
Kanukollu said the startup works with five farmers currently and is working out ways to find a viable model to bring it to every farmer.
It is also developing a centralized intelligence atop convolutional neural networks to achieve real-time detection to find more harvestable produce, and detect deficiencies in the farm.
UrbanKisaan, which has raised about $1.5 million to date, plans to expand to more metro cities in the country in the coming quarters.
This Month's Cafe Will Be Our "BACK to BASICS" Series."Hydroponic Nutrient Management Basics" - Sept 22, 2020 - 11 AM EST
Indoor Ag Science Cafe is an open discussion forum, organized by Chieri Kubota (OSU), Erik Runkle (MSU), and Cary Mitchell (Purdue U.) supported by USDA SCRI grants
September Indoor Science Cafe
September 22nd Tuesday 11 AM EST
Please Sign Up!
This Month's Cafe Will Be Our "BACK to BASICS"
Series
"Hydroponic Nutrient Management Basics"
by Dan Gillespie (JR Peters Inc)
Please sign up so that you will receive Zoom link info.
Indoor Ag Science Cafe is an open discussion forum, organized by Chieri Kubota (OSU), Erik Runkle (MSU), and Cary Mitchell (Purdue U.) supported by USDA SCRI grants.
Sign up here
Publix And Its GreenWise Stores Go After Hydroponics In Big Ways
Publix partnered with St. Petersburg-based Brick Street Farms on the initiative, a good fit because of Brick Street’s focus on quality and sustainability
September 9, 2020
by: Grier Ferguson
Sarasota-Manatee Editor
The Lakeland-Based Grocery Giant Is
Targeting Customers
Who Want Fresh, Local Products
There was a time when hydroponic farming seemed almost futuristic, like flying cars or underwater houses. But not anymore. The future is now for hydroponics.
Hydroponics, which involves growing plants without soil, is becoming more prevalent, including with Lakeland-based grocery giant Publix and the company’s GreenWise Market stores that sell organic, natural, and specialty groceries. Publix operates GreenWise stores in Lakeland, Tallahassee, Boca Raton, Ponte Vedra, and Odessa as well as in Mountain Brook, Ala., and Marietta, Ga. It closed two GreenWise stores in South Carolina in late August, citing the locations’ space constraints, but it plans to open a store in South Florida in the fourth quarter.
Publix and GreenWise are biting into hydroponics in some big ways, hoping it pays off with customers seeking fresh, local products.
Courtesy. Lettuce grown in the hydroponic container farm at Publix’s GreenWise Market in Lakeland is sold in the store.
In one major move, the company installed a 40-foot hydroponic container farm in front of its Lakeland GreenWise store. The container, added at the beginning of March, uses mineral-rich water instead of soil to grow lettuce plants. Publix partnered with St. Petersburg-based Brick Street Farms on the initiative, a good fit because of Brick Street’s focus on quality and sustainability efforts, Publix Business Development Director for Produce and Floral Curt Epperson says.
One key feature of the container is a viewing window on the side that allows people to see the plants growing. Along with showing off the growing process to customers and store employees, GreenWise also wants to use it during educational tours for schoolchildren. The image of the fresh product is key, Epperson says. “You have a good visual of farming at its best inside a container,” he says.
The hydroponic farm is near an outdoor sitting area, encouraging people to mingle and see what it's all about. “There’s certainly been some interest in that,” Epperson says. People are also attracted to the system’s sun-emulating lighting. “It really has an iridescent grow to it,” he says. “It draws you into the container. It’s hard to walk by it and not say, ‘What is that?’”
The lettuce, which takes about five weeks to grow, is harvested right in the container. GreenWise has a grower on site who works with Brick Street and harvests the product three days a week, amounting to about 720 heads of lettuce each week. The same day it’s harvested, the lettuce is taken into the store to be sold. “It really brings a new level of freshness and sustainability to the customer,” Epperson says.
Sustainability can be a key selling point for consumers who are becoming savvier and more knowledgeable about where their food comes from. Because the lettuce from the hydroponic container only has to travel mere feet to end up on store shelves, the product uses fewer resources and has a reduced carbon footprint.
Customers are already responding well. The lettuce grown in the container has done well at the store, Epperson says, and currently, all of it is purchased at that location. Once the lettuce is harvested, more is planted, continuing the cycle.
Other GreenWise stores are getting in on the hydroponic action, too. Brick Street, for instance, is providing lettuce for other locations. Publix has also worked with South Carolina-based Vertical Roots on a mobile hydroponic farm that it brought to stores, giving people the chance to walk inside the farm. The mobile educational tool is on hold during the pandemic, but it’s expected to come back. “It’s really just a cool opportunity to bring the farming concept to the customers,” Epperson says.
Courtesy. Publix worked with South Carolina-based Vertical Roots on a mobile hydroponic farm that it brought to stores, giving people the chance to walk inside.
In another hydroponic effort, Publix has partnered with vertical farming company Kalera to distribute the lettuce it grows hydroponically in Orlando.
Other crops might be involved in the future as well; growers are working on expanding beyond lettuce. “Each of these growers are looking at other ways to grow other commodities,” Epperson says. “I think you’ll see more trials into tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers going forward.”
Epperson says Publix is working with more hydroponic growers, too, in states including Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. “Every day, we’re outsourcing product,” he says. “It’s a great way to support communities that are supporting the growers and us. It’s great for the customer, great for the grower, and great for Publix.”
BANGLADESH: The Future of Food
With a growing population inside Dhaka and other cities, the space for plantations has drastically gone down. Many cities around the world have already adopted the method of soil-less cultivation
August 24th, 2020
Courtesy
This High Tech Farming Technique Is
Gaining Popularity In The City
With a growing population inside Dhaka and other cities, the space for plantations has drastically gone down. Many cities around the world have already adopted the method of soil-less cultivation. Hydroponics is the process of growing plants in liquid, sand, or gravel (or other mediums), with added nutrients, but without soil.
The main principles of hydroponics are increased oxygen to the root zone, and liquid feed delivered directly to roots. These factors result in increased growth rates, and increased yields when compared to traditional soil gardens where much lower oxygen and often nutrient levels are present.
Across Bangladesh, we can see that a rising number of modern dairy and cattle farmers too are adopting this reliable method of producing fodder -- meaning grass grown in a controlled environment throughout the year, ensuring a continuous supply of cattle feed.
According to many experts, growing vegetables on the rooftops can be considered a sustainable solution, especially for the urban population. With the use of pesticides and other harmful chemicals being commonly used, growing fruits and vegetables privately is a much cleaner, safer, and more reliable source of nutrition. Green Savers Association is one such organization working with projects such as this. Md Ishaque Faruquee, Head of Communications and Capacity Building, spoke to Dhaka Tribune about their journey, and the prospect of hydroponic plantations in Bangladesh.
Green Savers Association began their work in 2010, with a dream to create a green Dhaka city. With high-rise buildings and increasingly fewer land for trees, the idea of promoting rooftop gardens with a small team of tree lovers gradually started becoming a reality. “We are proud to have worked with over 5,000 households, 200 schools, and countless volunteers and organizations since then,” mentions Ishaque.
What prospects with hydroponics do you see in the future?
Hydroponics has the potential to sustain a large proportion of the world’s population and to allow third world countries to feed their own people, even in places where the soil is poor and water is scarce. The technology can also be used as a valuable source of food production in places where space is scarce. From expansion of population comes the need to produce more food, create more jobs, and reduce the carbon footprint of transporting food into cities. Being able to grow and produce food within cities for urban populations eliminates the carbon footprint generated through the transport of food from rural areas to city centers. Anyone can grow crops within his/her own periphery.
Is it a commercially viable option in Bangladesh?
There is no doubt that hydroponic farming systems are feasible as a commercial operation. The proof is in the application of this technology worldwide. There is enough information available, so that cannot be an excuse for failing. If you have the capital, then setting up a system is relatively easy. The fresh produce market will always buy up the top-quality produce at the best price. Hydroponics is designed to create an environment for the plant to grow at its genetic optimal, therefore producing the highest quality yields possible. Any business isn’t considered commercially viable until it has been in operation for at least six years. Within that period, most growers will have experienced some type of product cycle, and if they could not cope or adapt, they are no longer commercially viable. So, commercial hydroponic farms that are older than six years are economically viable and have certain characteristics in their management structure that one should take cognizance of when evaluating such a system as an empowerment project. A climate-controlled environment enables you to grow non-seasonal vegetables, which means you can grow throughout the year. You are not dependent on the weather conditions to make your vegetables grow. Furthermore, you can grow things that are not available in a particular season, and sell them at higher prices.
How are you facilitating the services for your clients?
First, we introduce our products online. Then, the customers come directly and sort the products according to their place. Then our experts go and set it up. If needed, our experts even provide technical support and after-sales support.
What are the types of plants or vegetables you are growing?
Particularly leafy vegetables, as well as flower vegetables that can be harvested around the year. The most common plants, but not limited to, are as follows: Lettuce, bok choy, hybrid cabbage, basil, mint (pudina), tomatoes, capsicum, chilli, long beans, bitter gourd, squash, cucumbers, and melons, to name a few.
What are some of the benefits of using hydroponics?
No pests, no weeds, no herbicides, no pesticides. Hydroponic systems are basically vertical, and therefore require lesser space, and allow you to produce more. Everything grows right in front of your eyes, and you can check at any time if both leaves and roots are healthy and fresh. Moreover, you can even see the condition of your roots, how clean and fresh they are. The hydroponics process is completely soilless, so you are completely free from all soil-borne diseases. Especially, in this era, where our soil itself has become so polluted and unhygienic, water is really scarce, and each day it’s only getting worse. But, hydroponics comes as a solution -- as this method uses only 10% of the water that is used in normal agriculture. In fact, there is no wastage of water either. Hydroponics is not labour intensive at all, as the systems don’t require too much time and effort, compared to normal agriculture. Once you get things in order and create proper procedures and processes, it doesn’t require a lot of work. Hydroponics is as much a science as it is an art -- you know exactly what is going to be your output, and you can be sure of the quality of your produce. The whole system is very adaptable and scalable.
How are you creating value?
Both geographical location and the physical space where we decide to install our vertical farm should be carefully considered. Our business will not get off the ground or go very far without a good location. Our pricing must match the quality of our products, not the status quo. With the right system and distribution strategy, the local products we produce are better than anything else. We implement a system that reduces labour costs and does not require installing and maintaining expensive automation technology to be economically viable. We are adding some sort of value to our product such as packaging, cutting or combining different products into one package. We also do data management. Local farmers should not rely on data to save them from an inefficient farm setup or their inability to sell their crops. Data can amplify and accelerate a farmer’s production and sales, but only if they have the infrastructure in place to use it effectively. Extreme dedication, knowledge, and preparedness to work hard are the main key strengths of our association.
Are the setup and raw materials expensive?
Hydroponic gardening is cost-effective, but you must understand that it requires an initial investment. Once you’re up and running, you can expect to see quicker plant growth and better plant production compared to plants in normal soil.
How much space is required to produce commercially?
Hydroponic gardening is the key to achieving the concept of "farming in the sky". This gardening is better than soil gardening for several reasons. More plants can generally be grown in the same amount of space when compared to traditional soil gardens. Roots are delivered nutrients instead of having to stretch out in search of them. Also, hydroponic gardens can be stacked to further increase space efficiency. The main benefit of hydroponic gardening is much higher oxygen levels in the root zone when compared to a soil garden. This increased oxygen means increased nutrient uptake and much higher rates of growth. It is also much easier to control the nutrient levels in hydroponic gardens compared to soil gardens.
Latest ZipGrow Inc. Product Introduces Vertical Indoor Farming To New Growers
Controlled Environmental Agriculture (CEA) is currently undergoing an upturn in public interest as the general population begins to appreciate the importance of locally produced food from sustainable sources
September 9, 2020
ONTARIO, CA - Controlled Environmental Agriculture (CEA) is currently undergoing an upturn in public interest as the general population begins to appreciate the importance of locally produced food from sustainable sources. ZipGrow Inc.’s new product offering, the Introduction to Commercial Growing package, is designed to make commercial growing more accessible to farmers and businesses wanting to get into the CEA industry.
“As interest grows in improving food security, we wanted to make commercial growing more accessible to newcomers to the hydroponics world”, explains Eric Lang, President of ZipGrow Inc. “This new package is an accessible, and affordable entry-level product for anyone interested in testing out if controlled environmental agriculture is right for them.”
The new product package includes a discounted set of everything you need to get started, including 90 patented 8’ ZipGrow™ Towers, steel ZipRacks, LED growing lights, a seedling area, a comprehensive plumbing system, and an automatic doser from Atom Controllers. This package is not only all-inclusive, but also modular to be able to expand as the operation grows.
“This package can set someone up to produce up to 100 pounds of leafy greens or herbs such as lettuce or basil each week, and is a great way to test a pilot system in your local community”, adds Lang. “Since the start of COVID-19 we have seen interest in sustainable food sources skyrocket, and this is one way we are trying to encourage more people to see if hydroponic farming is right for them.”
The Introduction to Commercial Growing package has a flat rate shipping option for all locations within Canada and the continental United States, with shipping to other locations available at custom rates. The package will be fully installed on-site, with costs varying dependent on location. ZipGrow team members will work with customers to ensure the product is the right fit for them and ensure all training and ongoing education needs are fulfilled.
ZipGrow Inc. is an international leader in indoor, vertical farming technology. Our flagship product, the ZipGrow™ Tower, is a core component of many of the world’s most innovative farms; from indoor hydroponic warehouses to vertical aquaponic greenhouses and high-density container farms.
For more information contact Gina Scandrett at hello@zipgrow.com or at 1-855-ZIPGROW.
MANILA: A Farm In Zambales Has A Competitive Edge In The Market Through Hydroponics
Due to the rise of urban gardening, homeowners, especially those who have limited space for gardening, are looking for ways to grow their own food. Many try vertical or container gardening while others practice hydroponics or the process of growing plants without soil but rather in nutrient-filled sand, water, or gravel
September 4, 2020
Due to the rise of urban gardening, homeowners, especially those who have limited space for gardening, are looking for ways to grow their own food. Many try vertical or container gardening while others practice hydroponics or the process of growing plants without soil but rather in nutrient-filled sand, water, or gravel.
Zennor Hydroponics Farm in Palauig, Zambales also practices hydroponics because of its efficiency in all aspects of farming.
“Using a hydroponic system in a farm works because aside from being able to plant a lot in a small space, it can save a lot of money since you don’t need a lot of manpower to tend to plants as the system takes care of the watering while the nutrient solution provides the vitamins and minerals for the plants’ growth,” said Zennor Hydroponics Farm proprietor Raffy Pagaling during the second episode of AgriTalk 2020 aired on Facebook by the Agricultural Training Institute in partnership with Manila Bulletin and Agriculture Online.
Pagaling added that using a hydroponic system in growing food can generate 20 to 25 percent more produce as compared to planting in soil. Moreover, the process is faster which makes a good return in investment.
An example of a hydroponic technique that the farm uses is the Dutch Bucket System or Bato Bucket system. This system, as its name implies, uses buckets as the core of its growing method. It’s also a variation of the ebb and flow method which works by periodically flooding and draining the plants with nutrient solutions.
“In our farm, we use it to grow fruit-bearing vegetables like cucumber, tomatoes, okra, etc.,” Pagaling said.
Pagaling posing with English cucumbers harvested from his farm.
He added he chose to grow this specific variety of cucumbers that through this method, the farm manages to grow English cucumbers which weigh 500 to 600 grams per fruit.
“This is an advantage of using hydroponics; it can produce better crops in terms of size and quality,” Pagaling said.
From a hundred cucumber plants, Pagaling manages to harvest 278 kilos of English cucumbers which he affirms are crunchy, juicy, and superb in quality. These cucumbers are then sold at P165 per kilo.
Another hydroponic technique that Zenno Farm uses is the rockwool or hydrowool. This method, according to Pagaling, is a soilless medium that serves as the backbone of the farm because all their seeds such as okra, tomatoes, and more are planted on this material.
The farm grows their seedlings in a soilless medium called rockwool.
Rockwool is a lightweight hydroponic substrate made from molten basaltic rock which is then spun into fine fibers to create products such as cubes and blocks. When hydrated, these cubes have a ratio of 80 percent water and 20 percent air, making it difficult to overwater the plants growing in this material.
When ready, seedlings can be easily transplanted from the rockwool to the preferred growing medium.
Other hydroponic methods used on the farm
Since Zennor Hydroponics Farm grows their crops without using soil, they have more than two methods that they follow especially if they want to make the most of their space.
First is the NFT system where the crops are planted in very shallow water that contains all the dissolved nutrients required for plants to grow. These nutrients are re-circulated past the bare roots of plants in a watertight channel.
Zennor Farm’s NFT system allows them to maximize space and even plant different vegetables all at once.
“We have our own version of the NFT system which can accommodate 320 green leafy vegetables and it is the biggest system that we have [on the farm] with an area of 10 feet by six feet,” Pagaling said.
He added that aside from being suitable for most leafy greens, the NFT system keeps their vegetables fresh, even if it’s already been ripe for two weeks or so.
In addition, this system can hold different kinds of leafy vegetables at the same time.
Next is the Wick System. This is the simplest way to grow vegetables without any electricity and can be done by anyone from seven years old and above.
The Wick System is the simplest way to grow vegetables without electricity.
“Any material can be used to create this kind of hydroponic system. It doesn’t require electricity because its main component is stagnant water, but it’s a very efficient way of farming because it can grow plants within 30 days with little supervision. Plus, it keeps it fresh even if you’re away for a long period of time,” Pagaling said.
He added that the Wick System can also be done indoors provided that they are supported with artificial lighting.
An indoor setup is also possible with the Wick System.
The farm even has a small greenhouse where they use the Dutch Bucket system, the Wick type, and the NFT method at the same time to grow crops that are fit for personal consumption.
Zennor Hydroponics Farm has a greenhouse measuring 12 feet by 14 feet and is planted with 700 lettuce and 72 fruit-bearing vegetables.
“With an area of only 12 feet by 14 feet, we still managed to plant here 700 lettuce and 72 fruit-bearing vegetables like cherry tomatoes. But since it produces more than we need, we sell the excess to neighboring towns, friends, families, and neighbors,” Pagaling said.
By using hydroponics in growing food, he added that one need not worry about the sustainability of a farm or garden because the system can run all-year-round, making it suitable for almost every kind of crop.
Much like Pagaling said, there are many benefits that can be reaped from using a hydroponic system. He hopes that his farm can set an example and inspire more people to try out this innovative farming technique.
Watch the full video of the webinar here.
Jake Savageau, COO At FarmBox Foods "There’s A Huge Potential In Helping African Countries Become Self-Reliant And Self-Sufficient”
We offer multiple products that can feed large populations with nutrient-dense food. With mushrooms, we are diversifying that vision because we cannot feed the world with leafy greens alone”, Savageau adds
FarmBox Foods is aiming to scale its production of shipping container farms significantly by the end of 2020. “We have been working with some exciting partners outside the private sector, like Ministries of Agriculture in West Africa. There’s a huge potential in helping African countries become self-reliant and self-sufficient”, Jake Savageau, COO at FarmBox Foods says.
FarmBox Foods holds patents for its vertical hydroponic and mushroom farms. “We are trying to grow the right way, not only in terms of scaling but in separating ourselves from the competition, with logistics as our core tenet. The competition doesn’t focus on logistics like we do, in terms of dealing with governments, and getting our farms deployed all over the world.
We offer multiple products that can feed large populations with nutrient-dense food. With mushrooms, we are diversifying that vision because we cannot feed the world with leafy greens alone”, Savageau adds. “Everyone is growing greens and raising tens or hundreds of millions of dollars, but what I think they are missing is becoming a full-circle food security entity.”
Gourmet mushrooms
Alternative energy solutions
The company is also working on solar power solutions which will eventually be used for running their farms off-grid. Atmospheric water generation technologies are also in the works—a vertical hydroponic farm uses three to five gallons (11.4-19 liters) of water per day. FarmBox Foods has partnered with a Denver company that develops microgrid systems. “As we start working with governments, they won’t be putting just one farm into a warehouse or village. Rather it will be 100 farms or more where there’s limited infrastructure. That’s why we want to ensure that our farms will be fully amenable to off-grid setups.”
It’s not about making money and raising money—it’s about feeding the world. The FarmBox Foods team ultimately offers a solution to a global problem. “We are not the only solution, but I think we are a pretty good one. Our system is very well-thought-out for the end-user. We built the farms to allow for the least amount of labor with the highest yield”, Savageau notes. Currently, FarmBox foods is developing its third product, a root vegetable farm which will allow an entirely new group of crops to be grown in its farms.
Jake Savageau, COO at FarmBox Foods
Savageau continues: “The mushroom farm is a bit different than our previous designs, but we have taken care of everything in just one container. So, from start to finish, we have everything inside that’s needed to produce up to 400 pounds (180kg) of gourmet mushrooms per week. Just like the vertical hydroponic farm, it’s deployable for national disasters or food shortages. There are benefits to small compartmentalized systems because when you have a large greenhouse, it cannot be moved easily. Island nations are particularly well suited for container farming because they can control their food supply in a way that was previously unimaginable”
For more information:
Farmbox Foods
Jake Savageau, COO
jake@farmboxfoods.com
www.farmboxfoods.com
LIVE Virtual Tour - Inside the Greenery Container Farm with Freight Farms' Lead Designer - Thurs, Sept 10, 2020 - 4:30 PM EST
Explore the technology behind our Greenery container farm that allows farmers to grow food anywhere in the world!
Take a Virtual Tour of the Freight Farms Greenery™
Explore the technology behind our Greenery container farm that allows farmers to grow food anywhere in the world!
Farm expert Derek will explain the ins and outs of the Greenery using a live video stream inside the farm. He’ll cover the basics of controlled environment agriculture, hydroponics, vertical farming, and how all those work together inside the Greenery to create the perfect conditions for crop growth regardless of geographic location.
To Register For This Free Zoom Virtual Live Tour
Thursday, September 10, 2020 - 4:30 PM
Plants That Can Be Grown In Hydroponic Greenhouse
Vegetables grown under Hydroponic set up are in high demand, and the trend for seeking vegetables/fruits grown through this method is rising every year
31 August 2020
Most of us will know that Hydroponics is a type of “Soil-less” culture, which is a method of growing plants without soil, by using mineral nutrient solutions in a water solvent. It comes under the Horticulture discipline and has many advantages, one of them being a decrease in water usage. This method is considered as superior methods of cultivation when compared with the traditional soil-based cultivation method. In comparison to farming on the soil, the Hydroponic cultivation method requires about 80-90% lesser quantity of water.
Vegetables grown under Hydroponic set up are in high demand, and the trend for seeking vegetables/fruits grown through this method is rising every year. This system is beneficial in enabling growers to produce fresh and healthy vegetables on a controlled and consistent basis. When compared with cultivation under the soil, Hydroponics is one of the most water-efficient methods. Since the system can be designed and built according to the space available, it can be inferred that in case of lesser space, it is not a matter of concern generally. If you believe in experimenting with farming, then growing plants with the hydroponics method is most likely to catch your attention.
If new to hydroponics then is advisable to select those vegetables and plants that most growers have produced successfully. Studies and feedback from successful growers convey the possibility of larger yields through Hydroponic greenhouses than a traditional greenhouse. Here it will be important to consider that in order to maximize the chances of successful production the grower must understand which plants to grow under this method.
One should be aware of some facts that few plants may spread out too much to grow properly in a hydroponic greenhouse, and few others may be suited to cooler weather, hence may not survive under high temperatures. Also, one should also have knowledge about plants that need special attention, when growing in a Hydroponic greenhouse. There is the easy availability of the raw materials and supplies for hydroponic systems in the online and offline markets. Hydroponics not only helps a grower in designing its own system, but it also offers the opportunity to produce fresh and healthy vegetables for the entire year. Now let us know which plants can be grown in a Hydroponic Greenhouse:
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Strawberries
This type of cultivation environment is suitable for strawberries. The usual layout of the hydroponic greenhouses comfortably accommodates the fruit. Depending upon the size of the berry and desired sweetness level, there are lots of varieties to choose from.
Potatoes
Hydroponic systems can support the growth of potatoes and other root crops as well. But they should be provided sufficient depth to grow adequately. This is because there is a lot of growth in the root area, in addition to growth in stems and foliage. So if these plants are grown in lesser space, overall growth will be restricted. One can prefer smaller varieties of the root crops, in order to provide sufficient depth.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes grow well under this method. In the case of tomatoes, it is necessary to provide them a support system, similar to when cultivated in a traditional greenhouse or home garden set up.
Mint
Mint needs wet weather to grow therefore in Hydroponic greenhouses one has a greater option to choose lot many varieties. Mints should be given enough space as they spread quite a bit. With this method you can easily grow any type of mint – be it peppermint, spearmint, ginger mint etc.
Basil
Basil is a herb and can be grown in the hydroponic setup. The moist conditions provided to the herb through this system are beneficial in enhancing the herb’s flavor. Like other plants, the yield is most likely to increase using hydroponic methods of cultivation.
Lettuce
There are various types of lettuce providing different flavors. Normally the iceberg is commonly produced variety but when it comes to growing hydroponically, once can think of growing romaine, sweet butter and many more varieties, to be used in your salad menu.
Cabbage
Cabbage needs cooler temperature for proper growth, hence suitable for growing hydroponically. One may be required to adjust growing conditions for the cool weather vegetables. This would imply that it will be necessary to grow the plants according to their natural seasons. One can change the temperature settings in your greenhouse as per the crops decided for cultivation.
Green Beans
Normally the Bush-style green beans adjust quite well with the typical conditions set up in a hydroponic system, although pole beans can be grown as well. Also, the size of bush-style beans is convenient to manage versus pole beans.
Plants that require Additional Care in Hydroponic Greenhouse
Watermelon, other melons, squash, and corn are some of these vegetables which occupy greater space to grow, making it difficult to thrive well in Hydroponic greenhouses. Therefore these plants need growers addition care like pruning on a regular basis. Few varieties of pumpkin varieties allowed for the space they need. This is done by planting them outside where they can spread and increase in size accordingly.
Many plants have both male and female flowers on them therefore need the bees to pollinate them. Hydroponic setups do not have bees inside the structure, so cultivating these plants are a bit labor-intensive. Nevertheless, if the task of pollinating these plants is done by the grower himself, then chances of proper growth will be higher.
Four Storeys Up, A Commercial Vegetable Garden Thrives In A Converted Sears Warehouse
Growing food on roofs represents the future of farming, especially in these pandemic times, says Mohamed Hage, Lufa’s chief executive officer, who co-founded the company with his wife, Lauren Rathmell
DAVID ISRAELS
SPECIAL TO THE GLOBE AND MAIL
SEPTEMBER 1, 2020
The Lufa greenhouse sits atop a former Sears warehouse in Montreal's St-Laurent neighbourhood.
CHRISTINNE MUSCHI/THE GLOBE AND MAIL
In the industrial part of Montreal’s St-Laurent area, it can be hard to distinguish the bulky buildings from one another, except for one – the roof sticks out like a green thumb.
It’s a great glass greenhouse roof atop a former Sears warehouse – a giant vegetable garden, said by its creators to be the world’s biggest commercial rooftop greenhouse.
The 163,000-square-foot garden, which opened last week, is the equivalent of nearly three football fields worth of food. To date, it is the fourth and biggest commercial facility for Montreal-based Lufa Farms.
Lufa is already well known among local “Lufavores” – foodies, restaurants, and alterna-living people in the Montreal area, who value its fresh tomatoes, eggplants, and vegetables, as well as the produce it gathers from local farmers.
Growing food on roofs represents the future of farming, especially in these pandemic times, says Mohamed Hage, Lufa’s chief executive officer, who co-founded the company with his wife, Lauren Rathmell.“
When we looked at how to grow where people live, we realized that there was only one option – rooftops. It’s not sustainable to always be trucking food in from across the continent or shipping from all over the world,” Mr. Hage says.
The new building was planned and construction began well before COVID-19 hit the world, but it offers a strong response to the pandemic, he explains.“
In March 2020, we saw a doubling of demand for our food. Growing food locally on rooftops and sourcing from local farming families allows us to swiftly adjust and respond to this demand,” he says.
An employee works inside the Lufa greenhouse. | HANDOUT
Co-founder Ms. Rathmell, who is also Lufa’s greenhouse director, says it took three months to build the St-Laurent facility and grow the site.“That would normally have taken years,” she says.
“In response to COVID-19, we enacted stringent safety protocols early on, launched seven-day service, tripled our home-delivery capacity, and launched new software tools,” she says. The company also brought in more than 200 new team members, 35 new local farmers and food makers, and 30,000 new Lufavores customers.
Lufa’s new staff includes two full-time nurses to take workers’ temperatures as well as “social-distancing police” to walk around and make sure workers aren’t too close to one another, Mr. Hage says. The company has also boosted the frequency of its air exchange in all of its facilities, including the new one.
Designing and building a rooftop greenhouse is challenging, Mr. Hage says. Although some of the preparation required is not much different than getting any equipment onto a roof, some of the prep work up there is more complicated, he says.“
We have to meet national building codes, and of course, everything for the greenhouse needs to be hauled up to the roof on a crane,” he says. “Yet once it’s there, you have to do a lot of stuff manually rather than mechanically. All of this is harder than it would be to do on the ground.”
It’s also expensive. “This greenhouse costs two times as much as a ground-based greenhouse,” he says. Lufa declines to give out the cost of this latest project but says the first of its four facilities, built 10 years ago, cost $2.2-million.
Using buildings for farming is catching on, says Mike Zelkind, co-founder of 80 Acres Farms in Cincinnati, Ohio, which also operates building-based facilities in Arkansas, North Carolina, and New York.
“A field can be the least efficient place to grow food,” he says. “An indoor farm can produce more than 300 times more food, with 100-per-cent renewable energy and 97 percent less water. That’s the beauty of growing in buildings.
Montreal-area foodies value Lufa's fresh tomatoes, eggplants and various other vegetables. HANDOUT
”Similarly, in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., up the Hudson River from New York City, restaurateur, food-truck owner, and chef John Lekic pivoted as the COVID-19 lockdowns spread to launch an indoor farming business called Farmers & Chefs.“
“We use technology from an Israeli company called Vertical Field that was being showcased at the Culinary Institute of America, which is nearby,” he says. The Israeli company supplies all the materials to grow some 200 different crops on roofs and in parking lots with minimal experience required.“
We planted and installed a container in March and our first harvest was in April, Mr. Lekic says. “We’re learning fast, but it’s an easy way to grow herbs and produce.”
”Mr. Hage agrees, adding that “rooftops are superior places for an urban farm.”
“When we started [in 2009], we considered leasing parking lots for growing, but no one wanted to give them up,” he recalls. “But for most commercial building owners, rooftops are unloved – they leak, they have to be maintained and, in a cold climate like ours, you have to clean off the snow. A commercial rooftop greenhouse is a solution.”
The new St-Laurent project gives Lufa a total of about 300,000 square feet of agricultural production, and the company plans to eventually expand into Southern Ontario and the U.S. northeast.
Mr. Hage points out that a rooftop greenhouse also makes great sense in terms of environmental sustainability and reducing energy and carbon emissions.“
“We don’t use pesticides and our greenhouses use half the energy that a greenhouse at ground level would consume because we use heating from the building that rises up to the roof,” he explains.
“The biggest challenge is not the greenhouse space – who doesn’t want to walk around in a warm sunny greenhouse when it’s 20 below outside? The challenge is maximizing the warehouse space below the greenhouse,” he says.
“We’re growing so many tomatoes that the warehouses never seem to be big enough to store them.”
Urban farming in Canada is still a niche in a nationwide food industry that is primarily export-based, and accounts for 12 percent, or $62.5-billion, of Canada’s total exports every year, says Claire Citeau, executive director of the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance (CAFTA).
But in a post-COVID-19 world, every bit of food production counts, she says. “We continue to see the adoption of science, technology, and innovative ways to feed people and create new economic opportunities at home and abroad.”
And if that’s not enough, just look at the place, Mr. Hage says. “Boy, do I like driving by – it sticks out like a crystal,” he says. “And when you go inside, it’s like being in a spa.”
TOPICS AGRICULTURE CORONAVIRUS GREENHOUSE MONTREAL ORGANIC FOOD
IDTechEx Identifies Innovative Companies Changing The Face of Vertical Farming
Vertical farming, the practice of growing crops indoors under tightly controlled conditions, is continuing to expand rapidly
Sep 02, 2020
BOSTON, Sept. 2, 2020,/PRNewswire/ -- Vertical farming, the practice of growing crops indoors under tightly controlled conditions, is continuing to expand rapidly. By using LED lighting tailored to the exact needs of the crop, alongside advanced hydroponic growing systems, and growing crops in vertically stacked trays, vertical farms can achieve yields hundreds of times higher than the same area of traditional farmland.
Investors and entrepreneurs alike are excited about the potential of vertical farming to revolutionize the global food system and some vertical farming companies have raised dizzying amounts of money. Plenty, a San Francisco-based start-up, and the most well-funded vertical farm, has raised $401 million in funding, with backers including SoftBank, Alphabet Chairman Eric Schmidt, and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. Fellow US start-ups AeroFarms and Bowery Farming are not far behind, with $238 million and $167.5 million in funding, respectively.
While there has been much attention on these companies and their exploits, there are dozens of other companies in the industry developing their own approaches to vertical farming. Here, we explore some of the most innovative vertical farming start-ups, based on the recent IDTechEx report, "Vertical Farming 2020-2030".
Freight Farms
Freight Farms is a Boston-based vertical farming company that manufactures "container farms", vertical farming systems installed into 40' mobile containers. Alongside its container farms, Freight Farms provides the farmhand software, a hydroponic farm management, and automation platform that also connects users with other Freight Farms customers. Container farms have many advantages - they are easy to transport, compact, and relatively cheap to set up in comparison to other vertical farming systems. Container farms are often turnkey systems, too, meaning that they require much less experience and expertise to operate than either a factory-scale vertical farm or indeed a traditional farm.
Freight Farms recently released its most advanced container farming system, the Greenery, which it believes is the most advanced container farming system in the world. The Greenery is a turnkey system that uses an array of sensors to continuously monitor the growing conditions inside the farm, with the farmhand software automatically making adjustments and planning watering cycles in order to provide the optimum environment for growing crops and allowing users to control their Greenery remotely from a smartphone.
80 Acres – Collaboration, Food Experience
Despite their potential, many vertical farming start-ups have struggled over the years with the labor costs and power requirements for running a high-tech indoor farm. This has often forced producers to sell their crops at a much higher price than conventionally farmed leafy greens. Additionally, many founders of vertical farming companies have little experience in the food industry and can struggle with the day-to-day realities of running a food production industry.
80 Acres is an Ohio-based vertical farming start-up aiming to overcome these challenges by constructing the world's first fully automated indoor farm. The company was founded in November 2015 by Tisha Livingston and Mike Zelkind, who between them have over 50 years' experience in the food industry. Collaboration is also important to 80 Acres. The company believes that vertical farming is a very multidisciplinary field, requiring collaboration between partners who are experts in their own discipline. Signify (formerly Philips Lighting) developed the LEDs used in the facility and Dutch greenhouse automation company Priva developed the control and fertigation systems, with 80 Acres using its experience in food to bring the system together and integrate the technology.
The company currently operates a 75,000 square foot facility in Hamilton, a suburb of Cincinnati, which is set to expand to 150,000 square feet in summer 2020 following a $40 million investment from Virgo Investment Group. When completed, 80 Acres claims this facility will be the world's first fully automated indoor farm. The farm will be automated from seeding to growing to harvesting, using robotics, artificial intelligence, data analytics, and around-the-clock monitoring sensors and control systems to optimize every aspect of growing produce indoors.
Jones Food Company
Jones Food Company is a British vertical farming start-up that operates Europe's largest vertical farm out of a warehouse in Scunthorpe, UK. It was founded in 2016 by James Lloyd-Jones and Paul Challinor, who wanted to build the largest vertical farming facility that they could in order to help overcome some of the operational problems plaguing the industry and bring vertical farming to the mainstream. After visiting several vertical farms in Japan, they decide that the only way to make vertical farming a success is to focus on scale and automation.
Jones Food Company focuses on maximizing automation and robotics in their facility to minimize operating costs, with its facility being modeled on a car factory, with the growing process resembling a production line - over the 25-day growing period, plants move from one end of the facility to another. Much of the work is done by machines, helping to reduce labor costs. Harvesting is carried out by bespoke machines and the heavy lifting is performed by a robot called Frank. This focus on automation means that only six employees are required to operate the Scunthorpe facility.
Jones Food Company has partnered with UK online grocery company Ocado, which currently owns about 70% of the business. Through this partnership, Jones Food Company is aiming to set up vertical farms next to Ocado's grocery depots, meaning that fresh produce could be delivered to shoppers within an hour of being picked.
Infarm
Infarm is a Berlin-based start-up that sells modular, hydroponic vertical farms for growing leafy greens and herbs in supermarkets, schools, and offices. A single two-square meter unit can grow 8,000 plants in a year, with the company claiming its farms use 95% less water than soil-based farms, take up 99.5% less space, use zero chemical pesticides, need 90% less transportation, and use 75% less fertilizer.
Infarm has partnered with several major supermarkets across Europe, where it has currently deployed over 500 farms in stores and distribution centers. The company is also beginning to expand in the USA, having recently partnered with Kroger to trial its indoor farms in two QFC stores in Seattle. In the UK, it has partnered with supermarket chain Marks & Spencer, which is trialing in-store urban farming in seven locations in London, growing Italian basil, Greek basil, Bordeaux basil, mint, mountain coriander, thyme, and curly parsley.
The company's business model is based around an "agriculture-as-a-service" model. The modular farms remain the property of Infarm, which receives income per harvested plant. Infarm then coordinates with clients such as retailers and takes care of the farm including installation, cultivation, harvesting, and maintenance. Aside from the regular visits by service personnel to plant new plants, the farms are controlled remotely. This modular, data-driven, and distributed approach — a combination of big data, IoT, and cloud analytics — sets Infarm apart from competitors. From a price point, Infarm is attractive for supermarkets, which get a better product at the same price. In addition, the plants, especially herbs, are harvested fresh, preserving color, smell, flavor, and nutrients.
For more information about the vertical farming industry and the innovative companies operating within the space, please see the recent IDTechEx report, "Vertical Farming 2020-2030", www.IDTechEx.com/VertFarm or for the full portfolio of related research available from IDTechEx please visit www.IDTechEx.com/Research.
IDTechEx guides your strategic business decisions through its Research, Consultancy, and Event products, helping you profit from emerging technologies. For more information on IDTechEx Research and Consultancy, contact research@IDTechEx.com or visit www.IDTechEx.com.
Heliponix - GroPod Smart Garden Appliance
At Heliponix, we believe it is critically important to invest in tomorrow's workforce by keeping schools engaged in CEA (Controlled Environment Agriculture).
Heliponix has completed the Export Indiana Accelerator Program sponsored by the Indiana Small Business Development Center focused on developing international export regulatory compliance strategies so Indiana businesses can continue growing to hire more hoosiers!
Heliponix, we believe it is critically important to invest in tomorrow's workforce by keeping schools engaged i
CubicFarms Announces Sale of Control Rooms To Global Agtech Leader, Terramera
In June, CubicFarms offered its Control Room system for sale to growers requiring complete control over the growing environment that is so crucial for high crop yields and quality
VANCOUVER, BC, AUGUST 31, 2020 – CubicFarm® Systems Corp. (TSXV:CUB) (“CubicFarms” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce the sale of three Control Rooms to Terramera, a global agtech leader transforming how food is grown and the economics of agriculture. Terramera is a British Columbia-based company on a mission to reduce global synthetic pesticide use 80 percent by 2030 with its revolutionary Actigate™ technology platform, named a 2020 World-Changing Idea by Fast Company.
In June, CubicFarms offered its Control Room system for sale to growers requiring complete control over the growing environment that is so crucial for high crop yields and quality. Each CubicFarms Control Room is assembled inside a proprietary stainless steel, fully insulated growing chamber with the option to customize features such as lighting, automated irrigation, and nutrient delivery, providing full climate control for temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide levels. The system has a variety of sensors available, all of which can be remotely monitored and controlled.
Dr. Travis Good, Terramera’s Chief Technology Officer commented, “We required a closed space with precise controls to isolate each environmental variable and produce uniform, plentiful and high-quality plants for our research. CubicFarms’ Control Room system is an ideal solution and helps us scale our Actigate™ technology with the goal of dramatically reducing the use of synthetic pesticides in agriculture.”
CubicFarms CEO Dave Dinesen commented, “We are pleased to call Terramera a customer as we share the same strategic investor, Ospraie Ag Science, and vision to transform how food is grown with the use of leading-edge technology. Terramera is a natural fit for a synergistic partnership in the future as both companies look to develop our machine learning and AI capabilities to further advance our respective technologies.”
Photos: The CubicFarms Control Room, complete with LED light fixtures, an automated heating, cooling and ventilation system, and wired environmental controls.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor it’s Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
About CubicFarm® Systems Corp.
CubicFarm Systems Corp. (“CubicFarms”) is a technology company developing and deploying technology to feed a changing world. Its proprietary technologies enable growers around the world to produce high quality, predictable crop yields. CubicFarms has two distinct technologies that address two distinct markets. The first technology is its patented CubicFarms™ system, which contains patented technology for growing leafy greens and other crops. Using its unique, undulating-path growing system, the Company addresses the main challenges within the indoor farming industry by significantly reducing the need for physical labour and energy, and maximizing yield per cubic foot. CubicFarms leverages its patented technology by operating its own R&D facility in Pitt Meadows, British Columbia, selling the system to growers, licensing its technology, and providing vertical farming expertise to its customers.
The second technology is CubicFarms’ HydroGreen system for growing nutritious livestock feed. This system utilizes a unique process to sprout grains, such as barley and wheat, in a controlled environment with minimal use of land, labour and water. The HydroGreen system is fully automated and performs all growing functions including seeding, watering, lighting, harvesting, and re-seeding – all with the push of a button – to deliver nutritious livestock feed without the typical investment in fertilizer, chemicals, fuel, field equipment and transportation. The HydroGreen system not only provides superior nutritious feed to benefit the animal, but also enables significant environmental benefits to the farm.
About Terramera
Terramera is a global agtech leader fusing science, nature, and artificial intelligence to transform how food is grown and the economics of agriculture in the next decade. With its revolutionary Actigate™ technology platform, which was recognized by Fast Company as a 2020 World Changing Idea, Terramera is committed to reducing the global synthetic pesticide load 80% by 2030 to protect plant and human health and ensure an earth that thrives and provides for everyone. The privately-held, venture-backed company was founded in 2010 and has grown to include a world-class bench of engineers, scientists, advisors, and investors. Terramera is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, with integrated operations in Canada, the US, and India that include research labs, a greenhouse and farm, and more than 240 patents in its global IP portfolio. For more information, please visit terramera.com
Cautionary statement on forward-looking information
Certain statements in this release constitute "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including, without limitation, statements with respect to CubicFarms’ future partnership with Terramera; and the development of machine learning and AI capabilities by CubicFarms. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of CubicFarm Systems Corp., or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information including the Company obtaining the approval of the Offering from the TSX Venture Exchange. Such statements can be identified by the use of words such as "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "expect", "believe", "plan", "anticipate", "estimate", "scheduled", "forecast", "predict", and other similar terminology, or state that certain actions, events, or results "may", "could", "would", "might", or "will" be taken, occur, or be achieved.
These statements reflect the Company's current expectations regarding future events, performance, and results and speak only as of the date of this news release. Consequently, there can be no assurances that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Except as required by securities disclosure laws and regulations applicable to the Company, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if the Company's expectations regarding future events, performance, or results change.
Information contact:
Kimberly Lim
VP, Corporate Communications & Investor Relations
Mobile: 236.858.6491
Office: 1.888.280.9076
Email: kimberly@cubicfarms.com
What Are The Pros And Cons of Hydroponics?
Hydroponics is a type of aquaculture that uses nutrients and water to grow plants without soil. It is an increasingly popular growing method in urban areas and regions with extreme climates
AUGUST 28, 2020
Hydroponics is a type of aquaculture that uses nutrients and water to grow plants without soil. It is an increasingly popular growing method in urban areas and regions with extreme climates. There are many benefits to hydroponics as an alternative form of agriculture, including fewer chemicals, higher yields and greater water efficiency.
However, hydroponics is not a perfect solution. The initial setup is expensive, and the whole growing system is heavily dependent on access to electricity and a clean water source. Here are just a few pros and cons of hydroponics.
Pros
The benefits of hydroponics are myriad and include:
1. More Water Efficient
Growing plants can require a lot of water, and conventional agriculture is historically wasteful of this resource. For example, a single walnut requires almost 5 gallons of water, and an orange uses nearly 14 gallons. Globally, over 70% of freshwater is used for agriculture.
Compared to traditional growing methods, hydroponic systems are much more water-efficient. Growing in a climate-controlled environment allows cultivators to use the exact amount of water required for healthy plants, without any waste. Overall, hydroponics utilizes 10 times less water than conventional agriculture.
2. Higher Yields
Since crops are grown in a climate-controlled environment, hydroponic farmers are not limited by extreme weather or annual rainfall, resulting in higher crop yields. There’s more control over the setup of the system, and crops aren’t limited to a specific growing season.
Additionally, when comparing vegetables grown in soil, hydroponics can sometimes grow plants at up to 16 times higher density. Hydroponics allows growers to do this without using significantly more nutrients or other inputs.
3. Less Space
Some crops require a lot of space, and many conventional forms of agriculture are inefficient when it comes to using land. For example, row crops like soybeans and corn take up most of the arable land in the United States, but the harvest is used mostly for livestock and processed food, not human consumption.
In contrast, hydroponic systems focus on cultivating fruits and vegetables, providing nutrient-dense food for consumers without taking up significant amounts of space. Additionally, researchers at NASA are studying how to incorporate hydroponic systems for longer-duration space missions by providing the right balance of light, carbon dioxide, and water.
4. Community Resilience
Many cities have significant food deserts, and access to quality and affordable items is significantly limited. Urban hydroponic systems enable communities to cultivate their own crops, increasing food security for vulnerable populations.
While hydroponics requires significant operational costs, there is also some proof that it may be a possible solution for countries that struggle with food insecurity or need back-up options during months of extreme drought.
For example, in the United States, many agricultural enterprises grow food in one region but ship it to another for consumption. Many rural communities struggle with access to healthy produce because of this. Hydroponics may help foster community resilience by setting up an accessible system.
5. Fewer Chemicals
Many advocates of hydroponic systems stress that hydroponics reduces the need for synthetic chemicals. Since plants are most often grown in greenhouses with strictly controlled environmental inputs, pest pressure is almost nonexistent. Considering the detrimental impact of pesticides on the environment, using fewer chemicals is a huge advantage for hydroponics compared to traditional growing systems.
However, there is an ongoing debate regarding how to qualify hydroponic crops, and whether they are eligible for organic certification. According to the USDA, this refers to the care and maintenance of soil without chemicals. Since hydroponics do not use earth, many traditional organic growers feel that they are not eligible. Regardless of how crops are labeled, the fact that hydroponics uses fewer chemicals is a definitive advantage compared to conventional agriculture.
Cons
Despite the many positives, hydroponics also has some challenges to overcome.
1. Technology Reliance
Hydroponics is a high-tech process. Most commercial operations utilize specialized equipment that regulates water temperature, as well as acidity and nutrient density. Because plants are cultivated in a completely climate-controlled environment, there is a significant reliance on technology. Hydroponics is considerably more high-tech than other growing methods, and there is an opportunity in agtech to improve yields and decrease inputs. However, the amount of tech also makes it cost-prohibitive for beginning growers.
2. Initial Investment
The hydroponics market is expected to grow from $9 billion to $16 billion in the next five years, so there is certainly an opportunity for investors to consider vertical farming as a viable operation. In traditional agriculture, is it hard for new and beginning farmers to get started, as many face difficulties with land access and infrastructure investments.
However, getting into hydroponics is not necessarily any easier or cheaper. Despite a growing market, the initial investment in hydroponic systems is steep, especially on a commercial scale. For this reason, many of the largest growers are established agriculture corporations that already have capital in place. The initial investment limits profitable hydroponic operations to a few large farms, making it tricky for smaller growers to enter the market.
3. Organic Debate
As mentioned above, there is an ongoing debate in the farming community about whether hydroponic produce can be labeled organic according to USDA standards. Without a clear definition of the nutrient profile of hydroponics, nor stringent guidelines on which fertilizers or chemicals are permissible, many consumers remain cautious about hydroponic produce. This affects the industry’s success, as many consumers don’t know how crops are grown or what’s added to the water.
Without a clear definition from the USDA, there remains some question over self-labeling of hydroponic crops as organic when synthetic chemicals may still be added.
4. Equipment Requirements
While a home gardener can easily utilize some plastic bottles and storage containers to build a small hydroponic system, commercial farmers have significant equipment requirements. In addition to the initial costs of setup for infrastructure, there are also necessary and costly machines to consider. Pumps, tanks, and other controls can be expensive, not to mention electricity and access to filtered water.
5. Waterborne Diseases
While hydroponic systems may reduce or eliminate pest pressure, certain waterborne diseases are more prevalent in hydroponically grown produce. The most common ones affect the plant’s root structure, such as Pythium, which includes several water mold species.
Proper hygiene and cleaning practices can reduce the risk of plant disease, but it is often impossible to avoid completely. Because of this likelihood, many hydroponic growers incorporate bio fungicides to prevent breakouts.
Soil-Free Growing
Hydroponic growing can increase crop yields while reducing water usage. The benefits of hydroponics are significant, and the industry is expected to grow astronomically in the next five years. However, there are also some disadvantages to growing hydroponically. Improving access to infrastructure and making technology more accessible will enable more beginning growers to enter the market.
PODCAST: Vertical Farming - Fork Farms: Growing Food For Positive Change - Alex Tyink
Alex Tyink is the President of Fork Farms, an organization that started on the principle that growing fresh and healthy food is a vehicle for positive change in the world. It is their belief that having consistent access to the freshest, highest quality food is a human right.
Alex Tyink is the President of Fork Farms, an organization that started on the principle that growing fresh and healthy food is a vehicle for positive change in the world. It is their belief that having consistent access to the freshest, highest quality food is a human right. Join Harry Duran, host of Vertical Farming Podcast, as he and Alex discuss Alex’s unorthodox path to entrepreneurship, hydroponic farming and the impact Covid-19 has had on Alex’s business, Fork Farms.
Click on the Above Image to Access the August 25th, 2020 Podcast
Key Takeaways
02:54 – Alex expounds on the impact Covid-19 has had on his business, Fork Farms, and how he got involved in AgTech
13:02 – Where Alex got his entrepreneurial drive and motivation and Alex’s experience moving to NYC
20:12 – Alex breaks down the business model of Fork Farms, the curriculum package they offer and the idea behind Flex Farm
32:28 – What Alex has learned throughout his entrepreneurial journey in AgTech
37:55 – Challenges and obstacles Alex has had to overcome as he continues to grow his team and business
43:14 – Alex talks about what excites him the most about the future of Fork Farms, AgTech, and a tough question he had to ask himself recently
50:29 – Harry thanks Alex for joining the show and let’s listeners know where they can connect and engage with Alex and Fork Farms
Gotham Greens Produces Sustainably Farmed Lettuce In Stapleton
What was once the Stapleton Airport runway is now sprouting sustainably grown greens. Brooklyn, New York-based Gotham Greens has opened its high-tech urban greenhouse
Look for the urban greenhouse’s lettuces, basil, salad dressings, and pesto at Alfalfa’s, Safeway, and Whole Foods locations in the Denver metro area.
By Allyson Reedy • 5280 | July 20, 2020
What was once the Stapleton Airport runway is now sprouting sustainably grown greens. Brooklyn, New York-based Gotham Greens has opened its high-tech urban greenhouse next to Aurora’s Stanley Marketplace, and is out to woo Front Rangers with local basil, greens, salad dressings, and pesto.
Gotham Greens’ aim is to provide high-quality local product on a national scale, bolstering the food supply chain by stocking cities with fresh greens grown right there in the area. The company started in Brooklyn in 2011 and has slowly expanded, with the Aurora greenhouse marking its eighth—and furthest west—location. The 30,000-square-foot facility will provide two million heads of lettuce to the Rocky Mountain region each year, as well as serve as the company’s flagship site on this side of the country. Because the greens are grown and sold locally, the products are fresher when they get to your kitchen, and because the plants are grown hydroponically, Gotham Greens’ produce uses 95 percent less water and 97 percent less land than traditional soil-based produce.
“The technology enables us to have perfect conditions for our plants,” says director of community and partnership marketing Nicole Baum. “Our plants are very spoiled. They’re very coddled.”
That technology includes curtains to create a natural SPF for the plants, as well as to shade them from the sun or lock in heat in the winter. The temperature-controlled space, which is typically set at 75 degrees with 70 percent humidity, can even create different climates depending on where you are in the greenhouse. Basil, for example, likes it a couple degrees warmer than the lettuces. The misting system works overtime in Colorado’s dry climate to inject moisture into the air.
Unique to this Centennial State location are two new-to-Gotham varieties of lettuce: the crispy green leaf, a hardier and more nutrient-dense alternative to romaine, and Rocky Mountain Crunch, a toothsome green whose leaves grow in a rose-like pattern.
You can buy both of those lettuces, along with eight other types of lettuce, basil, salad dressings (don’t miss the Vegan Goddess), and pesto, at Alfalfa’s, Safeway, and Whole Foods locations in the Denver metro area, but you’ll also find Gotham Greens products at an increasing number of local restaurants. At neighboring Stanley Marketplace, Annette and Comida use the greens, and owner Tommy Lee nabbed the crispy green leaf lettuce for his menus at Uncle and Hop Alley.
“We like working with chefs who care about where the food comes from, and luckily in Colorado there’s a lot of them,” Baum says.
Thanks to the greenhouse’s ideal year-round growing conditions, it takes only about a month for seeds to metamorpihize into those verdant, leafy greens. Which means you’ll probably be seeing a lot more of Gotham Greens’ locally-grown produce in grocers and restaurants around town—even through winter.
Lead Photo: by Allyson Reedy
In Partnership With Whole Cities Foundation - GrowGeneration to Donate Hydroponic Growing Systems to Urban Farms And Nonprofits
GrowGeneration Corp. announced its partnership with Whole Cities Foundation. Founded by Whole Foods Market in 2014, the independent, nonprofit organization is based in Austin, Texas, and has partnered with more than 190 community organizations in 100 cities across the U.S. to build thriving local food systems and improve health
GrowGeneration Corp. announced its partnership with Whole Cities Foundation. Founded by Whole Foods Market in 2014, the independent, nonprofit organization is based in Austin, Texas, and has partnered with more than 190 community organizations in 100 cities across the U.S. to build thriving local food systems and improve health.
The first projects to receive GrowGeneration support will be Newark Science & Sustainability and Greater Newark Conservancy, both recipients of the Whole Cities Foundation Fresh, Health Food Access grant. Both organizations have identified hydroponic growing as a goal for their community plans. Each group will benefit from an equipment grant. These two projects are part of a pilot that we expect will yield learnings over the course of the next year. GrowGen will provide equipment and expertise and partner with Whole Cities to evaluate community impact.
"Whole Cities Foundation is proud to partner with GrowGeneration, supplier of hydroponic equipment to 1000's of cultivators and growers, to support two locally-led Newark organizations in their efforts to increase production of food grown for their community members – hydroponically, said Nona Evans, Executive Director for Whole Cities Foundation. "The company and its team of experts provide support to growers across the nation. As the company expands, the GrowGen team is focused on ways they can use their knowledge and equipment to give back to communities focused on improving healthy food access."
Darren Lampert, GrowGeneration CEO stated, "As we have built a national chain of hydroponic garden centers, it has always been our mission to give back to the local communities. In our day to day operations, we see the results from growing hydroponically. We could not be prouder to partner with Whole Cities Foundation to donate hydroponic equipment and supplies to their community partners to support their gardens and increase access to fresh, healthy food."
"Our staff of over 250 dedicated team members, who have tremendous knowledge on growing hydroponically, are energized to lend a hand and their personal time to support Whole Cities Foundation. There is nothing more rewarding than participating with a community committed to growing its own food! Newark, NJ with its long history of urban agriculture is a great place to begin our partnership. We look forward to celebrating their first harvest together."
For more information:
GrowGenerationwww.growgeneration.com
Whole Cities Foundation
www.wholecitiesfoundation.org
Publication date: Fri 14 Aug 2020
Join Farm Expert Derek As He Live Streams From Inside The Freight Farms Greenery - August 19, 2020 - 12 Noon EST
Take a deep dive into the basics of controlled environment agriculture, hydroponics, and vertical farming...all from the comfort of your own home - August 19, 2020 - 12 Noon EST
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Infarm, The New Generation of Farm
Labeled as the new generation of farm, German startup Infarm farms everywhere—in supermarkets, restaurants, bars and warehouses—lowering the carbon print by cutting out millions of miles between the farm and the final consumer
Labeled as the new generation of farmers, German startup Infarm farms everywhere—in supermarkets, restaurants, bars and warehouses (Credit: Infarm)
by Melanie Epp
August 11, 2020
Infarm was founded in 2013 by Osnat Michaeli and brothers Erez and Guy Galonska. They built the world’s largest in-store farm in Metro’s flagship store in Paris.
(This article was first published in our sister publication AgriExpo)
Labeled as the new generation of farm, German startup Infarm farms everywhere—in supermarkets, restaurants, bars, and warehouses—lowering the carbon print by cutting out millions of miles between the farm and the final consumer.
It all started when two people from Israel came to Berlin and couldn’t find their typical herbs—and couldn’t understand why, when they tried, the herbs wouldn’t grow in Berlin. They picked up the idea of vertical farming and a hydroponic method of farming to create their farming system which resembles a giant glass-door fridge. They understood, then, that people would no longer need to import herbs from distant countries because they could be grown on-site, explained Key Account Manager at Infarm Jakob Peter
“We can grow herbs throughout the year at the same price. We’re focusing on cities for our pilot projects, but we’ll go into rural areas and plan on producing 1000 farms in the next years.”
The startup always looks for places in need before deciding where they should implement their idea in order to fill in the gaps. They’ve already put their farm in restaurants, including Good Bank Restaurant in Berlin, with several other projects underway. They’re currently operating more than 50 farms across Berlin in supermarket aisles, restaurants kitchens, and distribution warehouses.
The company has deployed operational farms in Copenhagen, London, and Seattle. One thousand in-store farms are being rolled out in Germany alone. Infarm is expanding to other European markets every day, partnering with leading supermarket chains, and planning its North America expansion program. For co-founder Osnat Michaeli,
“Recognizing the requirements of our customers, we have recently launched a new product: the DC farm, a ‘Seed to Package’ production facility tailored to the needs of retail chains’ distribution centers.”
Courtesy of Infarm
How the Farm Functions
The farms are connected to the internet and information is exchanged via the cloud. So they can “communicate with all the farms” no matter where they are. This hyper-connected solution is all about urban precision farming.
It’s 2m² with several levels and can produce 1,200 herbs per month (per farm), or 800 heads of lettuce at 800 grams each. It’s a modular system and can have both herbs and lettuce. It can be placed in offices, dead space, storage facilities and idle buildings.
The farm allows exact monitoring of light, climate, pH value of water, etc. and can be tailored depending on the type of produce. The company ensures transportability and availability of herbs and lettuce via the information stored in the cloud, attributing the system the title “harvest on demand”. Infarm generates transparency for end-users and can initiate discussion between family members when they see the farm. But the product has to be good for this concept to work.
“A fancy vertical farm with the best LED lighting system would be useless if the end result equalled bad produce.”
Its hydroponic system uses 90% less water than conventional farming and only needs water replacement twice a month for hygiene purposes. No pesticides are needed and the product can be taken directly from the farm, so it’s convenient. Herbs are always delivered with the roots and must be placed in water to remain fresh and good for two days. The door of the farm is always locked and only trained InFarm employees can open the door for hygiene reasons.
“We offer a service. We don’t sell a farm. We own the farm and you pay a monthly rent. We harvest for you. Our technicians come when there are issues with the farm.”
As each member thinks like a farmer, having a background in farming, they define themselves as a farming business. They even produced all the technical products involved in the farming system themselves.
Courtesy of Infarm
Retailers willingly welcome the concept as it provides a larger variety for clients, and an added bonus is that retailers can set their own prices.
After introducing the concept of in-store farming to the world from Metro Cash & Carry in Berlin, Infarm and Metro partnered again. In 2018, they inaugurated the world’s largest in-store farm in Metro’s flagship store Paris. The 80 m2 vertical farm produces approximately 4 tonnes of premium quality herbs, leafy greens, and microgreens annually. Metro will become completely self-sufficient in its herb production with its own in-store farm.
This urban farming solution of in-store farming impacts the environment in a positive way: It reduces CO2 simply by cutting down the supply chain, avoiding major transportations from various countries. The startup is currently in contact with universities to do research on how much CO2 they’re reducing compared to the typical supply chain.
Basil at Metro
Hydroponics – The Pros And Cons of Growing In Soilless Medium
Hydroponics is the practice of growing food with no soil involved. Hydroponic operations may bring food to places where it would be difficult to obtain. It may also assist in the flaws of our current food system
Posted by: Alejandro Gutierrez
Hydroponics is the practice of growing food with no soil involved. Hydroponic operations may bring food to places where it would be difficult to obtain. It may also assist in the flaws of our current food system.
In 2018, the CDC and the FDA issued two safety alerts for Romaine Lettuce in seven months. Consumers across the United States were urged to avoid Romaine lettuce because of E. coli infection concerns. It took weeks for the FDA to announce that the agency found the source of the contamination. The advisory prompted many food stores, including Whole Foods to remove all Romaine lettuce from their shelves.
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay;
Situations like these are scary for consumers. And not surprisingly, they’re also angry. People are frustrated about how little they know about the source of fresh produce they buy at grocery stores. Urban farming ventures are taking advantage of concerns about the safety of fresh food. Food miles also become relevant. Consumers desire to avoid fresh food that may have been grown with unfavorable conditions. In some cases, pesticide drift from near farms also poses a threat.
Hydroponics offers an answer and a solution to all these concerns. And it presents an opportunity for healthy and eco-conscious people to gain control over the source of their fresh food.
Photo by Harits Mustya Pratama on Unsplash
Let’s look at the pros and cons of hydroponics. We’ll look at the advantages and disadvantages that apply to urban farming companies catering to local consumers. Followed by those to home gardeners who are involved in hydroponics on a vastly smaller scale.
The Pros and Cons of Hydroponics for Urban Farms
Advantages
In many cities, urban farms bring business to abandoned buildings and decaying neighborhoods. Their presence benefits the area and encourages the restoration of unused and abandoned buildings.
Urban farms create jobs in areas with limited or non-existent job opportunities.
Hydroponic growing offers training opportunities for young people in the community, providing skills they can be used in later life.
Community growing brings fresh food to “food deserts,” eliminating the excuse that area residents had for not eating healthier foods.
Growing hydroponically within the city gives people access to locally grown food that doesn’t have to travel so far.
Food grown on urban farms is picked at the peak of freshness, so it’s higher in nutrition.
Urban farms lower the carbon footprint of food production. Because they use so water efficiently, hydroponic systems are far eco-friendlier. And the food doesn’t have to travel as far. The use of LED lights increases the energy-efficiency of hydroponic systems.
Government officials have instant access to information about hydroponic produce and its path from the controlled environment to the consumer.
Consumers have the assurance that there won’t be any problems with bacterial contamination. They can trust the source of the produce they buy.
Access to high-quality fresh, locally grown produce means that they don’t have to buy more than they can use. This ensures they’re not wasting food or throwing money away.
Hydroponics eliminates the need to use chemical pesticides and insecticides
Photo by Nolan Issac on Unsplash
Photo by Fitleaf
Empty/Abandoned warehouse has the potential for Hydroponic Growing
Disadvantages
Urban agriculture doesn’t solve the problems of gang violence and crime in low-income neighborhoods but it’s a great start.
Businesses that want to establish urban farms in big cities have to go through lengthy applications. From the business license to the zoning permit, it may be a tedious process.
An urban agriculture venture isn’t likely to bring lots of jobs to the community in the short run. It is not until it establishes itself that results come in the long-run.
It will take time for the company to create the conditions for growing conditions. Assembling a hydroponic system that can handle large scale food production will also require some effort.
The company will need to consider transportation and parking needs for the employees. There may be concerns regarding parking for workers; having an impact on the parking situation for people who live in the neighborhood. However, a good solution with be biking
There may be a high cost of installing a backup power system (like generators). This is necessary because the damage of potential power failures would inflict significant losses.
Pros and Cons of Hydroponics for Home Growers
Positive Benefits of Hydroponic Gardening at Home
Hydroponics brings plants into the home, and the presence of plants improves air quality and overall health.
Hydroponics encourages people to take an interest in the origin of their food. It also gives them insight on what it takes to bring it to their tables.
Individuals who have hydroponics systems in their homes have access to better quality, fresher, and more nutritious food.
When you have a hydroponic system at home, you’re able to pick fresh produce just before using it. There is then less chance that fresh vegetables will sit in your refrigerator because you forget about them.
Because you can pick fresh food when you need it, you’ll cut the cost of your weekly grocery bills. The money you save from buying fewer groceries can go towards clearing debts or in savings.
You’ll get a tremendous and invaluable sense of satisfaction from being able to be more self-sufficient.
Since you’re buying the seeds for your hydroponics system, you can be certain of their origin.
You can plant and harvest fruits and vegetables grown at your own standard. You are free of paying the premium that is standard for food products that bear the “certified organic” label. This label usually carries the charge to the consumer.
Negatives of Hydroponic Gardening at Home
The cost of purchasing equipment. Regardless of whether you buy kits like the Tower Garden, or buy the components to build your own. While building a system isn’t cheap, the process is educational and fun.
Unless you buy a kit that provides instructions, you’ll have a harder time assembling your system and getting it started.
If you buy a kit, you’ll eventually need to purchase replacement parts, additional accessories, and supplemental nutrients. You should factor these things into the total cost of buying and operating a hydroponics system at home.
No matter how energy-efficient your system manufacturer claims it is, there will be an extra load on your electrical system. A hydroponic system will increase your utility bill throughout the year. With this issue, eco-friendly alternatives arise, such as solar panels which should be implemented if possible.
Unless you buy a system that is fully automated, you’ll have to constantly monitor nutrient and water levels. You may also have to turn the lights on or off. Don’t expect to have a productive hydroponic garden unless you’re willing to put the effort in. Checking your plants every day is a must. Observing them will ensure that their growing conditions are acceptable.
Failing to add water when the reservoir needs it, may burn your motor out, and you may weaken or kill the plants. That would be a significant financial setback.
A power failure will alter the growing conditions in your hydroponic unit. An extended power failure will deprive your plants of light, water, and oxygen. That’s a recipe for their death.
Hydroponics is no different from traditional gardening in that you get what you put into it. Some of the most significant advantages include being able to grow what you want and when you want to grow it, not being tied to traditional gardening seasons, and not having to do as much maintenance as you would if you tried to grow your food in the ground. A well-maintained hydroponic garden will give you access to healthy and nutritious food at any time. You’ll never have to rush to the grocery store for something because you don’t have it on hand.
Photo by Fitleaf