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Growing The ‘Pure Food Revolution’ In Washougal Wind River Produce Uses Unique, Sustainable Farming Practice Known As ‘Aquaponics’
By Dawn Feldhaus | August 30, 2018
Aaron Imhof (left), the "master builder" of Wind River Produce, in Washougal, checks lettuce while holding peppers grown in Carl Hopple's backyard. Hopple (right) founded the organic farm that uses aquaponics, in the Columbia River Gorge, in 2017.(Dawn Feldhaus/Post-Record)
Annie Stanton, a Clark College student who volunteers at Wind River Produce, plants Salanova Red Butter and Breen Romaine lettuce. Tomatoes and peppers are also grown in the greenhouse
Annie Stanton, a Clark College student who volunteers at Wind River Produce, plants Salanova Red Butter and Breen Romaine lettuce. Tomatoes and peppers are also grown in the greenhouse. At the top, greenhouse manager Jennifer McMillan opens the heads of red romaine lettuce to allow for air flow. At right, a variety of lettuce is grown at Wind River Produce in Washougal. (Dawn Feldhaus/Post-Record)
A variety of lettuce is grown at Wind River Produce, in Washougal, without using pesticides or fertilizers. The plants absorb nitrates and return aerated water to fish that were involved in the growth process. (Dawn Feldhaus/Post-Record)
A Washougal-area farm in the Columbia River Gorge has taken the soil out of the process and added in fish.
Wind River Produce owner Carl Hopple calls it “the pure food revolution,” but it’s more commonly known as aquaponics, a combination of aquaculture, or farming fish, and hydroponics, which grows plants in water instead of soil.
Aquaponics takes the best of both worlds, growing fish and plants in a system in which fish waste can nourish the plants and the plants can filter the water, keeping the fish healthy.
Here’s how it works: The fish produce waste, which contains ammonia. Microorganisms convert the ammonia to nitrites, and then to nitrates for the plants. The plants absorb the nitrates and return aerated water to the fish.
The farming method is more sustainable than traditional practices, using 10 percent of the water required in conventional agriculture and operating without a need for chemicals or pesticides.
Hopple, a residential and commercial developer with Fosburg Enterprises LLC, of Vancouver, grows lettuce, tomatoes and peppers with Aaron Imhof, the “master builder” of Wind River Produce, Jennifer McMillan, the greenhouse manager and Annie Stanton, a Clark College student who volunteers at the Columbia River Gorge-area farm.
Hopple discovered aquaponics in 2013 when he was working on a greenhouse project for one of his development company customers.
He met Imhof and Imhof’s wife, Kate Wildrick, owners of Ingenuity Innovation Center, in St. Helens, Oregon, during a greenhouse tour.
“They had a greenhouse with one of Murray Hallam’s backyard aquaponics systems in it, and had lemons growing in the early spring,” Hopple said. “I was fascinated with the system, and I enjoyed meeting them so (I) set up a time to come back and tour the facility and get to know them better. I also wanted to know more about this new way of farming that I had never heard of.”
Hallam, an aquaponics expert from Brisbane, Australia, offers in-person workshops and seminars, as well as an online aquaponics design course.
Hopple started Wind River Produce in 2017 and has since branched out, partnering with regional food groups and trying to bring the aquaponics message to the Pacific Northwest.
Wildrick, who provides community outreach services for Wind River Produce, said the Ingenuity Innovation Center is partnering with the Oregon Food Bank and developing an aquaponics training program for veterans.
“We also travel internationally to build aquaponic farms for vulnerable children and families in an effort to prevent sex trafficking,” Wildrick said. “We partner with the Fly Fishing Collaborative.”
The Ingenuity Innovation Center will be working in partnership with Wind River Produce to provide community education and outreach with sustainable projects.
‘It is possible to change the way we produce our food’
Hopple said anyone can participate in the aquaponics industry, whether they are building a small backyard system to feed their family, or building a 50-acre facility to feed the city.
“It is possible to change the way we produce our food, and Wind River Produce can teach them how,” Hopple said. “Food produced in an aquaponics system is higher in nutrition and more efficient with the resources we have.”
The Washougal farm owner wants to take his message far and wide to create a movement.
“By educating the public on the facts, we can create a pure food revolution,” Hopple said. “This, in turn, will help to make healthy choices available to all.”
Hopple estimates the cost for a 10-by-12 foot aquaponics system, with a greenhouse, training and support to run it, would be $5,000 to $6,000.
“That is a good supplemental food source for a family of four,” he said.
Hopple sells lettuce and other vegetables at the Camas Farmer’s Market, from 3 to 7 p.m., Wednesdays, through Oct. 3, in front of the Camas Public Library, 625 N.E. Fourth Ave.
For more information about Wind River Produce, call 360-903-7418, email carl@windriverproduce.com or visit windriverproduce.com.
Post-Record staff writer
Urban Farming Popularity On The Rise In Columbus
I feel like it's like a huge privilege to be able to have a space where I can farm in the city.
by Rachael Penton
Thursday, July 19th 2018
“We have summer squash, dill, collards, tomatoes." Marcie Todd’s urban pocket farm is nestled in between the homes of Ann Street. "People come through every day and they're like oh I didn't even see this here!"
Todd has built the farm on land that she leases from the city where a vacant house was town down. “I feel like it's like a huge privilege to be able to have a space where I can farm in the city." Michael Hogan with the OSU extension says urban for-profit farms like Todd’s are growing in Columbus. "About 4 or 5 years ago we had 4 or 5 in the city limits of Columbus, and this summer there are 30 that we know of."
In addition to being a source of income for the farmers the garden provides fresh produce in an area where there isn't always a lot. "When I saw the garden going in I thought this is just awesome," says neighbor Michelle Schultz.
Rachael - Urban ag farm.jpg
Todd donates 15 percent of everything grown on the farm. "I feel like it's really important to give as much from the urban site to our community as we can." She sells the rest to the neighbors- who are enjoying watching the garden grow. "I think it's going to do a lot to make people take notice and maybe take more pride in their properties when they see something like that happening in their neighborhood."
More information on The City of Columbus Land Bank Community Garden Program on their website here.
Increasing Lettuce Coloration With LEDs
Using LED grow lights in plant production is a relatively new branch of science. In vertical farming where artificial light sources are used in a closed environment, it is important to collect data about the individual plant species to be able to produce the right spectrum and light intensity for vegetative and generative growth. Light spectrums can also be used to manipulate the plant's growth cycle for example in plant breeding (see blog post: Light Approaches To Speed Up The Generation Turnover) or secondary metabolite contents (anthocyanins, flavonoids, antioxidants, polyphenols etc.).
Why Does Lettuce Turn Red?
When cultivating red baby leaf lettuce in closed environments like vertical farms, without natural light conditions the artificial light quality and quantity plays a key role in the production of good quality vegetables. Of course, in the case of red leaf lettuce the deep red color that is caused by the higher anthocyanin content must be produced without affecting the other good qualities of the leafy green. Anthocyanin accumulation is generally linked to the abiotic stress the plant is experiencing or it’s a way for the plant to protect itself against herbivores and plant pathogens.
For instance, in the case of high light conditions, the anthocyanins serve the plant as an optical filter, redirecting excess light away from the saturated photosynthetic electron transport chain (Gould 2004). This means that the anthocyanins are protecting the plant leaves from harmful structural damage to their photosystems. Raising light intensity is, therefore, an effective way to increase the leaves anthocyanin content but it’s not a very energy efficient way to do this.
Using UV-A to Grow Lettuce
Previously this has been studied by Li and Kubota (2009) and they concluded in their study that both spectrums with enhanced blue and UV-A light increased the anthocyanin content in the leaves of lettuce ‘Red Cross’, but the far-red and green light had the opposite effect decreasing the anthocyanin production. Hence, at the end of the cultivation cycle in indoors only enhancing the blue and/or UV-A light spectrum would lead the red baby leaf lettuce to produce anthocyanins which gives them the special red coloration.
Using LEDs is the easy and energy efficient way to get quick results in anthocyanin formation in closed environment conditions. This could be easily implemented into the existing indoor growth systems by merely switching on the right spectrum for enhancing the coloration at the end of the growth cycle.
Valoya made internal trials where two light spectrums were used to test this light quality effect with enhanced UV-A / blue spectrum light (S46) and our standard light for vegetative growth with leafy greens (AP673L). Light intensity levels were taken into consideration and tested in a pre-trial. The amount of anthocyanin was measured at the end of the trial with optical polyphenol measuring tool (Dualex, ForceA). The experiment was done with two red baby leaf lettuce varieties: ‘Sadawi’ and ‘Diablotin’, with very similar results.
The light treatments were done with the two spectrums and in the case of AP673L spectrum with three different intensities. The data was analyzed in SPSS with two-way Anova. The homogeneity of variances was analyzed with Levene’s test and the normality of the data with Shapiro-Wilks test.
The results for anthocyanin accumulation confirmed the hypothesis that the enhanced blue and UV-A spectrum will increase the production of anthocyanins in red baby leaf lettuces’ leaves leading to a similar amount as in that of the high intensity treatment. Increasing the AP673L light intensity from 200 µmolm-2s- to 400 µmolm-2s- had linearity trend with increasing intensity (Figure 2).
Figure 1 Red baby leaf lettuce anthocyanin trial with different spectrums. The anthocyanin amount was measured three times and three measurements were taken from one plant. Anthocyanin index = Log* (Near-infrared fluo. excited red / Near-infrared fluo. excited green).
Figure 1 Red baby leaf lettuce anthocyanin trial with different intensities (in micromoles). The anthocyanin amount was measured three times and three measurements were taken from one plant. Anthocyanin index = Log* (Near-infrared fluo. excited red / Near-infrared fluo. excited green).
This accumulation of anthocyanins could also be observed visually…Read the rest at valoya.com
The Growcer Installs Hydroponics System On University of Ottawa Campus
The Growcer cofounder Corey Ellis.
BY: Craig Lord
Aug 21, 2018
ORGANIZATIONS: The Growcer University of Ottawa
The Growcer has returned to its University of Ottawa roots, this time installing its hydroponics system on campus to contribute to the cafeteria’s produce supply.
The Ottawa-based hydroponics startup installed one of its converted shipping containers on campus in front of Fauteux Hall Tuesday. Produce grown inside will be sold directly to Chartwell, the post-secondary institution’s food supplier.
Students eating at the on-campus cafeteria, then, will be eating food grown by one of the University of Ottawa’s own startups. The Growcer got its start at the school’s Enactus program, a social entrepreneurship initiativeNow graduated, co-founder Corey Ellis and his partner Alida Burke were first inspired to start the Growcer during a trip to Nunavut. There, they saw first-hand the demand for food security in Canada’s North.
Ellis recently told Techopia Live that the Growcer’s goal is to enable any community in Canada to be more more self-reliant when it comes to food.
“We can do a lot with the technology we have now to allow any community, not only in northern Canada, but in Canada in general, to be more self-reliant. So I’d love to see a Growcer system in every major city in Canada,” he said.
A retrofitted shipping container with a carbon dioxide-and-water-based hydroponics system inside is enough to sustainably grow plants and vegetables in northern communities, or for that matter, during an Ottawa winter. The local firm worked with MadeMill at Bayview Yards to develop the latest generation of its prototype.
Emirates Vertical Farm Announcement “Opened Investors’ Eyes”, Says UAE Minister
August 15 , 2018
In November the construction of the world’s largest vertical farm will begin in Dubai, which is seeing rapidly growing interest in the production system.
The farm, which will be built by Emirates Airline and Crop One Holdings, will produce 2700kg of pesticide-free leafy greens daily.
In June, Crop One, the company behind U.S. container farming group Freshbox Farms, announced it had signed a US$40 million joint venture with the catering arm of the global airline.
“The beauty of the airline’s announcement is that it opened the eyes of investors to the issue,” UAE Climate Change and Environment Minister, Thani Ahmed Al Zeyoudi told CNN.
He added that they have received a lot of interest from investors and entrepreneurs who are exploring the subject and who would like to participate.
“We are not only going to export the products, but we are also going to export the technology,” he said.
This video was originally published by CNN.
'Bullied and Bamboozled' - Millions Against Monsanto
On Friday, July 29, Dr. Charles Benbrook took the stand, the last witness to testify on behalf of the plaintiff in the trial of Dewayne Johnson vs. Monsanto Co.
Benbrook is an agricultural and toxicology scientist, a Harvard graduate and former executive director of the National Academy of Sciences. Since 2000, he has studied the link between glyphosate, the key active ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, the type of cancer Dewayne “Lee” Johnson, a former school groundskeeper who was required to use Roundup, now has.
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who has been providing OCA with first-hand accounts of the trial, reported that Benbrook told the jury that Monsanto had repeatedly killed internal company studies suggesting that Roundup is carcinogenic. And when a study mandated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) showed clear evidence of glyphosate’s carcinogenicity, the company bullied and bamboozled the EPA to withdraw it.
Benbrook also testified that our Monsanto-friendly EPA’s focus on glyphosate alone is a sham, intended to gloss over the more important question of “whether the Roundup formulation itself, not just a single ingredient, is toxic and carcinogenic.” He told the court that Monsanto uses a potent surfactant that dramatically amplifies Roundup’s toxicity.
Read ‘Plaintiff’s Final Live Witness Testifies in Monsanto Trial’
Follow OCA’s coverage of the Monsanto trial
Make a tax-deductible donation to OCA’s Millions Against Monsanto campaign
5 of The Easiest Crops to Grow In Small Spaces
Increasingly more people are starting to grow their own food in an urban setting, making only minor adjustments to their homes in order to provide proper conditions for the plants. A study by the National Gardening Association in the US revealed that in 2013, Americans spent $3.5 billion on seeds, soil, nutrients, vegetable starts, and other supplies
Takeaway: Here's how to grow your own private garden no matter where you live. Start off by choosing the most suitable edible plants that can be grown in small spaces like a home garden, garage, or even an apartment room.
Organic and healthy food has seen an unprecedented rise in popularity in recent years. People are becoming increasingly more conscious about what they consume and are also paying more attention to the origins of their food. For many people, preference is given to natural and organic products grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers or harsh pesticides.
Big supermarket chains like Tesco are noting a 15% increase in organic sales for 2016. Aside from the health factor, a large part of this organic food boom can be attributed to the efforts of world-renowned chefs like Jamie Oliver, who always stress the importance of using good products.
Growing Your Food at Home
While we can all agree that organic food is better and preferable, not all of us can afford it on a regular basis. Most organic brands are considerably more expensive as compared to their “regular food” counterparts.
Increasingly more people are starting to grow their own food in an urban setting, making only minor adjustments to their homes in order to provide proper conditions for the plants. A study by the National Gardening Association in the US revealed that in 2013, Americans spent $3.5 billion on seeds, soil, nutrients, vegetable starts, and other supplies. Furthermore, the research shows that 42 million households are growing food in their homes or shared gardens.
There is an opportunity for anyone who wants to eat healthy without breaking the bank; the possibility of creating your own private garden and grow the veggies you like, all the while spending drastically less on food. All you need is the space to do so! Even if you don't live in a detached house and don't have a garden plot in the backyard, there are ways to make it work.
Growing the Right Plants
Let's take a look at some of the most suitable edible plants that can be grown in small spaces like a home garden, garage, or even an apartment room. This means that the plants must be grown in pots, DIY containers, or vertical gardening structures.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes grow very well in containers of almost any size, but it all depends on the type of tomato you choose. Make sure that the container you select is sufficiently big to allow for the plant to develop freely. You can choose to plant the tomato from seeds or simply buy a small starter plant. It is advisable that you add some kind of growing support as it grows bigger. It can be a cage or even a regular wooden post.
Basil
Basil is suitable for growing both indoors and in a small yard garden. One of the great benefits of growing it yourself is its wide use in all sorts of recipes. When the need arises you can simply reach out and grab a few fresh leaves. It is important to note that you should avoid getting the plant's leaves and stem wet when watering it, just water the soil itself. It also needs lots of sunlight so growing it in a small container makes it easy to move to a more sunlit location.
Parsley
Parsley is another perfect plant for growing in a container and also has a wide applicability in culinary. Unlike basil, it requires a lot less sunlight so it can thrive even in an apartment with fewer windows or no balcony. The most vital thing when growing parsley is to find the right water balance - keep the soil moist but don't overwater.
Strawberries
It might sound surprising but strawberries are very suitable for growing indoors and don't need that much space. The plant needs a lot of sunlight so make sure to place it near a window. Strawberries also thrive very well under artificial sunlight so they can also be grown in winter.
Zucchini
Zucchini is a high yielding plant and even a single pot can provide enough for the whole family. It can thrive both indoors and outdoors and it's easy to grow from a seed. The plant needs a moist environment and warm soil so the seeding should happen in late summer. As we mentioned earlier, a single plant can produce a lot of zucchinis so make sure that your containers are large enough.
How to Grow Plants in a Small Space
Now that we've discussed which plants are suitable for growing in small places like apartments or tiny gardens it`s time to discuss the process itself.
Preparation
Before starting the growing process and investing in any tools or seeds, first consider the scale of your operations – how many plants you'd like to grow and what kind. If you're a family of three it's likely that you won't need 10 pots for growing tomatoes. Also, don't forget to allow room for the plant to develop. You might be tempted to cram a lot of pots in a single corner but the plants' growth will most likely suffer if you do this.
The Environment
Growing plants in containers is actually not very different from growing them in a garden. It might be less limiting in terms of space but you have more freedom in terms of placing the plants around. Practically, you can grow almost any plant in a container if you provide the necessary environment.
Certain plants like strawberries require more light to thrive so you should consider using LED grow lights for indoor farming. Take care of providing proper light conditions and adequate watering and your small garden will do perfectly, no matter if it`s in your apartment or outside.
The Containers
You can get really creative here and use almost anything from an old wardrobe or a drawer to a bucket, or even create a custom container from wood pallets. This can also serve as decoration for your home. After you have the containers all you need is soil and seeds to plant in it. For a more in-depth and complete explanation on how to create your own garden and grow the plants you like, watch this video.
Creating your own garden full of tasty vegetables and herbs is not as hard as it might sound. Even if you live in a very small apartment you can still find the space for a few containers and try it out, the benefits are definitely worth the effort. Don't forget to provide the plants with proper amounts of water and light and the rest will go smoothly.
Read More: The Do's and Don'ts of Container Gardening
Written by Luis Rivera
Luis has 20+ years of experience in global market expansion, business development, mergers and acquisitions, business re-engineering, finance and investor relations of software companies. He is passionate about technology, spectral science, indoor farming, food production, automation, and more. Since 2015 he has been the president of Advanced LED Lights, a leading LED grow lights manufacturer based in Hiwasse, Arkansas. When not at work, Luis enjoys swimming, yoga, as well as growing grapes and flowers in Sonoma, California. Full Bio
Emmy Win For Growing A Greener World – The Green Bronx Machine
Atlanta, Georgia: On June 16, 2018, the long-running Sustainability Television Program Growing a Greener World® received a Daytime Emmy Award® for its breakthrough episode The Green Bronx Machine.
This is the broadcast’s first Emmy win. The honor comes on the heels of Growing a Greener World receiving the coveted 2017 Pioneer Taste Award® in April.
The Mission of the show has always been to help others grow a greener world themselves – through gardening, responsible environmental stewardship, and building healthy communities. In 2007 Growing a Greener World explored a non-profit organization known as The Green Bronx Machine and instantly knew this was a story needing to be told.
Moved by emotion at the love and care he witnessed during filming, Executive Producer and show host Joe Lamp’l, states “After filming over 100 episodes of Growing a Greener World, I don’t think we’ve ever told a story that’s impacted me more emotionally than this one.”
Mr. Lamp’l is referring to the compelling story of educator, entrepreneur and self-proclaimed “People Farmer,” Stephen Ritz, who came from and returned to the Bronx to heal, to show love toward and to nurture generations of schoolchildren growing up in this difficult district. His thunderbolt idea, which ultimately formed The Green Bronx Machine, was to utilize gardening in the classroom to improve the lives of inner-city youth.
And improve lives it has. In a community where it’s easier to get liquor than lettuce, Mr. Ritz’s non-profit has helped high school attendance improve from 40% to 93% and has reduced behavioral incidents and out-of-classroom time by a whopping 50% in the elementary school in which he teaches.
This humble man with unparalleled charismatic, infectious energy has changed the landscape of students’ lives through tireless 12-hour days where “Garden Time with Mr. Ritz” is always in eager demand. The kids are taught the botany, the biology, and the history of the fruits and veggies they grow in a way that sparks fascination and new-found ownership of the joy of growing food that is improving eating habits and helping create healthy food relationships.
And as the children love and nurture the plants they’re raising, the plants reward them with tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, lettuce, and apples to be eaten during school lunch and taken home to their families. The sense of accomplishment and taste for success that is borne of this symbiotic relationship will carry into the rest of these kids’ lives.
The Green Bronx Machine is truly breaking new ground in the world of education. This investment of passion for our food source isn’t just working, it’s creating one person(al) miracle at a time.
The Growing a Greener World® series featuring this remarkable program will continue to resonate with future audiences, and future seasons will remain dedicated to telling these impactful stories of people creating change.
For more information about this press release contact: Anna Shelander at 651-644-2955 AnnaShelander@worldviewcreative.com Stephen Ritz at 917-873-6449 Stephen.ritz@greenbronxmachine.org
The Emmy Award Winning episode The Green Bronx Machine can be viewed at:https://www.growingagreenerworld.com/episode-808-green-bronx-machine/
About Growing a Greener World® Growing a Greener World® is a sustainability-focused lifestyle broadcast that features compelling and inspirational stories of people, places and organizations making a positive impact on the planet. The ninth season of Growing a Greener World is currently in production, with new episodes premiering September 1, 2018 and running through December 31, 2018 on public television stations nationwide. Check your local listings for broadcast dates/times. Growing a Greener World is presented by UNC-TV in North Carolina and distributed by American Public Television. All episodes can also be viewed on demand on the show’s website and on the show’s Youtube channel of the same name.
About The Green Bronx Machine® The Green Bronx Machine is a non-profit organization that builds healthy, equitable and resilient communities through inspired education, local food systems, and career exploration vital for 21st Century college and career opportunities. Dedicated to cultivating minds and harvesting hope, this school-based model uses urban agriculture aligned to key school performance indicators to grow healthy students and healthy schools. Contact Stephen Ritz at 917-873-6449 stephen.ritz@greenbronxmachine.org
About Joe Lamp’l Certified Landscape Professional and horticulturalists, Joe Lamp’l combines his expertise in organic gardening, landscaping and environmental stewardship with a passion for living a more eco-friendly life through his television experience as the creator, host and executive producer of Growing a Greener World ®. Mr.Lamp’l serves as a gardening and sustainability guest expert on national morning shows including NBC’s TODAY Show, ABC’s Good Morning America and The Weather Channel among others. He also broadcasts a weekly podcast series, The joe gardener Show, along with garden-related blog posts and informational resources available on the Growing a Greener World sister site, joegardener.com
About Stephen Ritz, Stephen Ritz is a South Bronx educator and innovator who believes that students shouldn’t have to leave their community to live, learn, and earn in a better one. Supporting generations of students to achieve personal and academic successes which they had never imagined — while reclaiming and rebuilding the Bronx — Stephen’s extended student and community family have grown more than 65,000 pounds of vegetables in the Bronx while generating extraordinary academic performance.
Contact Stephen Ritz at:
917-873-6449
Oasis Biotech Unveils Evercress Produce Brand At Grand Opening
Illumination Ceremony in Effort to “Feed the World. Better.”
Las Vegas, Nevada:
In partnership with Get Fresh, the new company plans to distribute the best tasting, most nutrient-rich and socially responsible produce on the market
Oasis Biotech, the latest agricultural startup to take root in Las Vegas and one of the nation’s largest hydroponic vertical farming facilities of its kind, is proud to announce the unveiling of Evercress, the company’s first consumer-facing produce brand dedicated to helping the organization “Feed the World. Better.,” at a VIP only, Grand Opening illumination ceremony and reception.
Leveraging the state-of-the-art technology at Oasis Biotech and its team of highly qualified agricultural experts, Evercress has big plans to redefine the meaning of fresh produce to Las Vegas.
“Our new growing methods have enabled us to start providing local communities and chefs with the highest quality, most nutrient-rich and environmentally sustainable produce the world has ever seen while also alleviating hunger in a socially responsible way,” says Brock Leach, Chief Operating Officer and General Manager at Oasis Biotech. “Simply put, Evercress is the next step in our mission to Feed the World. Better.”
According to Leach, the company has a mission-first mindset and everything the organization does will be to reduce food insecurity in Las Vegas and around the world while also providing the highest quality leafy greens, micro greens, herbs and an increasing array of produce at peak flavor to some of the best restaurants and local charities, with plans to move into grocery stores soon.
“When I think about my family when I think about my children’s future and the world’s dwindling food supply, I know that developing better ways to produce food is critical to making that future bright,” says Leach. “Evercress has already enabled us to start doing so while also providing Las Vegas with the some of the safest, best-tasting produce ever grown.”
According to Leach, Evercress produce is grown using nearly 90 percent less water than traditional farming, less than one percent of the land, and zero pesticides, herbicides or fungicides. All of which is grown using non-GMO seeds and can be grown 365 days per year.
As the world demands healthier, more environmentally conscious dining options, our vertically farmed produce is the solution that perfectly marries technology with nature,” says Leach. “We haven’t changed the way food is farmed. We’ve just made the process more efficient and environmentally sustainable.”
Considering the efficiency by which Evercress Produce can be grown, distribution is a key factor to the brand’s overall success, which is why the company is also proud to announce its partnership with Get Fresh, one of the largest distributors and fresh-cut processors in the region, serving Southern Nevada and the Southwest.
Traditionally grown produce can travel more than 1,500 miles before it ever reaches a consumer, which means a significant loss in nutrients and flavor. The technology at Oasis Biotech and the newly announced partnership with Get Fresh will enable Evercress to provide Las Vegas with food that can be consumed on the same day as it’s harvested.
In addition to the VIP grand opening event and ceremony, Oasis Biotech will also hold a celebratory grand opening food festival event for the general public at the same location on Saturday, July 21 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. which will include entertainment and tours for the general public.
About Oasis Biotech
Founded in 2017 and located in Las Vegas, Nevada, Oasis Biotech is now one of the nation’s largest indoor hydroponic vertical farming facilities of its kind.
Utilizing their proprietary state-of-the-art technology, precise growing methods, and a qualified team of experts, the company is dedicated to fulfilling their mission to “Feed the World. Better.,” by providing the world’s highest- quality, most nutritious and environmentally sustainable produce and non-traditional crops to local restaurants and charities, with plans to move into grocery stores soon.
Please visit www.oasisbiotech.com to learn more.
About Evercress Produce
Founded in 2018, Evercress is the consumer-facing produce brand of Oasis Biotech and is dedicated to providing local communities with safe and nutritious leafy greens, micro greens, herbs and an ever-evolving array of produce, at peak flavor in a sustainable and socially responsible way.
Evercress produce is grown using nearly 90 percent less water than traditional farming, less than one percent of the land, and zero pesticides, herbicides or fungicides. All of which is grown using non-GMO seeds.
Please visit www.facebook.com/evercressproduce to learn more.
About Get Fresh
Friends, Dominic Caldara and John Wise, founded Get Fresh Companies in 1990 with a vision to align customers with fresh, high-quality products and incomparable service.
With just two delivery trucks and rented cooler space, we got our start servicing hotel/casinos on the world-famous Las Vegas Strip. We are grateful to still call Southern Nevada home decades later and have the privilege of witnessing the city’s success of entertaining more and more visitors year after year.
As internationally renowned chefs continue to join our community and are attracted to the culinary component of the city, we thrive on sharing our innovation, specialty item sourcing, and value-add products.
Please visit www.getfreshsales.com to learn more.
St. Louis, Missouri -The Veggie Bike From Urban Harvest STL In JeffVanderLou On Saturdays
The Veggie Bike From Urban Harvest STL In JeffVanderLou On Saturdays
BY STAFF WRITER, JULY 21, 2018
ST. LOUIS - Urban Harvest STL believes that all members of our community should have equitable access to fresh, healthy food regardless of socioeconomic status, race or location.
They grow healthy produce across a network of six urban farms in downtown and North St. Louis and donate the majority of the harvest to nonprofit partners serving communities with limited or non-existent access to healthy, nutritious food.
Urban Harvest STL’s Veggie Bike is now rolling. You can find them in JeffVanderLou Saturdays between 11:30 a.m to 1 p.m. In partnership with the St. Louis MetroMarket, they are bringing farm fresh produce into neighborhoods without grocery stores and markets.
For more information, visit UrbanHarvest STL
Smart Home Farms To Enhance Food Security In The UAE
July 31, 12018
The UAE Office for Future Food Security and Masdar (Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company) have announced a strategic partnership to enhance food security in the country.
The collaboration aims to address future challenges by developing joint initiatives that enhance the country’s capacity and competitiveness in critical sectors related to future food security.
Mariam bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Almheiri, Minister of State for Future Food Security, and Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, Masdar
The agreement was signed at the Masdar headquarters in Masdar City, Abu Dhabi by Mariam bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Almheiri, Minister of State for Future Food Security, and Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, Chief Executive Officer of Masdar.
“This strategic partnership is the cornerstone of achieving future food security objectives – an important step in activating plans to meet the challenges of this vital cause and invest in its opportunities,” said Almheiri.
“Masdar was a natural partner, given its experience working in sustainability through tangible projects in Masdar City and their renewable energy assets globally.
“This collaboration signifies an important step towards advancing innovations in agricultural production mechanisms and sustainable solutions to the challenges facing the agriculture industry in the UAE. It will also contribute to raising awareness about new, innovative solutions to enhance food availability and sustainable agriculture, and support emerging companies in the sector, boosting future food security in accordance with the UAE Vision 2021.”
According to Almheiri, future food security is a key focus of the UAE government, a reflection of the leadership’s far-sighted vision, which sets the well-being, prosperity and food availability of its citizens and residents at the top of its agenda. “This has led to close cooperation between the government and private entities to achieve the objectives of future food security, through an integrated system of joint work. The outcome aims to develop the necessary infrastructure, and implement practical approaches based on the latest scientific research findings.”
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) focuses on two major initiatives, a vertical farming container pilot project, and a smart home farm.
The vertical farming container programme will see a pilot facility established in Masdar City, where the latest technologies and best practices in controlled environment farming will be tested. The project will also contribute to defining the business and regulatory guidelines for the development of vertical farming in the country.
Meanwhile, the Smart Home Farm is an initiative to be developed in connection with Masdar City’s Eco-Villa, conceived as a template for affordable and highly energy- and water-efficient residential villas in the UAE.
The Smart Home Farm initiative will help showcase emerging sustainable home and urban farming technologies and solutions from local and international suppliers.
Masdar’s Al Ramahi, said, “Masdar City in Abu Dhabi is already a highly successful testbed for research into sustainable food production and today, as the city’s community of residents, office workers and visitors continues to grow, we are exploring further opportunities to combine sustainable farming with low-carbon urban development, including vertical farming methods and home farming technologies integrated within our Eco-Villa concept.”
Collaborating with the UAE Office for Future Food Security will help to raise awareness of these efforts and the benefits of sustainable food produce, encourage innovation, and promote further public-private involvement in food security projects.”
Vertical Farming Is A “Viable Solution To Growing Crops” Says Badia Farms Founder
It is the Middle East’s first commercial vertical farm
By CatererME Staff July 29, 2018
The man behind the Middle East’s first commercial vertical farming facility has told Caterer Middle East that the method is a “is a viable solution” to the region’s farming problems.
Badia Farms CEO and founder Omar Al Jundi spoke with us as we visited the innovative farm in the Al Quoz industrial estate in the heart of Dubai, saying: “We are a region that is agriculturally challenged and we cannot grow most of the year. So this is a viable solution to farming and growing crops.”
The method works by growing leafy greens inside a carefully controlled environment on a rack system that allows for multiple crops to be grown side-by-side, including lettuce, mint, basil, and kale.
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Al Jundi explained that “because you’re growing indoors it helps us to control the environment, control the humidity, control the temperature, so we can grow all year round.”
The system uses 90% less water than conventional farming, as it is able to reuse the water not taken in by the plants for nutrients.
Over 70 customers have signed up to receive greens from Badia Farms, said Al Jundi.
“The minute they see the product, the quality, the sustainability aspect of it, they are very intrigued. They try testing the product and they start placing orders,” he explained.
You can see more of the interview with Badia Farms by watching the video below.
Chinese Supplier Provides Full System From Seed To Crop
Alice Ou, Eponic:
Chinese Supplier Provides Full System From Seed To Crop
“We offer a whole system for plant factories”, Alice Ou, director of Eponic tells us. “From seeding to the nursery, from grow control to an automatic harvest system”. At the Greentech in Amsterdam the Chinese company showed their system, and they showed up at the Cultivate in Ohio as well.
Eponic at Greentech 2018.
Eponic is a relatively new player in the horticultural market. For twenty years the company has been offering LED lights and control systems, which is a good basis. Now they’re focusing on hydroponic growing, in which light and control are also very important components.
“We wanted to develop a complete system that replaces most of the labour.” Alice shows a video of the system. “The construction is made of aluminum, which makes it light and strong. The lights are white instead of purple. They are suitable for every kind of plant because they light the whole spectrum. Also it is easier for the grower to see how the crops are doing.
The white trays we produced are light-weight. They are transported automatically over the rails to a lift that brings them down. We can adjust the system up to ten levels, so it can be used in large multi-layer farms.”
“We developed the system over the last two years and after intensive testing, it is ready to be put on the market. The first customers have already signed up. One in China and one in the US”, Alice says. “While the market for hydroponics is growing, as we see on events like Cultivate and Greentech, there are plenty of opportunities in the future.”
More information:
Eponic Agriculture
+86-756-5238758
info@eponicagriculture.com
www.eponicagriculture.com
Publication date: 7/20/2018
Author: Jobke den Hertog
Copyright: www.hortidaily.com
New LED Lighting Technology Brings The Power Of The Sun To Hydroponics
A high-tech lighting system that mimics the huge variety of sunlight — manufactured by Edmonton company G2V and developed in a University of Alberta lab by research scientist Michael Taschuk — is now being tested in four cannabis grow operations across Canada.
The G2V lighting system wasn’t developed to grow plants. Instead, it was built to test solar cells at the U of A’s National Institute of Nanotechnology. The goal with solar cells is to get even slight increases in efficiency. This makes it necessary to have extremely precise diagnostic tools for taking measurements, including lamps that mimic the sunlight as it’s experienced on the Earth’s surface in all its variety, hot and cold, bright and dim, and everything in between.
— David Staples
Hydroponics Farm In Shipping Container Seeking Ann Arbor Restaurants
Hydroponics Farm In Shipping Container Seeking Ann Arbor Restaurants
July 9, 2018
By McKenzie Sanderson MSanderson@mlive.com
ANN ARBOR, MI - Hidden inside an upcycled shipping container tucked away in the corner of an industrial plaza parking lot is a fully functional hydroponics farm.
Crop Spot Farms is essentially a two-acre farm retrofitted inside a 320-square foot container that was previously used for transporting meats, fruits and vegetables.
The recycled container now shares space with vehicles in the parking lot of the Michigan Innovation Headquarters on 600 Wagner Rd.
Inside the farm are rows of leafy greens -- lettuce, arugula, swiss chard, kale, and herbs - nestled inside vertically hanging tubes, each connected to a controlled water source and surrounded by strips of grow lights.
Crop Spot Farms brings hydroponic farm tech to Ann Arbor inside a shipping container
Founder and lead farmer Nabeel Kasim can control the farm's climate and irrigation through a mobile phone application, which is connected to the main power source inside the container. The controlled environment allows for more consistency in plant production and a better tasting, more nutritional product, Kasim says.
"Using the (hydroponics system) indoors is more environmentally-friendly because it requires 95 percent less water," Kasim said. "Growing outdoors brings about the issue of bugs and pesticides, so this system reduces the pollutants and toxins that come with that. It also allows the produce to be available year-round, which is why it's so great to have in Michigan where there are limited harvest seasons."
After graduating from the University of Michigan in 2015, Kasim picked up an interest in hydroponics during a trip to a remote village in Cambodia, where he encountered a family using a soil-free farming technique.
The technique, collectively known as hydroponics, was successful in an area with sporadic rainy weather, which inspired Kasim to experiment with it in Michigan.
Kasim hopes Crop Spot Farms will foster engagement and educational opportunities with Ann Arbor restaurants, schools, and the community.
"I want to help people realize the value of healthy, good-tasting food," Kasim said. "It's all about giving back to the community and make people aware of locally-sourced, environmentally-friendly food. I also hope to supply local restaurants so they can have at-scale, quality produce year-round."
Crop Spot Farms has been in operation since the beginning of May. Kasim said the farm's first major harvest was expected to begin this month.
A launch party for Crop Spot Farms is set from noon to 7 p.m. Sunday, July 15 outside the Michigan Innovation Headquarters building on Wagner Road. There will be produce samples and informational tours of the farm.
"Typically, restaurants are less busy or closed on Sundays, so this event will give them the opportunity to learn about the farm and see it in person," Kasim said. "I'll have some yard games and samples for people to try or take home. I also plan on giving tours every half hour as people start to arrive."
The launch event is free and open to the community. More information can be found on the Crop Spot Farms website.
Jacob Hamilton
Owner Nabeel Kasim poses inside Crop Spot Farms, a hydroponic farm in a recycled shipping container at MI-HQ, 600 S. Wagner Rd. In Ann Arbor on July 5, 2018. Kasim started off gardening as a hobby before realizing he could apply his engineering and logistics skills to hydroponics - a technique he discovered on a trip to Cambodia. "Gardening was dirty," Kasim said. Now he plans to make a business selling heirloom variety leafy greens to Ann Arbor restaurants and hopes to turn the operation into an educational example of future farming techniques.
Jacob Hamilton
Lettuce plants grow from hanging hydroponic columns at Crop Spot Farms, a hydroponic farm in a recycled shipping container at MI-HQ, 600 S. Wagner Rd. In Ann Arbor on July 5, 2018.
Jacob Hamilton
Lettuce plants grow under violet-and-blue LED lights at Crop Spot Farms, a hydroponic farm in a recycled shipping container at MI-HQ, 600 S. Wagner Rd. In Ann Arbor on July 5, 2018.
Jacob Hamilton
Plants grow from hanging columns on either side of UV and infrared LED strips at Crop Spot Farms, a hydroponic farm in a recycled shipping container at MI-HQ, 600 S. Wagner Rd. In Ann Arbor on July 5, 2018.
Jacob Hamilton
Plants grow from hanging columns on either side of UV and infrared LED strips at Crop Spot Farms, a hydroponic farm in a recycled shipping container at MI-HQ, 600 S. Wagner Rd. In Ann Arbor on July 5, 2018.
Jacob Hamilton
Plants grow from hanging columns on either side of UV and infrared LED strips at Crop Spot Farms, a hydroponic farm in a recycled shipping container at MI-HQ, 600 S. Wagner Rd. In Ann Arbor on July 5, 2018.
Jacob Hamilton
Plants grow from hanging columns on either side of UV and infrared LED strips at Crop Spot Farms, a hydroponic farm in a recycled shipping container at MI-HQ, 600 S. Wagner Rd. In Ann Arbor on July 5, 2018.
Jacob Hamilton
A drip regulator provides the water for a hydroponic column planter at Crop Spot Farms, a hydroponic farm in a recycled shipping container at MI-HQ, 600 S. Wagner Rd. In Ann Arbor on July 5, 2018.
Jacob Hamilton
Owner Nabeel Kasim peers between vertical hydroponic columns at Crop Spot Farms, a hydroponic farm in a recycled shipping container at MI-HQ, 600 S. Wagner Rd. In Ann Arbor on July 5, 2018.
Jacob Hamilton
Owner Nabeel Kasim peers between vertical hydroponic columns at Crop Spot Farms, a hydroponic farm in a recycled shipping container at MI-HQ, 600 S. Wagner Rd. In Ann Arbor on July 5, 2018.
New Farm Growing Fresh Greens Year-Round
New Farm Growing Fresh Greens Year-Round
Cutting-edge technology featured in hydroponic, vertical farm
Jun 22, 2018 by: Maija Hoggett
A new farm is growing a way to eat locally, year-round.
From the outside, the Borealis Fresh Farms’ modular building doesn’t look like anything special. It’s a white structure that’s 10 feet wide, 10 feet high and 40 feet long tucked away on top of a hill with a view of Porcupine Lake.
Inside is a hydroponic vertical farm equipped with cutting-edge technology. From the walls, parsley, basil, bok choy, and three varieties of kale are growing in strips.
“When we’re talking traditional farming, this is not that, at all,” said Marc Rodrigue, who co-founded the farm with Alex Cochrane.
Everything inside is controlled by technology — the lights, temperature, humidity levels and more can be monitored from anywhere.
“We’re growing clean, fresh, nutrient-dense food that hasn’t been exposed to pesticides, herbicides,” said Rodrigue.
Unlike traditional farms where the plants grow in soil, this produce thrives from nutrient-rich water.
Rodrigue likens it to eating at a buffet.
When you’re there and “hungry for something, you get up and you go get what you want. Well the plant acts like that as well. It has a smorgasboard of all the nutrients that it needs and then once it’s hungry, it goes and gets it.”
While the produce isn’t considered organic, it’s grown in a sterile environment and the partners are going to lengths to track all of the data.
“We can tell you exactly the day that it was seeded, what pack, what lot number from that seeding package that we got. We can tell you all of that information. That’s pretty powerful information,” he said.
The Borealis project has been in the works for about two years.
The modular building arrived at the end of January this year and a second farm should be on site by the end of August and will allow them to diversify the produce being grown. They also have plans to build a vestibule and micro-greens farm.
They weren’t planning on a third farm, but the way things are going, they see the potential for it.
Rodrigue and Cochrane have both had agricultural projects on their mind for a while.
They met through the entrepreneur centre at Northern College.
Rodrigue was an entrepreneur officer and Cochrane a client. They formed a friendship, which eventually budded into the business partnership.
“The number of times that we had talked about agricultural stuff back and forth was lots, the whole year before we were just bouncing ideas. Never complete ideas, because we were trying to keep our ideas to ourselves, but you could tell that it was getting closer and closer to the same thing,” recalled Cochrane.
Knowing they had similar aspirations, when Rodrigue was serious about getting started he went to see Cochrane.
The zip tower growing that was on Cochrane’s mind was what Rodrigue was envisioning as well.
There are a number of ways to buy local produce in the region.
With a short growing season in Northern Ontario, however, there is a limited time to access those foods.
Eating a plant-based diet, Rodrigue noted he couldn’t find fresh foods like what they are now growing.
“At the end of the day we’re just trying to take a little bit more control over our food chain that we have up here. Instead of buying it from Texas or California or Mexico or some other place that’s miles and miles away, we value a great eco system,” he said.
“Now we have nutrient-dense foods that you can actually have on your plate the morning that it’s cut.”
By tracking data and developing new technology along the way, they are hoping to grow a bigger movement.
“We want to build a business model based on this technology that will allow us to scale up to a level where you can finally have a sustainable food source in any region,” Rodrigue said.
Like any business venture, there are benefits and challenges.
The main selling point is being able to offer fresh, nutrient-dense produce year round.
“Also for the grocer, the price doesn’t change through the year,” said Cochrane.
The challenge with the modular set up is energy.
“There’s always inputs,” said Rodrigue. “Our largest input right now...is power. So electricity is a cause of concern, our high electricity rates.”
To combat the high prices, they work with the time of use rates.
With the growing lights giving the plants 18 hours of ‘daylight’, they’re turned on overnight when the cost for electricity dips.
The price point for the produce is the similar to other high-end options.
In Timmins, the greens are available in the Trussler's Pantry Box and Pick of the Crop.
They’ve also recently been talking to Holy Cow downtown Timmins and are growing mint for the Indian restaurant’s chutney.
They’ll be talking to other restaurants in town about their product soon as well.
“It’s really about building that local food culture as much as we can, getting it out there,” said Rodrigue.
You can keep in touch with where the produce is being sold and what the partners are up to on Facebook.
Mucci Farms Expanding Its Greenhouse Operations
Mucci Farms Expanding Its Greenhouse Operations
BY KEITH LORIA | JULY 06, 2018
As a vertically integrated grower, packer, shipper and marketer of greenhouse-grown product, Mucci Farms owns more than 200 acres of tomato, Bell pepper, cucumber, lettuce and strawberry greenhouses in Kingsville, ON. In addition, the first 24 acres of a 60-acre expansion in Huron, OH, is now in operation.
Mucci Farms has added the first 24 acres of a 60-acre expansion in Huron, OH.
Kingsville is also home to a 24-acre strawberry farm, which will be 36 acres by this fall, and is among the largest indoor strawberry farms in North America. Including support growers in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico, the company markets for more than 700 acres.
Joe Spano, vice president of Mucci International Marketing Inc., noted a company needs to grow high-quality fruits/vegetables with premium flavor and consistent supply to be a success in this segment.
“You need to establish great relationships with retail partners and most importantly execute by delivering fresh product on time and of premium quality,” Spano said. “Offering marketing support through packaging, world-class branding and social media to assist with the sale of items and having the ability to manage unforeseen circumstances is also important.”
In 2018, Mucci Farms is enjoying a strong greenhouse harvest, as the crops look great and it is adding new automation equipment to improve packing efficiencies.
“We are introducing a Mucci Logistics App to allow retailers to track shipments in real time via GPS and communicate with dispatch or the driver through the app,” Spano said. “We also have several new packages coming out. One in particular is for a new cucumber variety, which includes a compartment that holds dip.”
In addition, the company is partnering with Henry Frose from Thermo Energy Systems to donate a greenhouse to be built on the site of Hotel-Dieu Grace Hospital in Windsor, ON, to serve as a place for the hospital to grow fresh produce and also for the greenhouse to serve as a healing garden for patients.
“Overall, we want people to know that we are a modern, forward-thinking company that is invested in the future of farming,” said Emily Murracas, director of marketing at Mucci International Marketing Inc. “In addition to business objectives, we also have social objectives that revolve around environmentally safe growing practices, social responsibility, sustainability and a high emphasis on corporate culture.”
Mucci Farms is also extremely involved in the community, hosting and sponsoring numerous events and initiatives throughout the year.
“We deliver fresh produce to multiple schools weekly, take part in fitness events and charitable fundraisers to raise awareness for health and wellness through the consumption of fresh vegetables,” Murracas said. “We want people to know that we are a family company that cares about more than just business. We are good corporate citizens that are keen on immersing ourselves into the community and take part in programs that encourage healthy living.”
Oasis Biotech Brings Indoor Farming To Las Vegas
Oasis Biotech has opened an indoor farm in the Las Vegas valley and they will soon be growing produce for local restaurants. Parker Collins reporting.
LAS VEGAS (KTNV) - Seeing the building at 6225 Annie Oakley Drive you might not believe there's an entire farm inside.
They're growing a lot of things and they'll start delivering to their first customers July 24.
To go inside you have to wear a mask, gloves, and a full body suit. It looks like workers are gearing up for surgery, but it's actually a very scientific farm called Oasis Biotech. There's a reason for all the layers.
"Nobody wants to get sick from what they eat and quite literally there's cases of it being fatal," said Brock Leach, the general manager of Oasis Biotech.
Workers plant one seed at a time with tweezers. Crops are harvested in air conditioned rooms. In between, they grow crops in rooms right out of a sci-fi thriller. The germination room is kept at 85 degrees Fahrenheit and 85% humidity.
Right now, they're growing baby lettuce and micro-greens. You can't go buy it, but you could see it when you eat out. In fact, that's why the company came from China: because of all the high end restaurants in Las Vegas.
The plain-looking building down the block could give your next dish a kick.
"It's really not the meat and the potatoes of the dinner for say, but the things that add a lot of flavor and a little pizazz," said Leach.
They want to start growing berries and show up in local grocery stores next year.
Indoor Farm Hopes To Bring Locally Grown Produce, Technological Innovation To Las Vegas Food Market
A variety of microgreens and herbs on display at Oasis Biotech on Tuesday, July 10, 2018. The 215,000-square-foot indoor farm, located in southeast Las Vegas, will produce a variety of crops for the local market. (Jeff Scheid/The Nevada Independent)
Indoor Farm Hopes To Bring Locally Grown Produce, Technological Innovation To Las Vegas Food Market
By Jackie Valley
July 15th, 2018
In a brightly lit room, workers donning head-to-toe protective clothing — white jumpsuits, blue bouffant caps, surgical masks, booties, and gloves — huddle over tables lined with trays.
The environment could pass as a research lab or sterile-processing center deep inside a bustling hospital, but it’s neither. The trays contain the mission behind this quiet room: Seeds. And lots of them, in perfectly arranged rows.
This is the seeding room at Oasis Biotech, an indoor hydroponic farm in Las Vegas that’s gearing up to ship its crops to restaurants on the casino-dotted Strip. It’s the first step in a new-age farming process that doesn’t carry the traditional trappings of the industry. No soil, tractors or natural sunlight exist in this 215,000-square-foot-building-turned-farm.
And as far as Brock Leach, the facility’s chief operating officer, and general manager, is concerned, that’s a step in the right direction. He points to worldwide population growth, climate changes and land challenges as reasons why indoor farming is becoming increasingly important.
“This movement isn’t about rocket science,” he said. “This movement is really going to be about innovation and continuous improvement.”
That improvement is already underway. Several weeks ago, workers were assembling 145 seed-filled trays per day, Leach said. On this day, they’re poised to produce 1,045 that will birth crops such as baby arugula, microgreens, and red butterhead.
“That’s how quickly they are ramping up,” he said. “They are the rock stars of this organization.”
Technicians plant vegetable seeds at Oasis Biotech on Tuesday, July 10, 2018. The 215,000-square-foot indoor farm, located in southeast Las Vegas, will produce a variety of crops for the local market. (Jeff Scheid/The Nevada Independent)
A growing industry
As of last year, Nevada contained nearly 250 farms, which includes both indoor and outdoor operations. Most are small or medium-sized farms that pump out everything from potatoes and onions to watermelon and cantaloupe, said Jennifer Ott, plant industry division administrator for the Nevada Department of Agriculture.
“We actually have a pretty thriving melon industry in Nevada,” she said.
But to the Las Vegas resident or tourist who doesn’t venture too far beyond the suburban ring, it might not be very obvious. Many of the farms exist in Northern Nevada, in Churchill and Lyon counties, and others are clustered east of Las Vegas in the Moapa Valley.
State officials said the farming industry has grown in recent years. They expect that trend to continue, especially as indoor farming becomes more popular.
“The more farmers and the more agriculture that is in Nevada, the better,” Ott said. “As a community, when everyone is working together, it sort of lifts up everybody. The more locally available food in Nevada and the more Nevada growers that we have is better for the citizens of the state.”
It’s a belief echoed by Leach as Oasis Biotech prepares to enter the scene. The fledgling company’s roots are half a world away: San’an Optoelectronics Co., a Chinese company that is the world’s largest producer of LED chips, owns Oasis Biotech.
Founded in 2017, Oasis Biotech wants to help feed the world through its massive hydroponic, vertical-farming facility located in a warehouse district in southeast Las Vegas. The plants grow in a nutrient-rich solution, and the seed-to-harvest process all happens inside this massive building, which once served as home to a mail-order pharmaceutical company. Now, white hallways lead to temperature-controlled germination and growing rooms, where the seeds come to life.
As long as farming can be done outdoors, he thinks it will. But Leach considers indoor farming wise preparation for the future.
“It would be foolish for us not to invest and develop in this technology,” he said.
After all, roughly 124 million people in 51 countries endure food insecurity or worse, according to the 2018 Global Report on Food Crises, produced yearly by the Food Security Information Network with help from other global agencies. That’s a 15 percent increase over the prior year.
The report notes that long-lasting conflicts and climate disasters, such as droughts, have contributed to the problem.
The food produced in Oasis Biotech’s indoor farm won’t directly feed the hungry in the most food-insecure nations, but Leach said the operation can indirectly help by fine-tuning indoor farming, thus making it a more common practice.
“Our intent is to help other people engage in this industry by supplying our expertise,” he said.
Decreases in the cost of LED lights paired with an increased desire for locally grown food have spurred the expansion of the indoor farming industry, according to a 2017 report by Agrilyst, a software provider for indoor farmers. Of operation types, indoor vertical farms led the pack in growth last year. And many, like Oasis Biotech, are growing leafy greens and microgreens — crops that have a shorter grow cycle and higher profit margin.
Oasis Biotech has been quietly prepping for its entry into the Las Vegas market. The company, which will sell produce under the brand name Evercress, has been delivering produce to local charities as well as samples to restaurant chefs. Leach said the company plans to work with a local food distributor — he declined to name which one until it’s publicly announced— and provide customizable products to the city’s food-service industry. (For instance, if a chef desires a certain leaf size or a mix of greens, that can be accommodated, he said.)
The long-term plan: produce delivered to local grocery stores.
The company is hosting a grand opening Wednesday for invited guests, followed by a public event Saturday when community members can tour the facility and sample produce. The first distribution to paying customers will occur July 24, Leach said.
Oasis Biotech expects to produce 12,000 servings of salad a day during its initial operational phase, he said. Phase two would quadruple that output. Eventually, the company expects to grow strawberries, raspberries, beets and radishes, among other crops, in the same building. Vast, open rooms await the planned crops.
Former land farmer Dustin Wanders from Caldwell, Idaho, now works at Oasis Biotech The 215,000-square-foot indoor farm, located in southeast Las Vegas, will produce a variety of crops for the local market. (Jeff Scheid/The Nevada Independent)
A new kind of farmer
So far, Oasis Biotech has hired more than 100 people and plans to invest nearly $30 million in the Southern Nevada economy during its inaugural year. The workers include farm hands, data scientists, plant physiologists, salespeople and maintenance crews.
Among them is Dustin Wanders, a 34-year-old who grew up on his family’s potato farm in Caldwell, Idaho. He recently traded his outdoor farming lifestyle for a new gig as grow room supervisor at Oasis Biotech.
Wanders said his father and brother originally thought he just wanted to forgo the farming career. But that’s not the case. The new Las Vegas resident said he developed a fascination with indoor farming and began applying for jobs across the country.
His second day on the new job, Wanders already had identified a perk: “I don’t have to wear sunblock.”
Wanders has a leg up compared to many of the indoor farm workers. Leach said many don’t have prior farming experience, much less in an indoor hydroponic facility, so they’re learning a new skill set. The best way to teach them? “By putting them to work,” he said.
Educational partnerships could sprout in the future. A large group from UNLV recently toured the facility.
Brock Leach, chief operating officer and general manager at Oasis Biotech, displays microgreens and herbs on Tuesday, July 10, 2018. (Jeff Scheid/The Nevada Independent)
In the meantime, Leach said he hopes Oasis Biotech’s presence in Las Vegas at least educates the broader community about indoor farming and its benefits. The grow method and production process, he said, yield fresher produce in a recycled environment that uses less water.
“People don’t understand how much flavor is possible,” he said, motioning to an assortment of product on his desk, including parsley, cilantro, lemon basil and a custom salad mix. “Because of the supply chain and how we’re used to selling our food, we are completely ignorant.”
FROM THE EDITOR
The Nevada Independent is a 501c3 nonprofit. We have generous corporate donors, but we can’t survive on those alone. We need support from our readers. I know you have many commitments. But if you would support our work (or bump up your current donation), we would be forever grateful.
Best,
Jon Ralston
US: Boston Medical Center’s Rooftop Farm
Fresh produce for both patients and the community
US: Boston Medical Center’s Rooftop Farm
Boston Medical Center is going green. The building has a rooftop farm, supplying fresh fruits and vegetables to patients and the community. This is the first rooftop farm associated with a hospital in New England.
‘Farm’ manager Lindsay Allen: “BMC for a long time has had a mission that food is medicine. We grow for our on-site food pantry. We grow for our kitchen, which either goes to the cafeteria or onto the patient’s plate, and today we’re launching our first-ever farmers market inside the hospital, which will be for patients and for employees.”
Once the food is harvested, all they have to do is bring it across the street. The farm also harvests bees in hives that were painted by pediatric patients. The new addition helps educate patients and offers many opportunities and events for volunteers and children.
Source: whdh.com
Publication date: 7/2/2018