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MEXICO: Grow Food Anywhere! The Mexican Startup That Innovates In Agriculture
A Mexican startup is offering the possibility of growing vegetables within the city in a healthy enclosed space and harvesting up to 100 times more than normal.
A Mexican startup is offering the possibility of growing vegetables within the city in a healthy enclosed space and harvesting up to 100 times more than normal.
Juan Succar and Jorge Lizardi, graduates of the Tec de Monterrey Leon campus, created the Verde Compacto company, which follows the new global trend of urban and vertical agriculture. This type of agriculture is ideal for supermarkets, restaurants, hotels and real estate developments.
Verde Compact obtained third place in the Heineken Green Challenge at the entrepreneurship festival, INCmty, as one of the ventures to follow in 2020, according to Entrepreneur in Spanish.
Mexican technology for a worldwide trend
Urban agriculture is growing in the world and already accounts for 15% of all agriculture, according to UN data. The UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) itself is promoting this alternative, although there were not so many options in Mexico.
Verde Compacto ensures that, unlike other similar foreign companies, they are the first to use only Mexican technology, which makes them pioneers in Latin America.
Growing food in enclosed spaces
Urban agriculture goes hand in hand with vertical agriculture, which allows sowing in enclosed spaces and at various height levels, thus maximizing space.
Verde Compacto launched Huvster, an intelligent vegetable growing system in a recycled trailer container. The system allows growing up to 200 times more vegetables per square meter with less water.
Fully Automated
The container has a system that circulates the water and an LED-lights system in the germination zone that simulates the conditions needed by the seeds to grow.
The plants are located in vertical towers and are watered via drip irrigation. Here, they grow until they are harvested. "The system has sensors that measure CO2 levels, ambient humidity, and temperature," Juan stated.
Characteristics
According to the company founders, this option also has these advantages:
It has an intelligent system for measuring and controlling temperature, humidity, irrigation, and other aspects of vegetable cultivation via hydroponics.
It allows having savings of 90% in water, and 80% in fertilizers when compared to a traditional method.
The system measures the plants' nutrition levels and regulates them so that they all grow at the same speed.
It decreases the risks of having pests.
It can produce, for example, an average of 730 lettuces per month, or 20 kilos of oregano, coriander, or other herbs per month, as well as 30 to 35 kilos of vegetables.
It can also impact agribusiness in several ways, avoiding distribution costs if installed near consumers.
In addition, the vegetables can be grown at any time of the year.
The company stood out in INCmty
Verde Compacto became one of the leading startups at INCmty, Tec de Monterrey's entrepreneurship festival.
This venture was also part of the Heineken Green Challenge, an initiative that recognizes companies that innovatively solve problems in Mexico, where it achieved third place in the 2019 edition.
Source: tec.mx
Publication date: Tue 7 Jan 2020
FOR SALE - 2018 Freight Farm Computer Controlled Hydroponic Grow System - Atlanta, Georgia
The Leafy Green Machine is a complete hydroponic growing system built entirely inside a shipping container with all the components needed for commercial food production. The system is designed and engineered for easy operation, allowing users of all backgrounds to immediately start growing.
Make & Model - 2018 Freight Farm Computer Controlled Hydroponic Grow System
Manufacturer - Freight Farms
Location - Atlanta, Georgia
Price - $75,000
Description
Well maintained 2018 LGM purchased from Freight Farms.
This LGM has been a reliable producer of healthy produce.
The Leafy Green Machine is a complete hydroponic growing system built entirely inside a shipping container with all the components needed for commercial food production. The system is designed and engineered for easy operation, allowing users of all backgrounds to immediately start growing.
Current Uses
• Perfect for starting a small produce business, growing for restaurants or supplementing existing produce production.
• Restauranter who wants to grow custom greens for rotating menus 365 days a year. Farm to Table? How about Parking Lot to Table!
• Universities and schools have created programs for students to learn to grow while supplementing dining facilities with fresh greens.
The Highest Standard in Controlled Environment Agriculture
• Pre-built system designed to maximize operational efficiency and streamline workflow
• Perfect environment is achievable 365 days a year, regardless of geographic location
• Automated scheduling reduces the amount of labor required to operate
• Remote monitoring & control capabilities through the Farmhand AppTM
Operation Requirements
Space- The LGM dimensions are 40’ x 8’ x 9.5’. We suggest putting the farm on either trap rock or a concrete pad.
Electrical- 60 amp, 120/240-volt single phase or 120/208V three phase connection.
Water- A designated water source is suggested such as a garden hose or hardline water plumbing.
Labor- 15 to 20 hours a week for farming and upkeep.
It is recommended growing smaller compact crops with a high turnover rate, like head and loose leaf lettuces, herbs and heartier greens like kale and swiss chard.
LGM Accessories
Replaced sink with a 4 row, direct lighting microgreen station.
Website of previous owner being sold at additional cost. The website is currently set up for the business of this local farmer, and upon purchase can be changed to the meet the purchaser’s new brand.
Crop Examples
Butterhead lettuce, Oakleaf lettuce, Swiss Chard, Mustard Greens, Cabbage Leaves, Arugula, Cilantro, Mint, Dill, Oregano, Kale, Endive, Basil, Chives and Thyme
Yields
800+ heads of lettuce weekly
12 heads per tower (256 vertical towers)
1 LGM= 1.8 acres
Numerous additional extras included.
Numerous warranties still in effect
Training, website and ongoing support available through Freight Farms.
Visit Freight Farms (Website) for more information.
2018 - Freight Farms LGM Information Booklet
For Additional Information And To Arrange A Viewing:
(909) 942-9594
Spencer.Hoff@iGrow.News
1. ALL-WEATHER CONSTRUCTION
Steel frame with stainless interior, 40' x 8' x 9.6' overall footprint.
2. AUTOMATIC DOSING
Programmable nutrient & pH dosing for perfect growing conditions.
3. CUSTOM WORKBENCH
TIG-welded stainless workbench with integrated seedling growth stage.
4. COMMERCIAL VOLUME
Thousands of growing sites across 256 irrigated vertical towers.
5. HIGH-EFFICIENCY LED ARRAY
5:1 red / blue LED lighting optimized for green leafy growth.
6. INSULATED ENTRY
Padlock-proof safety door with controlled-environment insulation.
All information is from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, prior sale or withdrawal without notice.
No representation is made as to the accuracy of any description.
All measurements, yields and square footages are approximate and all information should be confirmed by the customer.
Fresh Microgreens, Off The Wall And Onto Your Plate
To get started with the system, restaurant owners need "just 28” of wall space and a dream to grow their own produce", as Andrew puts it
Picture the scene. You're in a restaurant, a delicious plate of food is sitting before you on the table. Then the chef shows up. "Just one minute, please", he says, walking over to the wall and harvesting some fresh microgreens from it. He sprinkles the finishing touch onto the dish. "Voilà!"
If it sounds like fiction, think again, because in several restaurants across the U.S., this scene may well occur, thanks to the in-restaurant cultivation systems from inHouse Produce. One of the restaurants that uses the cultivation racks is Scratch Bar & Kitchen in Los Angeles.
"At Scratch|Bar, we have always prided ourselves on being as 'from Scratch' as possible, making our own butter, vinegar, bread and even charcuterie," says Gavin Humes, executive chef at the restaurant. "Working with inHouse Produce was a way for us to get even the production of microgreens inhouse. It also gave us the ability to work on growing specific microgreens that were not always available from our traditional suppliers, which has been fantastic."
Local cultivation, remote management
So, how do these indoor cultivation systems work? Andrew Blume, co-founder of inHouse Produce, explains that most of the functionality on the gardens is automated. Farm technicians are tasked with the once-monthly deep sanitation of the system, which currently takes a team of two approximately one hour. "We have some design improvements coming up that should reduce the labor requirement", Andrew says.
To get started with the system, restaurant owners need "just 28” of wall space and a dream to grow their own produce", as Andrew puts it. "A big advantage of the service model is that the farm technician can also be the account manager and delivery person. When they do the clean, they replenish supplies and speak with the client about how the garden is performing. This is a great time to get feedback and to make micro-adjustments that will improve our offering."
In addition to the monthly visits, each farm has multiple cameras that take images at regular intervals. These images are uploaded into a database and inform computer vision and machine learning algorithms. "Soon we will be rolling out automated text message reminders to the restaurant staff for when to do basic tasks like moving trays or harvesting."
It sounds straightforward, and according to Gavin, it is. "It's pretty simple. We trained one of our cooks, and of course management to be familiar with it, and the team at inHouse Produce has always been very helpful in resolving any issues that we do have."
Microgreens à la carte
The inHouse Produce gardens are capable of growing over 100 different microgreen varieties. "During the sales process, we meet with the chef to hone in on what crops will be great for their menu. This is our favorite part of the job because we love the creativity of our chef partners; food will always benefit from a strong chef-farmer relationship", Andrew says.
Gavin agrees that getting to pick and choose what microgreens to grow is one of the main advantages of the system. "Really there are two main advantages. First, it allows us to have more control over the microgreens that we work with. If we order from a vendor, they come in whatever size they come in, and in the varieties they choose to grow. With inHouse Produce, we're able to customize our offerings, and also harvest them when they're precisely the size and maturity level that we prefer. Second, it provides a focal point in the dining room that starts lots of conversations and gets people excited about what we have."
Spicing up the dining experience
Gavin goes on to say that at Scratch, they already frequently used microgreens before. "We still use them now, but since they're of a wider range of styles and varietals, we're able to use them in more creative and interesting ways, as opposed to solely as garnish to look nice. They're able to be more integral to the dish."
Asked about his favorite dish that incorporates the greens from the inHouse Produce system, Gavin says: "Probably the most interesting is our leek dish. Specifically, we take a full-grown leek, slice it into medallions, and sear it hard in a pan. Then we punch the center our of the leek, slice the interiors and cream them. We fold those creamed leeks back into the 'shell' of the leek, top it with a mustard made in house from leeks, and then top the whole thing with crispy leeks to give it texture. We incorporate the philosophy of 'root to stem' cooking with leeks in using the inHouse Produce system to produce microleeks to garnish the dish. So it's leeks, stuffed with leeks, topped with leeks and garnished with microleeks."
And the effect of the inHouse Produce gardens goes beyond the plate. According to Gavin, responses from patrons have been overwhelmingly positive. "Guests have commented frequently on how unique and cool the system looks, and we are regularly asked questions about how it works, and what uses we get out of it. When we're not too busy we encourage our guests to even go over to the system so they can get an up close look at it, and how we use all the cool products we can grow!"
For more information:
inHouse Produce
310-853-0617
info@inhouseproduce.com
inhouseproduce.com
Publication date: Tue 18 Feb 2020
Author: Jan Jacob Mekes
© HortiDaily.com
February Indoor Science Cafe Recording Is Now Available!
This presentation was given by Dr. Paul Fisher at the University of Florida during our 16th cafe forum on February 20th, 2020. Indoor Ag Science Cafe is organized by the project team funded by USDA SCRI grants program
This presentation was given by Dr. Paul Fisher at the University of Florida during our 16th cafe forum on February 20th, 2020. Indoor Ag Science Cafe is organized by the project team funded by the USDA SCRI grants program.
Questions?
Please visit the Indoor Ag Science Cafe QA forum at Public Good Ag website and ask your questions. OptimIA team is collaborating with Penny McBride to develop an information-sharing site with the lively discussion platform to better understand indoor farming.
Submit Your General Questions
for 'Indoor Ag Sci Queries'!
Please submit your questions (anonymously if you wish) about the sciences and technologies of indoor farming to this submission site. Any questions are welcome! The site is always open for your questions. Selected questions will be discussed in our future Indoor Ag Science Queries series.
Indoor Ag Science Cafe is organized by the OptimIA project team funded by USDA SCRI grants program.
Previous café recordings are available on the OptimIA project website.
Please contact for more info: kubota.10@osu.edu
Upcoming Cafes:
March 10th, 1:30 PM EST 'Controlled Environment Production for Safer Leafy Greens' by Paul Lightfoot (BrightFarms)
April 14th, 12 PM EST 'Photons = Flavor, the case study of basil' by Dr. Roberto Lopez & Kellie Walters [Michigan State University]
May 26th, 11 AM EST 'How to fund your indoor farm' by Nicola Kerslake [Contain Inc.]
Interested in giving a talk to share your thoughts and experiences? Please contact us!
Related Events:
March 15-18, 2020 - NCERA-101 Committee on Controlled Environment Technology and Use Annual & International Meeting (Tucson, AZ) [More Information]
June 8-12, 2020 - ISHS International Symposium on Light in Horticulture (Malmö, Sweden) [More Information]
July 10, 2020 - Plant Empowerment Workshop - Advanced learning to optimize crop production (Columbus, OH) [More Information]
July 11-14, 2020 - Cultivate '20 (Columbus, OH) [More Information]
July 29, 2020 - OptimIA Annual Stakeholder Meeting (East Lansing, MI) (more information TBA)
Containerized Vertical Farming Company Freight Farms Secures $15 Million
Freight Farms — a global innovation leader of containerized vertical farming — announced that it has raised $15 million in Series B funding
By Noah Long ● February 15, 2020
Freight Farms — a global innovation leader of containerized vertical farming — announced that it has raised $15 million in Series B funding
Freight Farms — a global innovation leader of containerized vertical farming — announced that it has raised $15 million in Series B funding led by Ospraie Ag Science. Spark Capital also participated in the round. Including this funding round, the company has raised over $28 million.
“It’s a big step forward for the industry when financial markets recognize and champion the value of creating a distributed food system,” said Freight Farms CEO Brad McNamara. “Aligned on mission-driven growth as a team, there is a massive opportunity before us to scale across global markets, propelling meaningful technology that’s already doing good.”
Freight Farms’ Greenery is able to produce over 500 varieties of crops like calendula at commercial scale year-round using 99.8% less water than traditional agriculture. Four rows of the company’s panels on a flexible moving rack system are able to house more than 8,000 living plants at once thus creating a dense canopy of fresh crops.
This round of funding will be used for advancing the Freight Farms’ platform through continued innovation with new services designed to benefit its growing global network of farmers and corporate partners. And this investment follows the announcement of Freight Farms’ strategic national partnership with Sodexo to grow food onsite at educational and corporate campuses nationwide and will support ongoing contributions to collaborative research projects and partnerships.
“Freight Farms has redefined vertical farming and made decentralizing the food system something that’s possible and meaningful right now, not in the ‘future of food,'” added Jason Mraz, President of Ospraie Ag Science. “Full traceability, high nutrition without herbicides and pesticides, year-round availability – these are elements that should be inherent to food sourcing. Freight Farms’ Greenery makes it possible to meet this burgeoning global demand from campuses, hospitals, municipal institutions, and corporate businesses, while also enabling small business farmers to meet these needs for their customers.”
Launched in 2010 by McNamara and COO Jon Friedman, Freight Farms debuted the first vertical hydroponic farm built inside an intermodal shipping container called the Leafy Green Machine with the mission of democratizing and decentralizing the local production of fresh, healthy food. And this innovation, with integral IoT data platform farmhand, launched a new category of indoor farming and propelled Freight Farms into the largest network of IoT-connected farms in the world.
Freight Farm’s 2019 launch of the Greenery raised the industry bar, advancing the limits of containerized vertical farming to put the most progressive, accessible, and scalable vertical farming technology into the hands of people of diverse industry, age, and mission.
“With the Greenery and farmhand, we’ve created an infrastructure that lowers the barrier of entry into food production, an industry that’s historically been difficult to get into,” explained Friedman. “With this platform, we’re also able to harness and build upon a wider set of technologies including cloud IoT, automation, and machine learning, while enabling new developments in plant science for future generations.”
Freight Farms has been an integral part of scientific and academic research studies in collaboration with industry-leading organizations, including NASA (exploring self-sustaining crop production) and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (exploring the integration of CRISPR seed genetics and vertical farming to create commercial opportunity).
The company’s customers hail from education, hospitality, retail, corporate, and nonprofit sectors across 44 states and 25 countries, and include independent small business farmers — who distribute to restaurants, farmers’ markets, and businesses such as Central Market, Meijer, and Wendy’s.
KyleTalksAgTech: Small Scale Indoor Farming Systems - The Future of How And Where We Grow w/ Alexander Olesen
On this episode of the CropTalk series, #KyleTalksAgTech, Kyle Barnett sits down with Alexander Olesen of Babylon Micro-Farms, to understand the ins and outs of small scale indoor farming systems
Feb 4, 2020
On this episode of the CropTalk series, #KyleTalksAgTech, Kyle Barnett sits down with Alexander Olesen of Babylon Micro-Farms, to understand the ins and outs of small scale indoor farming systems.
Alexander shares some unique perspective and what makes Babylon's growing system and service for their clients, special.
US: Georgia State University - Freight Farms - Leafy Green Machine
Just yards behind Piedmont North, the Leafy Green Machine is a fully functional hydroponic farm built inside a shipping container. Configured for the immediate growth of a variety of crops such as lettuce, kale, spinach and other herbs, its innovative climate technology and growing equipment allow for the perfect environment 365 days a year
Freight Farms
Just yards behind Piedmont North, the Leafy Green Machine is a fully functional hydroponic farm built inside a shipping container. Configured for the immediate growth of a variety of crops such as lettuce, kale, spinach and other herbs, its innovative climate technology and growing equipment allow for the perfect environment 365 days a year.
LEAFY GREEN MACHINE
Ready, set, grow. Want to try our freshly-grown produce? Stop by Miss Demeanor’s or Centennial Café to try some on your salad or sandwich.
About Our Leafy Green Machine:
Seeds begin in the nursery area, where they germinate and grow into little seedlings.
In this area, plants grow in a shallow trough that periodically floods and drains with the nutrient-rich water solution.
This area holds up to 3,600 plants at one time.
After three weeks in the seedling station, the sprouts will grow into a sturdier leafy green. The plants are transplanted into vertical growing towers that hang from the ceiling.
This method creates a high-density growing environment and maximizes the cubic footage in the container.
Emitters drip nutrient-rich water down the vertical grow tower using only 10 gallons of water daily to grow more than 4,500 plants.
The water that isn’t consumed by the plant flows out the bottom of the tower and is then recirculated right back to the water tank.
As sunlight is important during photosynthesis, the windowless farm is equipped with LED lighting that mimics the sun’s natural light via growth-optimized blue and red hues.
There are 128 lighting strips running about 18 hours per day to maximize the growth cycle, with the lights turned off to give plants time to rest and during peak hours.
Can You Fit A 2-Acre Garden In A Shipping Container?
As the bustling streets of Brooklyn, New York rumble nearby, most passersby have no idea there’s a bountiful garden just steps away
WRITTEN BY SAM BURNS
As the bustling streets of Brooklyn, New York rumble nearby, most passersby have no idea there’s a bountiful garden just steps away. It may have something to do with the fact that this garden’s not in a field or in someone’s lawn but in a parking lot, with acres and acres of fresh food growing inside shipping containers!
When people can’t go to the farm, why not bring the farm to the people? That’s what Square Roots is doing by growing fresh, nutritious food in cities to feed the communities around them.
Tucked away inside your everyday shipping container is the equivalent of a two-acre farm. Leaves from a variety of herbs and greens line the walls in columns, as purple lights shine on them and young farmers are hard at work tending to their needs. Let’s take a look at how this all works and what it means for our future with food!
Courtesy of Square Roots
As we face growing populations and changing climates, our ability to grow enough food to support everyone’s health remains in question. But this fascinating look into the future of food with Square Roots gives us the inspiration to keep pushing the barriers on our definitions of what “farming” is, where it happens, and who does it.
On a mission to bring nutritious food to people living in the city and counteract the nutrient loss that happens in our typical food system (when produce is shipped many, many miles), Square Roots is perfecting a sustainable model of farming that can change what we can eat in our growing cities.
To give us an introduction to their work, here’s BEME News:
Dive deeper into Square Roots!
Square Roots has sure been up to a lot in the two years since that video was released! Not only are they continuing their awesome Next-Gen Farmer Training Program to help young people get started in the industry, but they’ve also taken major steps to increase the transparency of information about our food and access to it with some amazing new launches!
Since Square Roots has data collection and technology in their DNA, they’ve decided to let the public in on it. In late 2018, they started putting QR codes on the back of all of their produce packaging so consumers can read the life story of their food; where it was grown, when, how, and by whom! Think about that: when was the last time you knew who picked that bag of spinach you just plucked off the shelf? Or what sort of environment it’s coming from? Square Roots Transparency Timeline lifts the curtain on the stories of our food system and hands the consumer more power. (Read more about their Transparency Timetable here!)
Last year, Square Roots opened its first farm campus outside of New York City!
Gordon Food Service, one of the United States’ leading foodservice providers, has signed on to have Square Roots campuses of indoor farms built on or around their distribution and retail centers around the country. Square Roots wrote in their blog that:
“It’s been exciting for us to witness a company as large as Gordon Food Service move so fast to address the increasing consumer demand for locally-grown food. It’s also very clear that Gordon Food Service takes its role as a responsible member of the food supply chain seriously. They recognize that, at their scale, adoption of innovative solutions like Square Roots can drive significant positive change throughout the entire foodservice industry.”
We couldn’t agree more! When the goliaths in any industry shift their practices, they can begin a huge ripple effect. And this first farm is surely a big one. Read more about the farm–which they opened in September 2019 (congrats, y’all!)–in this blog post!
You can learn more about Square Roots by visiting their website or touring one of their farms in person! And subscribe to their blog to receive updates from them directly in your inbox. (They post great stuff! I highly suggest taking a look.)
View of the Square Roots Brooklyn Farm Campus | Courtesy of Square Roots
Can you imagine what it’d be like if your family had access to fresh food all year round?
How would that impact your lives? As our societies and populations have grown steadily over the years, it seems like we’ve been scrambling to establish a food industry that can accommodate our needs. But something else has been happening as humanity grows: our innovations have adapted. We’ve developed new technologies and uncovered more secrets from the natural world, meaning, we have an immensely better grasp on how plants grow and the tools needed to help them. Every year inches us closer and closer to a solution.
Square Roots is a really great piece of the puzzle, but of course, they aren’t the only ones using their knowledge to make a dent in this problem.
What can you do?
Well first, if you live in New York City you can use this locator to see if Square Roots is selling their produce at a market near you. (And make sure you scan those neat QR codes on the back of their produce—they’ll give you all of the information about who grew the food and where it comes from!)
But for the rest of us without a shipping container garden in a parking lot nearby, what can we do? I’ll just give you one piece of advice (and trust me, I’m giving it to myself as well): grow a plant inside! Any plant! Basil, thyme, spinach, tomatoes, strawberries, I don’t care. If you can avoid buying one product at the market, that’s a great start. Plus, you’ll know exactly where that wonderful basil on your hunk of mozzarella came from. This article can give you some ideas.
If that doesn’t seem like something that’s possible, there are also great directories to find farmer’s markets and CSA’s near you! A simple Google search should suffice in pulling up your local options. But for those living in the United States, the Department of Agriculture’s farmer’s market and CSA directories are a really great resource. Just click those respective links and enter your zip code to see what’s happening near you!
Do you have any other tips? Share with us on Twitter or Facebook!
Stay open to new possibilities!
Sam
“No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.” —Albert Einstein
Vertical Farming Provides A Different Approach To Raising The Foods We Eat
Inspired by a growing population, shrinking farmland and more people living in urban areas – the future of farming may have already arrived
Feb 04, 2020
By: Kai Beech
Inspired by a growing population, shrinking farmland and more people living in urban areas – the future of farming may have already arrived.
Tucked away in an industrial area of Lakewood, Colorado, is an agricultural oasis called Infinite Harvest.
“What we got is our butterhead lettuce what we sell as a living product with roots attached to it,” said James Romano, who operates Infinite Harvest – a vertical hydroponic garden where they produce big yields in a relatively small space.
“We’ve got a 5,000-square-foot footprint in that we’ve got a little over 30,000 square feet of growing space, which allows us to manage about 52,000 heads of lettuce and about 8,000 square feet of microgreens,” he said.
Instead of growing goods in soil and under the sun, Romano produces plants underneath the glow of LED lights with water putting nutrients into their roots.
He says this controlled environment isn’t impacted by weather and changing seasons – which allows his team to harvest nearly year-round while using a lot less water.
“Your conventional farming is using hundreds of gallons of water to irrigate versus we recycle our water,” Romano said. “We treat it. We recirculate our water on a daily basis.”
More vertical gardens are sprouting up across the country and going to places like Leevers Locavore grocery store where they sell greens that are grown inside vertical farms.
It’s all clearly marked so you know when you’re buying some nontraditional fruits and vegetables.
Though indoor-grown produce is pricier than even organic options, store manager Chris Franklin says they’re well worth the extra cost.
“Absolutely I think it’s worth. You look at just the nutrition density,” he said. “I love the fact that they’re local, even hyper-local.”
At the University of Colorado Boulder, they have a vertical greenhouse attached to their on-campus dining hall.
“We’re using all student labor and we’re growing about 60 to 100 pounds and we’re harvesting that amount weekly,” said Alex Macmillan, CU Boulder’s farm manager.
Macmillan calls this an academic advancement of agriculture and a way this college can decrease its carbon footprint while increasing its production.
“Students look in their every day and they can see the progress,” he said. “Everyone likes eating stuff that’s good for them and that tastes good and is fresh and that’s what we’re able to provide.”
Vertical farming is taking produce to new heights by providing ultra-nutrient dense food while also conserving precious natural resources.
JAPAN: Largest Indoor Farm: Shigeharu Shimamura's Indoor Farm Sets World Record
Shigeharu Shimamura, a plant physiologist and CEO of Mirai, has constructed a 25,000 square feet of futuristic garden beds nurtured by 17,500 LED lights in a bacteria-free, pesticide-free environment; the farm produces 10,000 Heads of Lettuce a Day
Sillona Gramon | World Record Academy • Jan 29, 2020
TOKYO, Japan--Shigeharu Shimamura, a plant physiologist and CEO of Mirai, has constructed a 25,000 square feet of futuristic garden beds nurtured by 17,500 LED lights in a bacteria-free, pesticide-free environment; the farm produces 10,000 Heads of Lettuce a Day, thus setting the world record for being the Largest indoor farm, according to the WORLD RECORD ACADEMY.
Built in a location devastated by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, the 25,000 square foot factory farm is more than just a proof of concept.
The unique "plant factory" is so efficient that it cuts food waste from the 30 to 40 percent typically seen for lettuce grown outdoors to less than 3 percent for their coreless lettuce.
Conventional farms can grow 26,000 lettuce plants per acre, and farmers tend to plant two to four crops per season. The indoor farm can produce 10,000 heads of lettuce every day on a much smaller footprint.
Shimamura and his Mirai Co. are planning to build similarly large and less-wasteful produce factories in Russia and Hong Kong.
The farm is located in Miyagi Prefecture in eastern Japan, the area that was badly hit by a powerful earthquake and tsunami in 2011. At 25,000 square feet, it is nearly half the size of a football field, and 17,500 LED lights spread over 18 cultivation racks reaching 15 levels high are a key to the farm’s success.
AgroTech Shipping Container Farming Systems For Indoor Organic Farming
Grow Pod Solutions is an AgroTech shipping container farming systems for indoor organic farming. Their desire is to provide sustainable, reliable, and result-oriented modular farming to feed the next generations
February 3, 2020
With this modern farming technology innovation, anyone can farm leafy greens, herbs, and spices for personal consumption and sales. The modular farming also guarantees high yield and no bacteria or disease, in a controlled environment.
As the population of the world grows, food security remains one of the biggest challenges to human survival and proper nutrition. Traditional farming methods alone can’t deliver all the food needed, as it is prone to negative effects that can stunt growth.
Grow Pod Solutions is an AgroTech shipping container farming systems for indoor organic farming. Their desire is to provide sustainable, reliable, and result-oriented modular farming to feed the next generations.
Everything about the farm is automated including soil, water, temperature, humidity, etc. These modular farms are also not affected by disease and there are no pesticides, so the food is 100% of quality and nutrient.
Now, anyone can grow their food for personal consumption or sell the produce for profit.
To learn more, please visit here.
Grow Pods are designed to offer farmers an unmatched yield in a highly controlled farming environment. For each pod, farmers will be able to grow a considerable amount of vegetables like 2,000 heads of lettuce which equates to about 70,000 dollars of yearly revenue.
Leafy greens are in high demand these days because they are rich in nutrients and people are becoming more conscious about living healthy. However, growing them in the open is a pain. They are exposed to too much or not enough water, pathogens, bacteria and diseases, pests, human and animal contamination, and unfavorable weather.
However, with the Grow Pods, farmers don’t have to worry about any such issues. The pods are focused mainly on leafy greens and every 55 days the users can harvest and use or sell. The pods can grow quite a number of leafy green varieties like carrots, lettuce, cabbage, even spice, and herbs.
Grow Pod Solutions is working with universities, farmers, and distributors, local farmers, and outdoor markets, and essentially anyone that sells directly to consumers and interested in getting into farming.
With the help of soil scientists, Grow Pod Solutions has been able to develop its own soil that is pathogen-free and clean. So, they are able to provide both Hydroponic Based farming and soil-based and custom based farming that guarantee quality and high yield.
Existing farming and new entrepreneurs are welcomed to join Grow Pod’s community of growers. They are exposed to try new lines of soil and nutrients, so they can become successful in the indoor environment farming.
Grow Pod Solutions was created out of the desire to deliver quality leafy greens that are free of pesticides and contamination. With their superior and automated technology, they will be able to provide farmers with greater farm yield that promises high profitability.
For more information, please visit https://www.growpodsolutions.com/.
RELATED ITEMS: AGRICULTURE, AGROTECH, CABBAGE, CARROTS, CONTAINER, FARMING, FOOD, GROW POD SOLUTIONS, HERBS, INDOOR, LETTUCE, ORGANIC, SHIPPING, SPICE, SYSTEMS, TECHNOLOGY
21 Reasons To Start Container Farming In 2020
With container farming, you are not limited to the crops that grow naturally in a location or crops that are seasonal
January 3, 2020
The beginning of a new year is a great time to pick up new hobbies, interests and maybe even start a new career!
If you’ve been thinking about getting into container farming, there has never been a better time.
In this article, you’re going to learn 21 reasons why you should start container farming in 2020.
Let’s get started!
1. Be your own boss! One of the main benefits of container farming is that you make the rules. You decide what you grow, and how you grow it. Starting a container farm can be a side hustle to make a little more money or it can become a new career! It’s really all up to you.
2. Create your perfect lifestyle. Are you struggling with finding the right work/life balance? Starting a new career in container farming could be the perfect solution. You’ve probably heard the saying “If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” With container farming, you can turn your passion into a real, sustainable business.
3. Stop sitting all day. It’s been said that “sitting is the new smoking.” Starting a container farm business will get you out from behind a desk. With container farming, you will be working in your container every day! Planting, harvesting, and monitoring your crops. Starting a container business is a great way to move away from a sedentary lifestyle towards a more active one!
4. Support your local community. Starting a container farm business is really starting a local food business. As a container farmer, you will be selling mostly to your local community at farmer’s markets, local restaurants, and even local grocery stores that want to add fresh local produce to their selections. Through this process, you will get to know your local community as you provide them with fresh, delicious nutritious food!
5. Help people eat healthier! Locally grown food is fresher, more nutritious, and safer! When you sell local produce, you grow in your container farm, you are improving the health of your community. Especially if you live in what’s known as a food desert. A food desert is an urban area where it can be difficult to buy affordable or good quality food. Food deserts happen for a variety of reasons from harsh climates that make it difficult to grow produce to communities not having good quality roads to allow in food trucks. With a container farm business, you can set up shop in a food desert and be the only supplier of quality affordable produce.
6. Save water. Container farms use less water than traditional farming techniques. Traditional farming is responsible for 80% of the entire US’s water usage! What you might not know is that growing a normal head of lettuce using traditional farming, uses a whopping 3.5 gallons of water! Now contrast that with a head of lettuce grown on a container farm which only uses about 1/10th of a gallon of water total! Every head of lettuce grown with a container farm saves more than 3 gallons of water! And as we all know water is a consumable resource, not a renewable one, so every gallon of water saved helps the planet in a big way!
7. Give people safer food. Remember when Chipotle had that E-coli outbreak in 2016? How about in November of 2019, when an E-coli outbreak got so bad that it lead to the recalling of Romaine lettuce in California? Just because the food comes from a supermarket or a fast-food chain doesn’t make it safe. In fact, a quick google search for “produce recalls” will show you exactly how unsafe some of the food you are being sold truly is. When you start container farming, you can be sure that you are providing safe food that won’t make people sick.
8. Save money on taxes. Starting a business is tax-deductible. That means that you can write off or depreciate a portion of all the money you spend on your container farm business.
9. Fill a missing niche in the market. Most produce is grown and sold seasonally, which is why cherries, for example, are only available for a very short time period. But when you use a container farm, you don’t have to worry about seasons or weather. That means that you can harvest crops that would normally be out of season, filling a niche in the existing food marketplace in your city.
10. Join the local food movement. According to Wikipedia “Local food movements aim to connect food producers and consumers in the same geographic region, to develop more self-reliant and resilient food networks; improve local economies; or to affect the health, environment, community, or society of a particular place. The term has also been extended to include not only the geographic location of supplier and consumer but can also be “defined in terms of social and supply chain characteristics.” For example, local food initiatives often promote sustainable and organic farming practices, although these are not explicitly related to the geographic proximity of producer and consumer.” By starting a container farm, you join with the local food movement in your city.
11. Provide jobs to your local community. When you start a container farm business, you’re going to need some help. Which means you will be providing jobs to your community. But more than that you will be creating a sustainable, beneficial job that helps bring safe, nutritious, healthy food to your community. That’s what we call paying it forward.
12. There are therapeutic benefits to farming! Gardening has long been renowned for its relaxing qualities but there are tangible therapeutic benefits to farming as well. “A ten percent increase in nearby green space was found to decrease a person’s health complaints in an amount equivalent to a five-year reduction in that person’s age” according to the Gardening Matters nonprofit of Minneapolis’ page, “Multiple Benefits of Community Gardens.” Farming also reduces stress! An experiment published in the Journal of Health Psychology compared the relaxation benefits of reading and gardening and found that farming subjects experienced more relaxation than those that read.
13. Grow food across generations. With a container farm, you can spread your love for farming to your parents, kids, and even grandkids. A container farm business is perfect for anyone of any age who wants to learn more about growing food. Some container farm owners we know even set up camps to teach kids how to farm and earn a nice profit in the process! Plus, you can pass down your container farm to your kids just like any other business.
14. Container Farms can be set up and ready to go in a few hours. With most business opportunities you must wait a long time to get started. For example, if you were to buy a McDonald’s franchise, you would need to wait for the permits, construction, hiring, and delivery of equipment like fryers and soda machines. But with a container farm, you can have everything set up and ready to deploy in just a few hours. No muss, no fuss.
15. Manage your crops from your smartphone. With regular farming you need to get out there and see what’s going on with things like pests, watering and monitoring ph. levels. With a container farm, you can monitor everything from your smartphone with the growlink app.
16. Grow more food in less space. Another reason to start container farming in 2020 is that you can grow a lot of food in a little space. With an 8 X 40 container farm you can harvest up to 400lbs of herbs or leafy greens per month!
17. Save on water and energy. Container farming is WAY more energy efficient than traditional farming! A report by Urban Agnews showed a Swedish based company Spisa Smaker saved 48% more electricity than when compared with traditional farming! Additionally, using a closed-loop irrigation system like those found in most container farms saves around 50% more water than traditional farming as well. Container farming helps you save money and consume fewer resources while producing high-quality food.
18. Reduce your footprint by planting without soil. One of the main reasons traditional farming uses so much space, energy and water is because it requires soil. Every crop planted using traditional farming monopolizes the land that they are planted on at least for the growing season if not forever. Soil can also affect where and when you can and cannot plant crops. For instance, areas with limited soil, icy or snow-covered soil or even soil that has become contaminated can be difficult for crops to grow in. But with a container farm, you don’t have to worry about the soil at all! With a hydroponic system like the ones, we use here at Pure Greens AZ plants absorb nutrients directly from a water-based nutrient delivery system.
19. Grow pesticide and herbicide-free crops! With traditional farming, you’ll need to use pesticides or herbicides to protect your crops from a variety of pests. Most farmers do this with pesticides or herbicides. Now some of these pesticides are natural and not that harmful, while others like Roundup have been linked to cancer. With container farming, you can use all-natural pesticides like Neem leaves, salt sprays, and Eucalyptus oil. Growing crops without harsh pesticides and herbicides is a great way to produce safer food for your community.
20. You can grow a wide variety of crops. With container farming, you are not limited to the crops that grow naturally in a location or crops that are seasonal. Container farming allows you to grow a wide variety of crops based on what you want to grow, not other factors like soil conditions or weather patterns.
21. Experience fast and consistent growth. Container farms can grow crops incredibly quickly as you can see in this video of the Pure Greens team harvesting 14 lbs. of Kale in an hr.! But it’s not just speed, container farming also allows you to grow crops consistently in areas where otherwise you would not be able to like areas with heavy winters or food deserts!
There you have it 20 great reasons why you should start container farming in 2020!
And if you need some help or want to learn more about the state-of-the-art turnkey container farms, we build here at Pure Greens head over to our website or give us a call at 602–753–3469.
U.S. Drinking Water Widely Contaminated With 'Forever Chemicals': Environment Watchdog
The chemicals, resistant to breaking down in the environment, are known as perfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. Some have been linked to cancers, liver damage, low birth weight and other health problems
Timothy Gardner
WASHINGTON (Reuters)
The contamination of U.S. drinking water with man-made "forever chemicals" is far worse than previously estimated with some of the highest levels found in Miami, Philadelphia and New Orleans, said a report on Wednesday by an environmental watchdog group.
The chemicals, resistant to breaking down in the environment, are known as perfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. Some have been linked to cancers, liver damage, low birth weight and other health problems.
The findings here by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) show the group's previous estimate in 2018, based on unpublished U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) data, that 110 million Americans may be contaminated with PFAS, could be far too low.
“It's nearly impossible to avoid contaminated drinking water from these chemicals," said David Andrews, a senior scientist at EWG and co-author of the report.
The chemicals were used in products like Teflon and Scotchguard and in firefighting foam. Some are used in a variety of other products and industrial processes, and their replacements also pose risks.
Of tap water samples taken by EWG from 44 sites in 31 states and Washington D.C., only one location, Meridian, Mississippi, which relies on 700 foot (215 m) deep wells, had no detectable PFAS. Only Seattle and Tuscaloosa, Alabama had levels below 1 part per trillion (PPT), the limit EWG recommends.
RELATED COVERAGE
VIDEO Tap water widely contaminated across U.S. -report
In addition, EWG found that on average six to seven PFAS compounds were found at the tested sites, and the effects on the health of the mixtures are little understood. "Everyone's really exposed to a toxic soup of these PFAS chemicals," Andrews said.
In 34 places where EWG's tests found PFAS, contamination had not been publicly reported by the EPA or state environmental agencies.:
The EPA has known since at least 2001 about the problem of PFAS in drinking water but has so far failed to set an enforceable, nationwide legal limit. The EPA said early last year it would begin the process to set limits on two of the chemicals, PFOA, and PFOS.
The EPA said it has helped states and communities address PFAS and that it is working to put limits on the two main chemicals but did not give a timeline.
In 2018 a draft report from an office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said the risk level for exposure to the chemicals should be up to 10 times lower than the 70 PPT threshold the EPA recommends. The White House and the EPA had tried to stop the report from being published.(Reporting by Timothy Gardner; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
Lead Photo: March 4, 2016. REUTERS/MARIO ANZUONI/FILE PHOTO - People refill bottles at a water store in Temple City, California, United States
Eastgate’s Aquaponic Farm District A First For Shopping Centers In Africa
Eastgate’s Aquaponic Farm District utilizes smart new technologies to provide sustainable solutions to food production and food security for customers, offering 100 percent natural and fresh produce at the source
Eastgate’s Aquaponic Farm District utilizes smart new technologies to provide sustainable solutions to food production and food security for customers, offering 100 percent natural and fresh produce at the source.
January 23, 2020
Justin Hess with organic basil produced in the aquaponic farm district at Eastgate.
Eastgate Shopping Centre has become trailblazers by being the first center to have a rooftop Aquaponic Farm District in Africa.
The farm is in partnership with influential aquaponic company Ichthys.
Produce from the farm has been on sale since December 2019.
Ichthys managing director and Eastgate farm manager, Justin Hess, said aquaponic farming is one of the recent innovations in agriculture.
Eastgate’s Aquaponic Farm District is situated on the rooftop at entrance 10 of the center.
“The basic idea is combining hydroponic farming, where you grow plants without soil, which is a nutrients solution, with a fish farm known as an aquaculture farm. Aquaponics comes from combining aquaculture and hydroponics,” said Hess.
He said it’s one of the only organic ways to hydroponically grow vegetables.
The aquaponic farm district at Eastgate has three 10 000 liter fish tanks with 200 Pangasius fish.
Hess said this method has been around for the past 25 years, although in Africa it is still very new, with only a handful of farms adopting this method.
“The biggest advantage of aquaponic farming is it 100 percent recycles all water used. The water from the fish tanks is circulated between all our plants and is returned again,” said Hess.
Justin Hess with produce grown via the hydroponic deep water method.
Hess said the fish becomes the fertilizer as they eat and excrete in the water and that nutrients run through the system.
He said the nutrients become toxic for the fish if you do not clean it, but the plants clean the nutrients in that water, which never has to be replaced.
Justin Hess with organic basil produced in the aquaponic farm district at Eastgate.
“We have three 10 000 liter fish tanks with 200 Pangasius fish which are from Thailand originally. If you are eating the fish in a restaurant it is called Basa,” said Hess.
He said it’s one of the nicest fish to eat and this is one of the first aquaponic Pangasius farms in South Africa.
“There is a main commercial farm in Midrand, which is the largest aquaponics farm in Africa. There is about six other commercial farms in South Africa which is adopting this method and a handful in Africa,” said Hess.
Alana Hoskins enjoying an organic grown tomatoe from Eastgate’s Aquaponic Farm District.
He said the district includes a fish farm and a hydroponic section.
Hess said there are three methods of growing in the hydroponic section of the farm namely stone and drain, deep water and vertical.
The farm grows tomatoes, cucumber, letters, chili peppers, basil, chives, spring onion, mint, and spinach, among others.
Tomatoes grown at he aquaponic farm district at Eastgate shopping center.
Alana Hoskin, marketing manager for Eastgate Shopping Centre, said the center was introduced to the concept a year ago.
“One of the focuses for the center in 2020 is sustainability and how we can make a difference within our own community and for our customers. We felt like this was the right direction. We are the first shopping center to have a rooftop aquaponic farm,” said Hoskins.
She said the center turned 40 last year, and now wanted to think differently and do something that will set the center away from any other.
Organically grown basil at Eastgate’s Aquaponic Farm District.
“We want shoppers to consciously choose Eastgate for a reason, and the aquaponic farming is a good reason,” said Hoskins.
Hoskins said aquaponic farming is a sustainable solution for the east rand as there is a need to have an organic offering.
The hydroponic section at the aquaponic farm district at Eastgate Shopping Centre.
In the future, Hoskins said the center is looking at offering a few courses for the community on how to start their own aquaponic farms.
Fresh produce from the farm is sold from 9 am to 12 pm every Saturday at Entrance 10 at the rooftop entrance where the farm is located.
Alana Hoskins and Justin Hess.
“We will extend the time once we harvest more. We have also incorporated our recycling bins such as glass, general waste, and paper at the farm district, as it gives into the sustainable lifestyle as a whole. Thinking organic is thinking about recycling as well. We made it easier for customers to come and do their recycling and then purchase organic produce.
“In 2020 our motto is ‘be the change’. We have done a number of eco-friendly projects at the center and will continue to do so to create a better environment,” said Hoskins.
For more information contact center management or visit www.eastgatemall.co.za.
PixzAR
US: Montgomery, AL - Local Restaurant Farms Out of Shipping Container For Fresher Produce
They say necessity is the mother of all invention. For a Montgomery restaurant group, a shipping container turned out to be the solution to their problem
Freight Farm Up And Running
In Midtown Montgomery
By Jennifer Horton | January 16, 2020
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - They say necessity is the mother of all invention. For a Montgomery restaurant group, a shipping container turned out to be the solution to their problem.
Eric Rivera is the executive chef for Vintage Hospitality, which runs Vintage Year and Vintage Café. He was struggling to find fresh, sustainable lettuce options for his restaurants.
“We found that importing all the stuff from California or from Florida, we would get these lettuces after they’ve been harvested for days and sometimes almost a week by the time we get to them,” Rivera explained. “The product goes bad really fast costs a lot of money to replace that product with other product, it’s just not that quality that we were looking for.”
Enter the Freight Farm, an unassuming shipping container housed in the heart of Old Cloverdale - only steps from his restaurants. The 320 square-foot farm is equipped to grow up to 4 tons of produce a year, according to the manufacturer. It runs on power and minimal water consumption, a stark contrast to the water needed to farm traditional row crops.
“We can control all the elements and control the growth cycles,” he explained. “No rain, no hail, we’re not exposed to any elements.”
Which means they can grow a variety of greens year-round while decreasing the carbon footprint of cross-country supply chains and the threat of lettuce recalls.
“We feel like that it’s our responsibility in the restaurant industry not only provide healthy, nutritious food; but that is done in a socially conscious way as well,” stated Rivera.
Farmshelf Takes Growers From Seed to Plate
Kitchen gardens are going high-tech as the development of smart, efficient hydroponic grow systems helps both novice and experienced growers from seed to plate
Farmshelf is A Smart, Automated Farm For Hotels,
Restaurants And Corporate Cafes
BY CORRIS LITTLE ON JANUARY 15, 2020
BROOKLYN, NY—Kitchen gardens are going high-tech as the development of smart, efficient hydroponic grow systems helps both novice and experienced growers from seed to plate. One such company is Farmshelf, based here, which builds smart indoor farms that enable people to grow leafy greens, herbs and flowering crops where they live, work and eat.
“Our bookcase-sized smart, indoor farms are small enough to fit into a restaurant and powerful enough to provide pounds of fresh produce every week. Farmshelf brings the outdoors inside and grows food two to three times faster than conventional farming,” said J.P. Kyrillos, co-founder, Farmshelf.
Farmshelf’s bookcase-style growing system was invented by Andrew Shearer, Farmshelf co-founder, and CEO. He found inspiration through his passion for food, technology, engineering, and community.
“He married his years of volunteering experience to fund education in agriculture in Nicaragua’s food-insecure communities, and professional tech experience in Silicon Valley to build a tool that allows people to grow healthful, flavorful food anywhere, any time and know its source,” said Kyrillos.
As a result, the hospitality industry has taken notice. At HX: The Hotel Experience Powered by AAHOA, Farmshelf was the winner of the Best of Show award. Farmshelf has also captured the attention of hotel chefs and high-profile New York restaurateurs like Marcus Samuelsson of Red Rooster and Jose Andres of Mercado Little Spain, who have entered into partnerships with the company.
“They find as much value in the five to six pounds of leafy greens and herbs the units produce weekly as they do the organic marketing value,” Kyrillos said. “Our partners in the hospitality space share with us that the units add beauty to whatever space they are in. We designed Farmshelf to be eye-catching, and we often see hotel guests and diners in the restaurants that house Farmshelf taking time to really look at the unit, discover what it is and admire what it provides.”
Kyrillos also noted that the chefs at the hotels where Farmshelf is stationed regularly praise the accessibility and freshness of the produce.
“We aim to shorten the distance between farm to plate—a journey that’s often hundreds or thousands of miles—and having fresh herbs and greens right at your fingertips not only allows for speedy and easy access, it provides superior freshness,” he said.
Sustainability is a key facet of the Farmshelf business.
“Farmshelf helps minimize food waste because you know exactly how much produce you are able to harvest at any time, and no food expires in transit,” he said. “Nearly 40% or more of the food we grow in the U.S. ends up in a landfill. That equates to millions of dollars and pounds of food that could have otherwise been used. It’s a solvable problem, and we’re working to lay the building blocks to address it in a scalable way. In addition, Farmshelf uses 90% less water in comparison to traditional soil growing. By enabling you to harvest just what’s needed, Farmshelf also eliminates packaging, environmental impacts from transportation, and food waste.”
Kyrillos noted that the Farmshelf leadership team has seen firsthand the devastation that a lack of access to food causes.
“At Farmshelf, we are passionate about ensuring people have access to fresh, healthful food, anywhere and anytime,” he said. “And, while we are still a young company, we are working to scale our technology so that more people can have access to food.”
Andrew Shearer Farmshelf food waste garden Gardening HX: The Hotel Experience Hydroponic J.P. Kyrillos Sustainability
Wageningen Researches Efficiency of Vertical Farming
Researchers of Wageningen University & Research are looking at how vertical farming can be more efficient
14 Jan 2020
Researchers of Wageningen University & Research are looking at how vertical farming can be more efficient.
“In a high-rise building – on a surface area about the size of a soccer field – you can grow enough vegetables for 100,000 people who each eat 250 grams of vegetables a day. You have complete control over the production process, so you are not dependent on the weather, the temperature, the daylight and the season. This makes vertical farming possible everywhere – also in infertile areas, in the desert or on Mars”, says Leo Marcelis, professor of Horticulture, in his blog on the website of Wageningen University & Research.
Vertical farming 1 of the solutions to the global food issue
“Vertical farming will not solve food shortages. It does not lend itself to rice and cereal production, but it is good for healthy, fresh vegetables, packed with fiber and vitamin C, and grown without contamination by pesticides or harmful microorganisms. That makes vertical farming one of the solutions to the global food issue”, says Marcelis.
Vertical farming takes place in buildings – the crops are grown on top of each other in several layers. - Photo: AFP
2 to 4 litres of water to grow a kilo of tomatoes
Vertically grown vegetables can make do with much less water. “We can recycle all the water and recover most of the water that the plants evaporate. As a result, we only need 2 to 4 litres of water to grow a kilo of tomatoes, whereas we use 17 litres of water in a Dutch greenhouse and in theory at least 60 litres for soil cultivation in for example southern Europe, and in practice often 200 litres,” says Marcelis.
In the closed cultivation system, nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates are also retained, while outside cultivation they end up in the soil, groundwater and surface water.
Pesticides a thing of the past
The use of pesticides is also a thing of the past, the professor emphasises. “By ensuring high hygiene levels, we can prevent insects and diseases from entering the building with employees, materials, seeds or air.”
Marcelis says the fact that the vegetables are not sprayed is good for our health, the environment and the preservation of plant and animal species. Moreover, thanks to local production, no shipping over long distances is required, which means that the CO2 footprint for transport is a lot smaller.
LED light healthy for plants?
The vegetables are grown on multiple floors of a high-rise building without daylight using special LED lamps, which often emit purple or bright pink light. Is LED light healthy for plants? “If we adjust the amount, colour and duration of the light, the amount of water and the temperature and composition of the air very precisely, we can give the crops much more nutritional value. I am absolutely convinced of that; there is already evidence that these factors influence nutritional value. In addition, we can also improve taste and shelf life.”
High energy consumption
Even though LED lamps are economical, a quarter of the costs goes to energy consumption says Marcelis in his blog. “If you can make substantial savings on this, the investment will become more affordable,” he says. Together with colleagues, he is studying options for reducing energy consumption. “We want to ensure that the light is used more efficiently by the plant. If we can optimize the temperature, humidity, the concentration of carbon dioxide and availability of water and fertilizers and can determine the optimum intensity and color of the light for every moment of the day, we can produce much more per unit of light,” says Marcelis. He also wants to improve the efficiency of climate control technologies.
Improve the crops
Current crops have been bred for outdoor cultivation and greenhouse cultivation. “We can also breed crops for these indoor circumstances, but that is a long-term task. Plant breeding projects easily take ten years.” And finally, the buildings can also be made more energy-efficient, for example by using the heat generated by the light for the heating of houses and offices.”
5 million euros for research into vertical farming
The Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) has awarded 5 million euros to Wageningen research into vertical farming. “Our greenhouse horticulture sector is leading and has a lot of technology and knowledge that the Netherlands exports worldwide, also in the field of vertical farming. That is why it is important that we stay ahead,” says professor Marcelis.
Greenhouse cultivation is very efficient in the Netherlands and therefore much cheaper than vertical farming. In many places in the world, however, it is too cold in the winter or too hot in the summer to keep growing vegetables all year round. And sometimes there is simply not enough land available, for example in the city-state of Singapore. Singapore, but also the US, countries from the Middle East and Japan, are interested in vertical farming, according to the professor. “In Japan, food safety has become very important since the Fukushima nuclear disaster, and vertical farming is very safe,” explains Marcelis.
US: Massachusetts - Alum Introduces Brookline To New Farming Techniques
Levine's startup Town to Table utilizes several different hydroponic technologies such as those made by Freight Farms, which allows plants to be grown in winter. Each 40-foot container can produce the equivalent of an acre of conventionally grown crops
GRAPHIC BY NICK CLONEY
Nick Cloney, News Managing Editor
January 14, 2020
Levine's startup Town to Table utilizes several different hydroponic technologies such as those made by Freight Farms, which allows plants to be grown in water. Each 40-foot container can produce the equivalent of an acre of conventionally grown crops.
Massachusetts isn’t exactly known for its farming capabilities. Between its varied terrain, harsh winters, and short growing seasons, many obstacles stand in the way of the state producing much agriculturally. But Jack Levine ‘16 is working to change that.
Levine felt that his experience in high school lacked real-world relevance. Now, his work to introduce innovative and sustainable agricultural techniques to the Brookline community through his startup Town to Table allows him to offer real-world experience to students at the high school.
Starting after Thanksgiving, Town to Table plans to take on up to 10 high school students as interns for the second semester. Student volunteers in the program would gain hands-on experience working in Town to Table’s hydroponic Freight Farm, a shipping crate modified to grow crops in a water-based medium, as opposed to a planting bed made of dirt.
Social Studies teacher and Food Justice Club adviser Roger Grande explained how the key feature of hydroponics – the delivery of nutrients through the water – is beneficial for the growing process.
“The key thing is that no matter how nutrients are being delivered to the plant, as long as they’re getting there, the plant is going to grow. If they are being delivered via water, then it cuts down on the lack of mobility and lack of flexibility that you have to deal with when everything is buried in dirt,” Grande said.
Levine said that the cross-country transportation that most vegetables in Massachusetts undergo reduces their quality, a problem solved by localized agriculture.
“In Massachusetts, 98 percent of our leafy greens come from California or Arizona, so pretty much every time I eat a salad, I think of it being jet-lagged, like how you feel when you get off that plane in California,” Levine said. “We’re offering districts farm-to-plate food. Within 24 hours of when we harvest it, students will be eating it.”
Grande said that one of Levine’s goals is to give students an opportunity to gain hands-on experience in an environment unlike any they have encountered before.
“I think he would also like to see this programming be integrated to the Brookline public school system, and for kids to have really interesting opportunities related to learning by doing. That’s authentic learning – it’s not just learning about something, it’s learning by doing that thing,” Grande said.
Levine said he was often a difficult student to teach during his time at the high school due to his lack of engagement with traditional high school subjects.
“Funny enough, I met with Brittany Stevens recently to talk about introducing this program to some of her classes. She asked me if I remember how I used to say every single day, ‘we have to fix the school,’” Levine said. “‘School doesn’t work’ was kind of one of my things since it especially didn’t work for me. I was off the walls. I was a pain in the butt for teachers, I was crazy.”
English teacher Elon Fischer, who taught Levine’s English for Entrepreneurs class during his senior year, said that he showcased an interest in business and charting his own path while still in high school.
“He was a goofball, but he was also very interested in entrepreneurship. By the time he was a senior, he was kind of fed up with school, and was looking to do something a bit more interesting than what BHS offered,” Fischer said. “Jack felt like school was just a big game and he wasn’t very interested in playing it. Great sense of humor, really a smart kid, but he was looking for something different to do.”
Grande said he was impressed with Levine’s vision to expand his business and involve food justice.
Levine said that the goal of any partnership would be to provide students with hands-on experiences that are relevant to their future career paths.
“That’s what we want, to take this and show other students that something like this can capture their attention in a classroom. You know, there’s no right or wrong answer when you’re growing a plant. It’s just a process and it’s a process in which you’re constantly learning. To us, that’s what we should be preparing students to do,” Levine said.
Grande explained that one of the biggest benefits of Town to Table’s services is the autonomy and decision-making power that sustainable, localized agriculture offers.
“At its core, it’s about empowerment: it’s about having more control over our health, our nutrition, and our values. It’s about seeing your place in the world and taking back some of your power from people who are making choices for you,” Grande said. “People should be more focused on being thoughtful about the choices they’re making, or the choices that are being made for them. There are many powerful forces that try to shape those things and steer us into buying what they’re marketing.”
Fischer said that Levine is a great role model for how students can take things they’re passionate about and transform them into careers.
“This is just a great example of what kids can do when they find something that they care about. And I think that the more that we as a school can make these opportunities available to kids, and work hard to spark their interests in things that aren’t directly academic, the better,” Fischer said.
Kitchens Get Smarter At CES Tech Show, Not Yet In Many Homes
Tell your refrigerator about your dietary preferences and it'll concoct a recipe plan for the coming week, sending a shopping list to your smartphone when it notices you've run out of the right ingredients
By MATT O'BRIEN and JOSEPH PISANI
Associated Press
JANUARY 8, 2020
LAS VEGAS — Tell your refrigerator about your dietary preferences and it'll concoct a recipe plan for the coming week, sending a shopping list to your smartphone when it notices you've run out of the right ingredients.
Counter-top robotic arms help chop veggies. Artificially intelligent oven cameras and internet-connected meat thermometers keep track of what's cooking. And then — voila! — a stove-top camera can show off your culinary creations on Instagram.
These are some of the new "smart kitchen" tech features on display this week at the CES gadget show in Las Vegas. Appliance-makers are competing with one another to show off futuristic kitchen innovations they hope might resonate with younger consumers, knowing that once these appliances squeeze themselves into a home, they could stay for a while.
Just don't expect to get much help at your local Home Depot anytime soon. There's also the challenge of getting consumers interested and keeping up with rapid changes in technology.
"The problem is that refrigerators are 10-year devices," said food technology analyst Michael Wolf, who hosts a podcast on smart kitchens. "The sales personnel haven't really asked about smart features and consumers really aren't asking for them."
That hasn't stopped big appliance-makers like Samsung, LG Electronics, GE Appliances, Whirlpool and Bosch from trying to reinvent the kitchen around internet connectivity.
Their mission: Appeal to consumers who are comfortable with smartphone apps. Target consumers include those looking to discover new step-by-step digital cooking instructions and consider themselves foodies even if they're not necessarily expert chefs with a lot of free time.
"Food and food culture is just really one of the dominant things that Millennials and 'Gen Z' put on their social media," Wolf said.
GE Appliances added a third, AI-powered oven camera to its Kitchen Hub system, which includes a 27-inch touch screen for interacting with friends and family or tuning into Netflix or Spotify while a watchful computer helps make sure you don't burn dinner.
Bosch is using its partnership with startup Chefling to send recipe commands to appliances such as refrigerators, which have cameras inside to keep track of inventory. Bosch is one of several companies using computer vision inside refrigerators to recognize items and how long they've been sitting there.
Whirlpool unveiled its Yummly smart thermometer, which can be pierced into a raw chicken. As your meal roasts, your phone will get alerts when the thermometer reaches the right temperature. Later this year, the $129 thermometer will also be able to follow recipes on the Yummly app and automatically adjust the temperature of Whirlpool's smart ovens.
LG showed off an entire "smart" restaurant at its CES booth, complete with a robot to cook and make coffee, one to greet customers and a tabletop robot to take orders. The rounded, expressive robots are part of LG's CLOi line announced at CES in 2018. The South Korean company debuted the cooking Chefbot robot in November at a restaurant in Seoul.
Samsung also emphasized an artificial intelligence-laden kitchen that could help plan meals and monitor nutrition. The company also has a robotic kitchen aid — Bot Chef — a mechanical arm that can chop, whisk, stir and otherwise help prepare food.
As with all internet-connected home devices, some of them raise privacy and security concerns. The devices record audio and video as they listen for your cooking commands and watch from your stove-top or from behind the milk cartons. Hackers could spy inside homes if the apps or devices have security flaws, as many do.
But even if appliance-makers are able to address those risks, some experts say they're still focusing too much on what's technologically possible and not on the improvements in the food experience that consumers might actually want.
"It fits the old school way they've been thinking about this — that every year or two they update the physical models," said Frank Gillett, a tech analyst for Forrester Research. "They're not thinking in terms of outcomes, which are meals. How do you shift the thinking from delivering the best stove to giving people the meal experience they want to have?"
Gillett predicts big structural changes in the food tech industry in the coming years. One far-out possibility: subscription services enabling consumers to commit to a favored supermarket, tech company or other provider. This company would deliver groceries and help run the appliances that work with its system.
Wolf is not as excited by all these AI-enabled bells and whistles as he is about other food tech innovations such as indoor hydroponics, the practice of growing plants without soil.
A few big appliance-makers like LG are now experimenting with indoor gardening technology. Previously, the products were confined to startups like Indiana-based GroPod, which showed off a prototype that can sustain 60 plants that just need water and small nutrient pods.
But none of these smart appliance features and hydroponic gadgetry have taken off with consumers as much as simpler kitchen tech innovations that sit on counters and don't need internet connections.
"Two counter-top appliances have become mainstream: Instant Pot and air fryers," Wolf said. "Five years ago, no one was using those."
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Publication date: Tue 3 Dec 2019