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WEBINAR - JUNE 3: USDA $3M In Grant Money Available For Urban Agriculture, Innovative Production Projects
A webinar, which will be held on June 3, from 2 to 4 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, will provide an overview of the grants’ purpose, project types, eligibility and basic requirements for submitting an application.
Planning Projects:
USDA is making available $1 million for Planning Projects that initiate or expand efforts of farmers, gardeners, citizens, government officials, schools and other stakeholders in urban areas and suburbs. Projects may target areas of food access, education, business and start-up costs for new farmers and development of policies related to zoning and other needs of urban production.
Implementation Projects:
USDA is making available $2 million for Implementation Projects that accelerate existing and emerging models of urban, indoor and other agricultural practices that serve multiple farmers. Projects will improve local food access and collaborate with partner organizations and may support infrastructure needs, emerging technologies, educational endeavors and urban farming policy implementation.
Webinar:
A webinar, which will be held on June 3, from 2 to 4 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, will provide an overview of the grants’ purpose, project types, eligibility and basic requirements for submitting an application. Information on how to register for and participate in the webinar, or listen to the recording, will be posted at farmers.gov/urban.
More Information:
The Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production was established through the 2018 Farm Bill. It includes representatives from many USDA agencies, including Farm Service Agency and Agricultural Marketing Service, and is led by the Natural Resources Conservation Service. More information is available at farmers.gov/urban.
Additional resources that may be of interest to urban agriculture entities include AMS grants to improve domestic and international opportunities for U.S. growers and producers and FSA loans.
US: Pennsylvania - Hope Street Learning Lab Opening Aquaponics Classroom This Summer
Hydroponics and aquaponics are two urban farming techniques in which plants are grown in water without soil and fertilized with fish waste. These techniques often help provide fresh produce in food deserts
Lindsay C VanAsdalan York Dispatch
Mar 2, 2020
Hope Street Learning Lab will be opening a community aquaponics classroom this summer, following plans announced in November to install a hydroponics lab.
"We are super excited about it, and the ability to partner with somebody like Dr. Bracey-Green — it really is phenomenal," said Blanda Nace, executive director of York City's Redevelopment Authority. Jamie Bracey-Green, director of the Center for Inclusive Competitiveness at Temple University's College of Engineering, is partnering with the Hope Street nonprofit to donate shipping containers for its aquaponics and hydroponics in York City.
The partnership comes through a local chapter of MESA — Mathematics, Engineering and Science Achievement — housed in the center, to bring more of those studies to underserved areas.
Hope Street lab looks to buy a stretch of York City property
Jamie Bracey-Green, director for the Center of Inclusive Competitiveness at Temple University, is providing shipping containers for a new aquaponics classroom for Hope Street Learning Lab. She announced the proposed classroom along with Hope Street officials in February. The addition to the York City community learning center will involve soil-less hydroponic and aquaponic growing techniques. The classroom is slated to be open this July. Pictured, L to R: State Rep. Carol Hill-Evans, D-York City, Jamie Bracey-Green, Lincoln Charter Director of Community Outreach Anne Clark. Submitted, c/o Randy Flaum
Hydroponics and aquaponics are two urban farming techniques in which plants are grown in water without soil and fertilized with fish waste. These techniques often help provide fresh produce in food deserts.
Groundbreaking for the classroom is expected to commence March 31, and with it will be other additions to the Hope Street property, including a greenhouse next to the lab on the east side and a mint and herb garden on the west side.
The produce would be donated to the community. One shipping container is the equivalent to planting on 2 acres of ground, said Hope Street Executive Director Anne Clark.
Clark said the learning lab has been offering produce to residents in the city's west end for years, and the goal is to expand those efforts.
"It really is a neighborhood asset," Nace said of the planned farming technology, noting that the west end is definitely a priority in the city, but the need for food is even broader.
"The city in its entirely is a food desert," he said. "Anything we can do that change that is a step in the right direction."
York College and Temple will work with Hope Street on design to allow some natural light in the shipping containers so they'll fit in with their environment, Clark said.
"I really want the indoor classroom to be part of outside," she said, but the challenge will be also keeping them dark enough to allow the artificial light needed for the hydroponic and aquaponic farming techniques.
West Shore aquaponics supports urban agriculture, STEM education
Clark, who is also the director of outreach for Lincoln Charter School, said Hope Street is also working with the state Department of Education to match standards for the new classroom with each grade level.
Lincoln Charter School president and CEO Leonard Hart speaks at the announcement of a new aquaponics classroom for Hope Street Learning Lab in February. Lincoln Charter School is a founding partner of the learning lab, and its students often use the facility. The addition to the York City community learning center will involve soil-less hydroponic and aquaponic growing techniques in two shipping containers. The classroom is slated to be open this July. Submitted, c/o Randy Flaum
It would be available to all York County schools, as well as adult residents.
The cost of the project is about $10,000, which Clark plans to cover through financial or material donations of items such as paint, desk chairs, and solar panels.
The nonprofit is also looking at partnerships with Crispus Attucks York and York County School of Technology on some building elements and possible student mentoring.
Annual maintenance costs of Hope Street Learning Lab, which will increase about $5,000 with the new additions, would be offset in part by giving students the opportunity to plant and sell flowers.
Clark also plans to meet with the RDA in May to purchase the lab's property. Hope Street has an agreement with the authority to operate for a year, but does not own the property.
Nace said it will be up to the RDA's board to decide, but the authority has been working to assemble all the Hope Street properties into one parcel. The RDA owns several, one is privately owned and two are owned by the city.
The new aquaponics classroom is slated to open by July.
Pennsylvania Rep. Carol Hill-Evans, D-York City, speaks at the announcement of a new aquaponics classroom for Hope Street Learning Lab in February. The addition to the York City community learning center will involve soil-less hydroponic and aquaponic growing techniques in two shipping containers. The classroom is slated to be open this July.
Submitted, c/o Randy Flaum
United Fresh Talks Produce Trends, Opportunities For Indoor Growers
Each week we're adding new companies to our growing show floor. Among our most recent additions are Ceres Greenhouse Solutions and Percival Scientific
Don't Miss United Fresh Produce Association Panel Discussion With
Walmart, BrightFarms, DNO Produce!
PRODUCE TRENDS & BUSINESS GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDOOR GROWERS
Indoor Ag-Con is pleased to announce that the United Fresh Produce Association will host a panel presentation during our May edition on Monday, May 18 from 10-10:45 am. During this insightful and idea-packed session, United Fresh President and CEO Tom Stenzel (pictured top left), will share some of the association's latest produce trend research findings. He'll also moderate a top-notch panel, including (clockwise) Paul Lightfoot, CEO, BrightFarms; Victor Verlage, Senior Director of Agricultural Strategy, Walmart, Inc; and Alex DiNovo, CEO, DNO Produce, as they share business opportunities they see with indoor growers. You won't want to miss this one! Learn more about this program and the growing line-up for the May 18-20, 2020 edition.
CHECK OUT GROWING CONFERENCE SCHEDULE ›
WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST MAY '20 EXHIBITORS
Each week we're adding new companies to our growing show floor. Among our most recent additions are Ceres Greenhouse Solutions and Percival Scientific.
Learn more about these innovative companies, and many others who will be showcasing their latest introductions and solutions for your indoor growing needs!
SEE WHO'S EXHIBITING >
INDOOR AG-CON EXHIBITOR NEWS: JIFFY OFFERS SUSTAINABLE NETTING SOLUTION Reducing the use of plastic in packaging and production purposes is an important global issue. As Jiffy points out in their latest news alert, plastic does not belong in nature and it should not be in the process of cultivation. This is why Jiffy aims for lowering the use of plastics for their growing media. Just recently Jiffy decided to switch from PE and PP plastics to PLA netting for all Jiffy Grow Blocks and Jiffy Pellets. See them in booth 3001 in May and read their full announcement here!
LEARN MORE ›
Indoor Ag-Con has secured discounted hotel rates at Treasure Island -- an easy walk from the show site at the Wynn. It's going to be a busy week in Vegas so we encourage you to book early for the best rates! Book online or call the hotel direct at 888.503.8999 and reference discount code AGCON20
RESERVE HOTEL & SAVE›
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR GROWING ROSTER OF
SPONSORS, MEDIA ALLIES & INDUSTRY PARTNERS
What Are The Challenges To Running A Successful Indoor Farm?
The amount of investments made in the vertical farming and controlled environment agriculture industries has been well documented. Those companies that successfully raise capital are seen as industry heroes and it’s quickly assumed that they must have all the answers. But, the big question is…do they?
October 3, 2019
(I had the opportunity to host the Great Lakes Ag-Tech Summit in Cleveland on Sept. 23, 2019.)
The amount of investments made in the vertical farming and controlled environment agriculture industries has been well documented. Those companies that successfully raise capital are seen as industry heroes and it’s quickly assumed that they must have all the answers. But, the big question is…do they?
In order to answer that question, it is important to be specific about the questions we are asking, the assumptions we are making and to understand that the answers will come from a wide variety of different perspectives.
List of questions
Examples of questions I am receiving and ones that we might want to ask include:
Can a farm using controlled environment agriculture techniques be profitable?
What crops have proven to be profitable in a greenhouse?
What crops have proven to be profitable in a warehouse?
What crops have proven to be profitable in a shipping container?
What segment of the produce industry are these farms capable of serving?
What defines a vertical farm?
What is the difference between a greenhouse and an indoor ag facility?
What makes controlled environment agriculture techniques and innovations unique?
Does geographic location play a role in designing a controlled environment agriculture facility?
Why invest in controlled environment agriculture?
What problems are we solving?
Is controlled environment agriculture environmentally sustainable?
The answers to all these questions are extremely important. The answers provide important insight on whether there are existing examples of multiple successful projects in a given region for a given set of crops to be produced in a controlled environment agriculture facility.
An example of how this plays out can be seen when looking at the greenhouse-grown vegetable industry. There are a number of Dutch greenhouse experts for those climates and crops that companies have proven successful over the past decades. But this does not mean that their expertise necessarily transfers to every situation. Any time ag technology and “experience” are taken to a new climate and introduced to a new market and crop there will be problems, mistakes, and failures. This has been proven time and time again.
Successful business models
It is also important to realize that it is highly likely that there are many different business models that can be successful as we look at innovation to solve growing problems within horticulture and agriculture. This can easily be seen in existing greenhouse industries.
For those of us close to the industry, we can acknowledge the fact that there are low-, medium- and high-tech greenhouse facilities that are capable of producing good quality crops consistently and profitably. The reason for this is that depending on where the greenhouse is built and the crops that are grown, the greenhouse and the technology within it are designed to serve different purposes based on labor and access to natural resources. It is likely that as the indoor ag industry matures, we will find similar models.
Hurdles to overcome
So, what are the hurdles the indoor ag industry needs to overcome in order to be successful? And how are we as an industry going to achieve this success?
Based on my conversations with many industry leaders, these are the top 11 topics we need to address:
Finally, how are we as an industry going to provide solutions to these challenges or other larger problems?
First, we need to agree on which challenges we should address first and which ones we have the best chance of overcoming. Second, we need to be self-critical. We need to determine if these challenges are caused by problems we created and determine if they really need to be solved?
We then need to learn from other industries that have come before us. This means we need some level of open collaboration. We will need some form of standardization. We will need to focus on education. And finally, we will need some luck.
“Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller
If you are interested in taking this conversation to the next level, I encourage you to join me on social media, at one of the many upcoming events I will be participating in or through collaboration.
Written by Chris Higgins – Urban Ag News and Hort Americas.
SOUTH KOREA: Urban Farming Bonds Communities In Seoul
Tucked away in a dark, damp corner of an underground parking lot in Nowon-gu, northeastern Seoul, mushrooms mature under fluorescent lights. The vertical farm is tended by residents who live right above it, in Sanggye Hyundai Apartment Complex.
Residents at Nowon Energy Zero housing complex in Nowon-gu, northeastern Seoul, tend small box gardens earlier this year. / Courtesy of Nowon-gu Office
By Lee Suh-yoon
Tucked away in a dark, damp corner of an underground parking lot in Nowon-gu, northeastern Seoul, mushrooms mature under fluorescent lights.
The vertical farm is tended by residents who live right above it, in Sanggye Hyundai Apartment Complex.
Together, the residents grow, share and sell the mushrooms, donating the profits to local charities and welfare centers.
A community mushroom farm is located under Sanggye Hyundai Apartment Complex in Nowon-gu, northeastern Seoul. / Courtesy of Nowon-gu Office
About five kilometers south, residents of Nowon Energy Zero housing complex, known for its energy-efficient apartment and villa designs, come together to tend small box gardens.
"People who live in the same apartment complexes don't really talk to each other these days," Park Geun-gu, an official from Nowon-gu Office, told The Korea Times recently. "Apart from providing safe locally grown produce, these urban farms help residents get to know each other better, strengthening community bonds."
To create an urban farm in their leftover spaces, usually snuggled between close-knit buildings or on a roof, residents can easily apply for financial and professional support from their local government offices. The city government and district offices fund 80 percent to 100 percent of the initial installation fees of accepted projects.
Seoul is now home to a thriving network of community gardens. The number of urban farms increased six-fold in the last seven years, bringing the total area of such green spaces in Seoul to 170 hectares ― about the size of 238 football fields.
Most are located in patches between apartments or on the roofs of schools and government buildings.
"We refer to these participating groups as urban farming communities," said Lee Byung-hun, a city official in charge of the urban farm projects.
"The main focus of these projects is not supplying food; it's about the social experience the urban farms can bring to residents. We're also providing hands-on gardening experience and environmental education to children at urban farms set up next to kindergartens."
Last year, the city government started allocating a 5 million won ($4,400) annual budget to each district to solicit help from professionals who can give lectures and offer personalized gardening solutions ― ranging from raising soil productivity to using safe pesticides ― to urban farming communities.
Called "farm clinics," these classes are currently held at 4,000 urban farm sites across 19 districts in Seoul. Last month, the city government announced plans to extend the classes to 7,000 sites.
Districts that lie along the green belt, like Gangdong-gu and Gwangjin-gu, can spare more green space for these community farms.
The land, usually located at the foot of a mountain or riverside, is divided up among residents in an open lottery system at the beginning of each spring.
"The competition for a plot of land at these community farms is very high: we get 10 to 15 times more applicants than the number of plots available, depending on the location," a Gwangjin-gu official said. "Residents usually grow lettuce or peppers, and some of the produce is donated to local welfare centers."
A community farm near the Han River in Gangdong-gu, eastern Seoul / Courtesy of Gangdong-gu Office
A rooftop community garden in Seodaemun-gu, northwestern Seoul. / Courtesy of Seodaemun-gu Office
Residents listen to a gardening instructor at an urban farm in Gwangjin-gu, eastern Seoul. / Courtesy of Gwangjin-gu Office
LG's Herb Fridge Is A Full-Size Indoor Gardening Center
You've heard of wine and beer fridges, but what about an herb fridge? LG thinks this full-size greens grower will be the next big thing
You've heard of wine and beer fridges, but what about an herb fridge? LG thinks this full-size greens grower will be the next big thing.
December 25, 2019
When you think of growing herbs indoors (calm down, not that kind), most people image terra cotta pots lined neatly on a window sill. Smart indoor gardening has so far been predominantly gadget-size, like the countertop herb growing machines from MiracleGro and Click and Grow. Now, LG is taking on the green indoors with a full-size appliance in 2020. Today, the company announced an "indoor gardening appliance" and "indoor vegetable cultivator," tentatively called the LG Harvester, and plans to exhibit it at CES in January.
The built-in, column style refrigerator uses light, temperature and water controls to create the best environment for gardening in your kitchen. A non-circulating water supply system distributes the right amount of water for each plant type and prevents algae growth. Flexible modules replicate the best outdoor conditions by matching the temperature in the cabinet with the time of day. There are LED lights, forced air circulation, and a wick-based water management system.
The fridge will work with a line of all-in-one seed packages and with a monitoring app to keep watch over your garden from anywhere, manage settings and give you gardening tips along the way.
You'll be able to grow up to 24 seed packages of vegetables and herbs in one appliance. Each package contains seeds, peat moss, and fertilizer. Initial packages will include 20 varieties, including romaine, other types of lettuce, arugula, chicory, and basil.
Vertical farming, smart indoor planters, and micro-gardening are changing the way city dwellers pick their parsley. There are other herb fridge models, out there. Most are wine-fridge-size appointments, like the ones from Viking and Urban Cultivator.
This LG model certainly doesn't look space-saving, so you'll need to really love your leafy greens to be on board. Still, taking the garden full-size is an exciting idea.
Indoor Ag-Con Las Vegas Announces Dates, Location For 2020 Edition
"Whether industry members are just starting out, scaling up, buying from or selling to indoor vertical farms, our 2020 edition’s enhanced programming and new show floor features will offer even more opportunities to connect all agriculture supply chain stakeholders,” says Nancy Hallberg, co-owner of Indoor Ag-Con LLC along with other event industry veterans Brian Sullivan and Kris Sieradzki.
Indoor Ag-Con Heads To Wynn Las Vegas
For May 18-20, 2020 Edition
8th Annual Edition Heads To Wynn Las Vegas, May 18-20, 2020, With Expanded Show Floor, Educational Offerings, Networking Events For Indoor the Vertical Farm Industry
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, UNITED STATES, September 4, 2019, Indoor Ag-Con, the premier event covering the technology of growing crops in indoor systems using hydroponic, aeroponic and aquaponic techniques, heads to Wynn Las Vegas from May 18-20, 2020 for its 8th annual edition in Las Vegas, NV. From an expanded exhibition floor, new educational tracks and networking events to other new show features and displays, the 2020 edition will be a showplace for robotics, automation, AI, breaking technology trends and product innovation.
"Whether industry members are just starting out, scaling up, buying from or selling to indoor|vertical farms, our 2020 edition’s enhanced programming and new show floor features will offer even more opportunities to connect all agriculture supply chain stakeholders,” says Nancy Hallberg, co-owner of Indoor Ag-Con LLC along with other event industry veterans Brian Sullivan and Kris Sieradzki.
2020 Show highlights include:
NEW LOCATION: WYNN LAS VEGAS
To deliver a top-quality meeting experience for its attendees, Indoor Ag-Con heads to Wynn Las Vegas for 2020. Wynn Resorts is the recipient of more Forbes Travel Guide Five Star Awards than any other independent hotel company in the world and was once again named the best resort in Nevada on Condé Nast Traveler’s 2019 “Gold List,” a title received for the 12th time.
THREE IN-DEPTH EDUCATIONAL TRACKS - BUSINESS, SCIENCE, CANNABIS - HEMP
In direct response to feedback from 2019 attendees, show management will be zeroing in on three core tracks for 2020 --- Business, Science and Cannabis | Hemp. The 2020 Conference will bring together 40+ industry-leading speakers to cover timely issues; growth and development strategies for all levels and types of indoor farming businesses; latest developments and innovations through keynote presentations, sessions and panel discussions in each of the 3 areas.
EXPANDED EXHIBIT FLOOR & NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES
An expanded exhibition floor will showcase the latest innovations including some of the biggest names in the industry and emerging leaders across all sectors, including business/financial services, industry associations, government agencies, and manufacturers/suppliers.
Exhibitors will include business services; chemical pumps; climate control systems; complete indoor growing systems; equipment & accessories; financial services; fertilizers; government agencies; greenhouses; growing products; heating systems; hydroponic pots; insurance providers; irrigation equipment; IT solutions lighting solutions; nutrient products; propagation systems; substrates; tools; vertical farming solutions and much more.
Attendees will also have even more networking opportunities with daily continental breakfast, coffee break and luncheon sessions, evening receptions, round tables and more.
QUICK FACTS:
WHEN: Monday, May 18 – Wednesday, May 20, 2020 (Exhibits Open May 18-19)
WHERE: Wynn Las Vegas, 3131 Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89101
INFO: For information on exhibiting or attending visit www.indoor.ag or email hello@indoor.ag
ABOUT INDOOR AG-CON LLC
Founded in 2013, Indoor Ag-Con has grown into the premier event in indoor agriculture, the practice of growing crops in indoor systems, using hydroponic, aquaponic and aeroponic techniques. Its events in Las Vegas and Singapore are tech-focused and crop-agnostic, covering produce, legal cannabis |hemp, alternate protein, and non-food crops. In December 2018, three event industry professionals – Nancy Hallberg, Kris Sieradzki and Brian Sullivan – purchased Indoor Ag-Con LLC from Newbean Capital, so setting the stage for further expansion of the events globally.
Brownstein: Montreal's Lufa Farms Reaches New Heights
Airplanes are buzzing above. Gridlock has set in below. One couldn’t possibly imagine a more unlikely agricultural setting, yet on top of a non-descript office building in St-Laurent, within a tomato’s throw of the Place Vertu mall, construction is underway on the world’s largest urban rooftop farm
The fourth Lufa rooftop installation — this one the size of three football fields — is to open in March in St-Laurent.
BILL BROWNSTEIN, MONTREAL GAZETTE
November 21, 2019
Airplanes are buzzing above. Gridlock has set in below. One couldn’t possibly imagine a more unlikely agricultural setting, yet on top of a non-descript office building in St-Laurent, within a tomato’s throw of the Place Vertu mall, construction is underway on the world’s largest urban rooftop farm.
This will be the fourth Lufa Farm around Montreal, and when it opens in March, it will measure nearly 164,000 square feet, or roughly three football fields. That’s a whole lot of tomatoes and eggplants.
The Lufa mantra is: “We grow food where people live, and grow it more sustainably.” And that it does.
The plan is that this gi-normous greenhouse will double Lufa’s growing capacity and the four farms combined will allow it to feed two per cent of Montreal with fresh veggies. The St-Laurent farm is intended to meet the ultimate standard in energy-saving greenhouse technology. And like the other farms, it, too, will operate without use of synthetic pesticides.
In addition to the produce, St-Laurent borough mayor Alan DeSousa is also pumped about the rooftop farm’s ecological benefits: “It will make it possible to fight against heat islands in our district, where more than 70 per cent of the surface area is devoted to industrial and commercial activities.“
The bottom floor of the St-Laurent office building serves as a distribution centre, wherein individual boxes of vegetables, fruits, breads and cheeses, among other goodies, are prepared for Lufavores, Lufa’s member individuals and restaurants. About 17,000 boxes are shipped every week to Lufavores at hundreds of pickup points around the city. Lufa also provides home delivery by, natch, electric-powered autos.
“We like to think of the distribution centre as a giant online farmers market,” Lufa co-founder and greenhouse director Lauren Rathmell says.
Rathmell and her husband, Lufa co-founder and CEO Mohamed Hage, started germinating their business 10 years ago. Their first farm sprouted in Ahuntsic. Then came rooftop farms in Laval and Anjou. The company now has 327 employees — and counting.
While allowing that the Ahuntsic farm cost $2.2 million, Rathmell is tight-lipped about the budget for the St-Laurent greenhouse, which is five times the size of the former. She does, however, note that Lufa Farms has been profitable since 2016 and is not ruling out more expansion, in Montreal and elsewhere.
“Our goal is to be ecologically and economically sustainable,” says Rathmell, a Vermonter who moved here to study biochemistry at McGill and stayed on after meeting Hage.
“Our first site was the world’s first commercial rooftop greenhouse. There are ground-level greenhouses and farms, but this concept had never been done — taking an industrial space and repurposing it for food production. There’s still not many doing what we’re doing. We wanted to create a local food engine, and to do so by following tenets of responsible agriculture with hydroponic farms and reducing our footprint in the process.”
The trick was in finding rooftops around Montreal that would have enough room and that would be structurally able to support a greenhouse.
“We literally surveyed the entire island of Montreal on Google maps to find the rooftops.”
Lufa, incidentally, is a squash/cucumber-like vegetable indigenous to Lebanon, where Hage was born. While the Lufa farms grow almost every kind of veggie, they don’t yet produce a lufa. “We probably should soon.” Rathmell concedes. “It’s very practical. You can eat it. It’s hollow inside, and when you dry it, it turns into a sponge that grows on walls and rooftops.”
The hustle-bustle of St-Laurent’s distribution centre is in marked contrast to the laid-back vibe of Lufa’s Laval rooftop farm.
Of course, like Lufa’s other facilities, one might be hard-pressed to spot the Laval farm, situated atop another nondescript office building, off a fairly gridlocked highway.
But once inside the sprawling, 43,000-square-foot Laval greenhouse, one is transported from the grey and the cold and the snow to a near-tropical setting. There is a glow hanging over the place and with temperatures in the low 20s, cheery-faced farmers, mostly attired in T-shirts and one even in shorts, are planting and harvesting tomatoes and eggplants. A couple of them appear to be actually whistling while they work. It is almost surreal.
It’s more than just talk about reducing footprints. In touring the Laval greenhouse, Rathmell points out how all the water employed is re-circulated and reused. Rainwater is also collected off the roof. And considerable energy is saved simply by being on a rooftop.
“Being on a rooftop also means we’re not using new land, and also keeping us as close as possible to urban centres,” Rathmell says.
On the other hand, trying to convince prospective landlords on setting up rooftop farms was initially difficult.
“It’s become much easier with proof of concept,” Rathmell says. “When we approached the owners of that first building in Ahuntsic, in their minds it was cows and soil and tractors and whatever. We were able to convince them that wasn’t the case. Plus that the greenhouse would be fully contained and help insulate their building. And that we’d take care of the construction and electricity.”
And, oh yeah, the landlords would also be able to feast on the freshest produce around.
Tomatoes in lieu of cash for rent?
Quips Rathmell: “That’s the next deal.”
For more information about Lufa Farms or becoming a Lufavore, go to montreal.lufa.com.
RELATED
The Cube Root of Farming - Freeport Company Grows Crops In Containers
Homegrown, totally organic crops is the vision Freeport-based Cube Root has for transforming TT’s agricultural sector by using technology to develop indoor farms. Cube Root recently held an exposition for investors and customers at its headquarters, where it introduced the concept of a specially constructed container featuring an enclosed, climate-controlled environment
Thursday 7 November 2019
Homegrown, totally organic crops is the vision Freeport-based Cube Root has for transforming TT’s agricultural sector by using technology to develop indoor farms.
Cube Root recently held an exposition for investors and customers at its headquarters, where it introduced the concept of a specially constructed container featuring an enclosed, climate-controlled environment.
Managing director Hamlyn Holder said each farm container is capable of producing kale, strawberries, lettuce or 100 different types of crops.
The investment required is an estimated $350,000, which can be paid off in instalments as a farmer simultaneously produces crops for sale.“A $350,000 investment is a high capital investment, but if you look at the operational expenditure and the returns you will get once you sell the produce, it becomes an economical model at that point,” he said. “If you look at the engineering, there is a consistency in growth, and if you compare the economics package to that of imported technologies, ours is very economical.”
Cube Root Farms’ managing director Hamlyn Holder checks on crops in the Cube Root container farm in Freeport. - MARVIN HAMILTON
Financing, he said, is available from institutions such as the Agricultural Development Bank.
In an interview with Business Day, Holder said there are many benefits to using this type of technology, including its being in an environment where farmers can control the impact of the elements and theft.
“In an open farm there are things like pests, weather, praedial larceny and other...factors. But here it is totally enclosed and controlled and you are able to see how your plants are growing remotely – also over the net, through an app on the phone.
“This type of technology offers a much more controlled environment to avoid any uncertainty when it comes to diseases and pests that may wreak havoc on your plants or fields."
The interior of a Cube Root container. According to the company, each farm, which is enclosed and can be controlled, is capable of producing a variety of crop, even those not usually grown in the region. - MARVIN HAMILTON
It also allows farmers to grow crops that are not local to the region.
“Technically there aren’t many indoor farms in 100-per-cent closed-environment agriculture. We are probably, in the Caribbean, the only manufacturer to manufacture from scratch our own container farm. We can grow from kale to strawberries to cherry tomatoes.
"We have done many trials throughout the last year, so we are comfortable at this point that the technology can give that consistency, so it’s basically limitless.
"The only thing we can’t grow is big trees at this point – but seasonings, flowers, fruits: we can do that.”
According to Cube Root managing director Hamlyn Holder, the farm container can produce kale and lettuce among as well as many other crops. - MARVIN HAMILTON
Holder said one of the company's goals for 2020 is the manufacture of seven container farms for new investors. He said it would also work alongside customers to ensure that events such as a glut of the produce do not take place.
“We also market the product so there is no glut on the market. We are trying to work with customers so that everybody grows and it is sustainable for the business model.”
He said a single farm can produce over 2,000 heads of lettuce twice monthly or once a month depending on demand.
Holder said the technology also ensures that no pesticides are used in the farming process, which instead uses an organic-based nutrient called Azomite and LED lighting systems.
Azomite, according to online sources, is a natural mineral substance that is mined from the desert in Utah and can be used as an agricultural fertilizer and/or soil amendment product.“We are striving for zero pesticides. Our technology is offering the option of zero pesticides (and) protection against bacteria, aphids, and fungus.”
Thursday 7 November 2019 Richardson Dhalai
Texas A&M Controlled Environment Agriculture Conference
This year, exclusive sponsorship opportunities are available for the 2019 Texas A&M Controlled Environment Agriculture Conference, December 5 at Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension, the Dallas Center (17360 Coit Rd, Dallas, TX 75252) at the Water and Land Resources Building
By urbanagnews
November 18, 2019
Texas A&M AgriLife Research and AgriLife Extension invite you attend our first annual ‘Controlled Environment: Urban Agriculture’ conference designed for new and prospective growers interested in specialty crop production under controlled environment (high tunnels, greenhouses, indoor vertical farms) and for experienced growers who want to learn more about the nuts and bolts of crop production in a controlled environment.
When: December 5, 2019
Where: Water and Land Resources Building at Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, 17360 Coit Rd, Dallas, TX 75252
Register at 979-845-2604 or https://agriliferegister.tamu.edu/horticulture
Topics
Urban agriculture – current production systems and technologies
Mastering environment control in indoor farming: How to improve crop performance with CEA technologies
Urban agriculture in the City of Dallas
Temperature control for container-grown plant production – A grower’s perspective
Nutrients/Fertilizers
Light management
More grower’s perspective!
Speakers
Dr. Joe Masabni, Assoc. Professor, Extension Specialist-Horticulture
Dr. Genhua Niu, Professor-Urban Horticulture
Dr. Mengmeng Gu, Assoc. Professor, Extension Specialist-Horticulture
Ms. Ling Sun, Technical Manager, Denise Farms
Ms. Karla Garcia, Technical Support, Hort Americas
Mr. Robert Curry, Special Projects Manager, City of Dallas
Mr. Drew Demler, Greenhouse Manager at State Fair of Texas
November registration fee $105
Onsite registration fee $125
TNLA members— $20 discount
TOFGA members—$20 discount
AgriLife Employees—$40 discount
CEA Conference Agenda Download
Sponsorship Program
Our sponsorship program recognizes donors who support initiatives of Texas A&M AgriLife Research and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.
This year, exclusive sponsorship opportunities are available for the 2019 Texas A&M Controlled Environment Agriculture Conference, December 5 at Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension, the Dallas Center (17360 Coit Rd, Dallas, TX 75252) at the Water and Land Resources Building.
Event details and registration are available at https://agriliferegister.tamu.edu/Horticulture.
This conference is designed for new and prospective growers interested in specialty crop production under controlled environment (high tunnels, greenhouses, indoor vertical farms) and experienced growers who want to learn more about the nuts and bolts of crop production in a controlled environment. Contact Dr. Genhua Niu at gniu@ag.tamu.edu, Dr. Joe Masabni at jmasabni@ag.tamu.edu or Dr. Mengmeng Gu at mgu@tamu.edu for details.
Contact:
Dr. Joe Masabni at jmasabni@ag.tamu.edu or
Dr. Mengmeng Gu at mgu@tamu.edu with AgriLife Extension
Dr. Genhua Niu at gniu@ag.tamu.edu with AgriLife Research
Grow Lettuce Indoors All Winter
There’s nothing better than biting into a nice, crunchy salad made with homegrown lettuce leaves, but with frost covering the backyard garden, you’re going to need to move production indoors. Luckily, lettuce is one of the easiest crops to grow inside, even if you’re new to indoor gardening
Kathleen Marshall | November 11, 2017
Takeaway: There’s nothing better than biting into a nice, crunchy salad made with homegrown lettuce leaves, but with frost covering the backyard garden, you’re going to need to move production indoors. Luckily, lettuce is one of the easiest crops to grow inside, even if you’re new to indoor gardening. Just follow these simple steps.
Buying fresh salad greens in the winter can be a pretty pricy endeavor. Fortunately, you can easily grow your own indoors, even if you’ve never tried indoor gardening before.
Choosing the Right Variety of Lettuce to Grow Indoors
You might think that lettuce is all the same, but loose-leaf varieties grow best in indoor gardens, especially in colder temperatures. This is important because even though you can control the temperature when you are growing indoors, the less heat you have to add to the grow space, the more economical your growing endeavor will become.
Varieties especially suited for growing indoors include black seeded simpson and tom thumb. Mesclun mixes, arugula, and baby spinach also do well but don’t be afraid of experimenting with other varieties or you might miss out on a special favorite you haven’t discovered yet. Loose-leaf lettuce grows quickly, can produce multiple yields and comes in a variety of colors to create a colorful salad.
Selecting the Right Location
If you can, choose a room that gets lots of natural light, but even if the room you choose has lots of natural light, your plants will need the help of artificial lights.
Lighting isn’t your only consideration when choosing where to grow your lettuce. Choose a room that isn’t too hot or freezing cold. Make sure you have easy access to water, as running from one end of the house to the other transporting water loses its fun-factor quickly.
Easy access to electricity is also important. You don’t want extension cords running through the house to power your supplemental heat or light sources.
Heat and Light Considerations for Growing Lettuce Indoors
To successfully grow lettuce, you’ll need a minimum of 12 hours of light, with 14-16 hours of light being ideal for most plants. If you are relying heavily on windows for some of your lighting needs, you’ll need to rotate your growing containers or your plants will lean towards the light as they grow
Keep in mind there are fewer daylight hours in the winter, so a supplemental lighting source is necessary. A wide array of grow lights will provide full-spectrum lighting, but some of the more advanced systems may seem pricey to novice indoor growers.
To start out your indoor gardening adventures, you can opt for a simple T5 grow light from your neighborhood hydro store. As you gain more experience and confidence in your abilities, you can always upgrade your equipment to match your needs. Make sure your light source is adjustable and keep it 4-6-in. above your plants. As the plants grow, you’ll need to raise the lights.
Most types of lettuce thrive in cooler temperatures and go to seed when it gets hot, but there are several varieties bred to be slow to bolt. Lettuce thrives in temperatures between 60 and 70˚F during the day, and about 10 degrees cooler at night. You can grow lettuce in cooler temperatures than these, but it will grow more slowly.
Picking the Right Medium
A seed-starting mix is ideal to use when you are growing lettuce indoors. It is lightweight, which makes it easy for seedlings to pop through the surface of the soil. A soilless potting mix is also a good choice. You can make your own with equal parts peat moss or coir, vermiculite or perlite, and sand.
Growing containers can be shallow, as lettuce does not have a deep root system. You can use growing trays from your local garden center or even recycle containers from home, like empty yogurt cups or egg cartons.
If you have an assortment of flowerpots or planter boxes, those will work just fine, too. It isn’t necessary for each plant to grow in its own container.
Fill your containers with moist potting mix and you are ready to plant.
Planting Lettuce
Plant your seeds about an inch apart, or about four seeds per pot if you are growing in seed-starting trays. Lettuce seeds are small, but if you sow seeds a little thicker than desired, you can simply pull any excess seedlings.
Once your seeds are in place, cover lightly with potting mix and mist with a spray bottle. It’s important to water gently so you don’t wash away the tiny seeds.
If you have a seed-starting tray, put the cover on it and keep it moist until the seedlings sprout. You can achieve the same effect by covering containers with plastic to create a greenhouse effect.
Moisture from the soil accumulates on the plastic and then drips onto the seeds. Once seeds have germinated, remove the plastic covering.
Fertilize when the first real leaves appear on your plants. I like to use an organic fertilizer that’s diluted by half. Avoid getting fertilizer on the leaves so you don’t burn your plants.
Harvesting Your Indoor Lettuce
You can expect to start enjoying the fruits of your labor within several weeks—in 20-30 days, your lettuce will have grown to about 4-in. tall. To harvest, cut the larger outer leaves. If you cut what you need just above the soil and allow the smaller parts to grow, you can extend your harvest to 2-3 cuttings.
For a continuous harvest all year, sow seeds every two weeks. You might have plans to grow lettuce outside when the weather warms up, but if you continue growing indoors, you won’t have to worry about slugs and rabbits eating your salads. And no one says you can’t do both! Experiment and decide what fits your needs the best.
Growing lettuce indoors is a rewarding project for beginners because it offers quick results with little effort. It’s also an excellent learning opportunity for children.
Once you’ve enjoyed a fresh, homegrown salad in the middle of winter, you may be inspired to try other indoor gardening projects like culinary herbs. Start small and add more as your experience allows.
Read More: Winter Lettuce Production Tips
Written by Kathleen Marshall
Kathleen Marshall has been gardening since she was old enough to hold a shovel. She is a master gardener through the University of Florida and likes to experiment with various types of growing, indoors and out. Her passion is self-reliance. Currently, she resides on a 100-acre homestead with her family, where she works on growing as much of her family's food as possible. Full Bio
UK Natural Light Growing Centre Opened For Business At Warwick’s Innovation Campus In Warwickshire
Agri-tech innovation centre Crop Health and Protection (CHAP) and its greenhouse innovation partner RIPE Building Services, have officially opened their new high-tech greenhouse facility at the University of Warwick’s Wellesbourne Campus.
7 November 2019
Agri-tech innovation centre Crop Health and Protection (CHAP) and its greenhouse innovation partner RIPE Building Services, have officially opened their new high-tech greenhouse facility at the University of Warwick’s Wellesbourne Campus.
The structure, named the Natural Light Growing (NLG) Centre, has been designed and built by RIPE Building Services, partnered by CHAP with £500,000 funding from Innovate UK. It was officially opened by Professor Janet Bainbridge OBE.
The NLG Centre is the first of its kind and will act as a demonstration facility and experimental hub for horticulture to investigate the effect of full-spectrum growing conditions on crops in a protected environment. The facility will host projects looking in detail at yield and speed of growth as well as traits like taste, health, and vigor.
Rather than being constructed from glass, the NLG Centre uses a new type of ETFE film, which transmits the full spectrum of UV light. The film is inserted into the light-weight frame design and tensioned using patented heat technology. The construction also uses a unique ground anchoring system that allows the structure to be built quickly and efficiently, without the need for traditional concrete foundations, in all weather conditions.
Over the next few months, CHAP will be launching early trials in the facility and holding a number of open-days to invite businesses to explore ideas for projects. As well as the unique light transmission qualities of the facility, the structure is also tall enough to accommodate vertical farming and has been designed with novel automation projects in mind.
Fraser Black, CEO of CHAP, said: “The NLG Centre at Wellesbourne Campus is another vital open-access facility for UK agriculture. We look forward to welcoming British growers to explore some of their key productivity challenges.”
Phillip Lee, Managing Director of RIPE Building Services, said: “We’re incredibly excited to be partnering with CHAP and officially launching our new prototype greenhouse at Warwick’s Wellesbourne Campus. The location is ideal for the facility, being part of Warwick’s innovation community as well as a major growing area in horticulture.”
Simon Swain, Vice-President for Regional and National Engagement at the University of Warwick, said: “The opening of the NLG Centre marks another exciting step in developing our Wellesbourne Campus as a centre for innovation, attracting novel thinkers, companies, and partnerships onto the campus to work alongside our own world-renowned crop scientists and automation engineers.”
-ends-
For further information contact:
Darren Hassall, Head of Marketing, CHAP
Darren.hassall@chap-solutions.co.uk
+44 (0)1904 462062
Or
Andrea Cullis, Media relations manager, University of Warwick
a.cullis@warwick.ac.uk
07825314874
Or
Ripe Building Services
info@ripebuilding.com
Notes for Editors
About CHAP
Crop Health and Protection (CHAP), funded by Innovate UK, is one of four UK Agri-Tech Centres. CHAP’s vision is for the UK to be a global leader in the development of applied agri-technologies, to help secure our future by nourishing a growing population sustainably while delivering economic, environmental and health benefits to society.
CHAP acts as a unique, independent nexus between UK government, researchers and industry, building innovation networks to identify and accelerate the development of cutting-edge solutions to drive incremental, transformative and disruptive changes in sustainable crop productivity and to establish controlled environment agriculture (CEA) as a core competency.
About RIPE
RIPE (The Rapid Installation Process for ETFE) is a spin-out of Evolve, the company where the Natural Light Growing concept originated. Evolve is pretty much the only ‘architectural’ design practice focused on horticulture in the world. We bring together all the appropriate technology in order to achieve optimal growing solutions and long-term profitable operations for our clients, always with a leaning towards sustainability. Our mantra is: It’s only sustainable if everybody can use it.
About the University of Warwick
The University of Warwick is one of the world’s leading research institutions, ranked in the UK’s top 10 and world top 70 universities. Since its foundation in 1965 Warwick has established a reputation of scientific excellence, through the Faculty of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (which includes WMG and the Warwick Medical School). A global university, Warwick was named in the top 25 of the Times Higher Education’s Most International University rankings.
About Professor Janet Bainbridge OBE
A biochemical engineer by training, Janet has worked as a specialist within the investment group of UKTI for 11 years and is currently working with the Northern Powerhouse to scope agri-food opportunities.
She has had a long career as a senior academic, has a Chair in Biotechnology and Food Science and has also been CEO of a private sector company. In 2000 she was awarded an OBE for services to Science and Technology.
Shenandoah Growers Opens Next Generation USDA Certified Indoor Biofarms In Virginia
The new BioFarms will solve persistent problems in the fresh product supply chain – delivering peak freshness, longer shelf life, enhanced food safety, reduced food miles, and year-round organic supply.
ROCKINGHAM, Va. — Shenandoah Growers, Inc., the US leader in indoor USDA certified organic agriculture, has begun harvests at its next generation BioFarm facilities in Rockingham and Elkwood, Virginia. The company will now grow, pack and ship locally grown, premium quality organic produce from its sustainable indoor farms to its customers in the Mid-Atlantic region 365 days a year.
Shenandoah Growers BioFarm Basil Plants
The new BioFarms will solve persistent problems in the fresh product supply chain – delivering peak freshness, longer shelf life, enhanced food safety, reduced food miles, and year-round organic supply. Shenandoah’s sustainable growing technology uses bioactive soil and fresh water, just like in nature, producing healthy organic plants and delivering on the company’s mission to reduce its carbon footprint and lead in environmental stewardship.
The Rockingham BioFarm will supply 100% of Shenandoah’s basil in the Mid-Atlantic region, marking the transition away from traditional field production. Basil is not only the best-selling herb, but it is also the most difficult to grow and ship nationally due to its vulnerability to weather volatility, disease and temperature damage. The Elkwood BioFarm will supply the company’s new line of local organic lettuces to Mid-Atlantic customers.
“Being able to grow the totality of our basil demand inside our pack house and not fly or truck hundreds or thousands of miles from the field was inconceivable when I entered the business over 20 years ago,” says Tim Heydon, CEO.
While Shenandoah Growers are pioneers in indoor organic agriculture, they are quick to emphasize that the company has been farming and operating in the industry for over 30 years. Chief Customer Officer Steven Wright intoned, “It’s one thing to be able to grow indoors, it’s quite another to harvest, pack and deliver with consistent quality 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year while meeting demand during peak seasons.”
The company points out that its indoor production units, many of which have been in operation for over 4 years, are proven efficient. According to company President, Phillip Karp, “Fundamentally we are about the democratization of sustainably grown organic produce, and for the promise of indoor agriculture to truly unlock its great potential, it must achieve cost parity with traditional farming. Anything we launch from our indoor farms will be scalable and profitable for us and our customers and affordable for the shopper.”
The company is in the process of accelerating its indoor farming capacity with a clearly defined plan to deploy additional next generation USDA certified organic Biofarms across its entire national platform of operating locations.
About Shenandoah Growers, Inc.
Founded in 1989, Shenandoah Growers is the leading grower and marketer of fresh organic culinary herbs in the United States, providing sustainable, USDA certified organic, regionally grown produce to retailers coast-to-coast. The Rockingham, Virginia-based company has developed the nation’s largest commercial indoor organic growing systems and continues to redefine how to bring fresh, organic, and sustainably farmed produce to market—operating across a nationally integrated platform of farms, production, and logistics facilities. For more information, please visit www.shenandoahgrowers.com.
Under the THAT’S TASTY® BRAND, Shenandoah Growers provides USDA organic, non-GMO, regionally grown, and sustainably farmed fresh culinary herbs and greens. Launched in 2017, the THAT’S TASTY BRAND offers consumers ways to add Pure Organic Flavor™ to their everyday cooking by offering a full line of products including living organic herb plants, fresh cut herbs, herb purees, lettuces and microgreens. www.thatstasty.com
US: COLORADO - EPFL + Caulys --> Inauguration - October 21st & 23rd, 2019
We have installed 18 automated indoor greenhouses at EPFL (Coupole, CO building), to produce ultra-local and fresh food for the campus!
We are pleased to invite you to the Inauguration Days
of the EPFL + Caulys installation!
What is it?
We have installed 18 automated indoor greenhouses at EPFL (Coupole, CO building), to produce ultra-local and fresh food for the campus!
This will be the occasion for you to explore the details of this unique urban farming installation, and enjoy delicious greens grown there!
When?
21st and 23rd of October 2019 from 12h00 to 14h00: information stand and tasting of microgreens grown on-site,
22nd of October 2019 from 12h00 to 14h00: presentation and aperitif!
At EPFL, just there!
We look forward to seeing you there!
Caulis team
What Is The State of Indoor Farming? Your Help Is Needed
The survey is open to all specialty crop growers and operators of enterprise farms, including operators of greenhouses, high tunnel farms, indoor facilities, and field growers, and will close for responses on Oct. 15, 2019
You still have time to submit to the Artemis Global Ag Report Survey!
Don’t miss your chance to help examine emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities facing specialty crop cultivators around the globe.
Every participating farm is eligible to obtain a complimentary Risk Assessment from our Regulatory Compliance Team!
We welcome you to join us in creating a valuable record of global agriculture insights in an effort to realize a stronger, safer supply chain.
The last day to submit your survey response is Saturday, October 19th.
Artemis, an enterprise Cultivation Management Platform (CMP), has launched its first Global Ag Report survey, which is designed to capture the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities for growers producing fruits, vegetables, ornamentals, cannabis, hemp, and other specialty crops. The survey will inform the newest iteration of the State of Indoor Farming Report, released in previous years by Artemis under the company’s former name, Agrilyst.
The survey is open to all specialty crop growers and operators of enterprise farms, including operators of greenhouses, high tunnel farms, indoor facilities, and field growers, and will close for responses on Oct. 19, 2019.
The purpose of the new and improved survey is to give specialty crop farmers an industry voice around the most significant issues they are facing today. Artemis plans to use the survey responses to inform its first Global Ag Report. The report will provide an overview of the global specialty crop industry, as well as a deep dive into key topics such as production and operations, technology, and market outlook.
“Today we work with large international specialty crop farms that face a different set of challenges and opportunities than smaller, local operations,” said Allison Kopf, CEO of Artemis. “This report will dig into their pain points and market potential, to produce a comprehensive look into the global specialty crop industry. That is our priority in constructing our new survey for the Artemis Global Ag Report.”
Data from the survey will be supplemented with additional research from Artemis, and growers can use these shared insights as a resource for industry awareness, strategic planning and implementation of best practices in coming years.
Artemis is a partner to some of the world’s largest farming companies. Since launching in 2015, it has seen strong customer growth with companies worth a collective $5 billion using the platform daily. Artemis has attracted a wide range of users that are foremost interested in the security, compliance, profitability, and potential to expand their operations.
Global Ag Report Survey
A Software Update Will Instruct Space Tomatoes To Sprout
t’s hard enough to grow tomatoes from seeds out in a sunny garden patch. To do it in sun-synchronous orbit—that is to say, in outer space—would seem that much harder. But is it?
For Humans, A Trip To The Red Planet Would Be Much
Improved With A Certain Red Fruit
Photo: DLR
This is a testbed for the Eu:CROPIS greenhouse assembly, shown here boasting a good-size plant with several substrates. The surroundings are for an earthbound test, and the plant is a dwarf “Micro-Tina” early-flowering tomato that is genetically engineered to grow in space.
It’s hard enough to grow tomatoes from seeds out in a sunny garden patch. To do it in sun-synchronous orbit—that is to say, in outer space—would seem that much harder. But is it?
That’s what plant biologists and aerospace engineers in Cologne and Bremen, Germany, are set to find out. Researchers are preparing in the next couple of weeks to send a software upload to a satellite orbiting at 575 kilometers (357 miles) above Earth. Onboard the satellite are two small greenhouses, each one bearing six tiny tomato seeds and a gardener’s measure of hope. The upload is going to tell these seeds to go ahead and try to sprout.
The experiment aims to not only grow tomatoes in space but to examine the workings of combined biological life-support systems under specific gravitational conditions, namely, those on the moon and on Mars. Eu:CROPIS, which is the name of the satellite as well as the orbital tomato-growing program, is right now spinning at a rate that generates a force equal to that of gravity on the surface of the moon.
The environment is designed to work as a closed-loop: The idea is to employ algae, lava filters, plants, and recycled human urine to create the cycle by which plants absorb nitrates and produce oxygen. Being able to accomplish all these tasks will be crucial to any long-term stay in space, be it on a moon base or a year-long flight to Mars. Any humans along for that kind of ride will be glad to get away from tinned applesauce and surely welcome fresh greens or, say, a tomato.
The German space agency DLR greenlighted Eu:CROPIS seven years ago as part of its compact satellite development program, says Hartmut Müller, a systems engineer and, until recently, project manager for Eu:CROPIS (he’s since moved on to new projects). The completed Eu:CROPIS launched nearly a year ago on top of a SpaceX rocket from Vandenberg AFB in California.
This photo was taken during the construction of the Eu:CROPIS satellite. The wiring shown here is used to control subsystems and sensors on the shell.
Photo: DLR
The satellite itself is about the size and shape of an overlarge oil drum. There are four experiments in total onboard Eu:CROPIS. There are two tomato greenhouses: one to simulate the moon, the other for Mars. The lunar experiment happens first; then the satellite will change its rotation speed for the Mars trial.
Alongside the greenhouses, each the size of a large breadbox is a small NASA experiment called PowerCell, which is a bacteria colony fed by photosynthetic microbes; the setup is examining cell transformation and protein production in bacteria naturally found in the gut and soil. There is also an experiment measuring long-term exposure to cosmic radiation.
Plant physiologist and Eu:CROPIS primary investigator Jens Hauslage is busying himself these days managing the pending software upload for the greenhouses, which he says will control the valves, pumps, heater, and lighting for irrigation and growth of the tomato plants. Before last year’s launch, the DLR sent him out into a pasture to explain on camera that when cows pee in the field, they are introducing ammonia to bacteria in the soil, which is converted to the nitrates, which feed plants. This nitrogen cycle, properly balanced, is fundamental to life.
The DLR looks to replicate this process in the little orbiting greenhouses in the spinning satellite and to do so with tomatoes, which are complex flowering fruits, in a closed-loop system. The experiment is meant to work quite simply—or as simply as any biological process can be in space.
When the software tells the greenhouse valves to open, a precious and small amount of water will dampen a substrate under the tomato seeds. The water rinses algae known as Euglena gracilis, which can grow into a photosynthetically active culture. The algae supplies oxygen into a trickle filter, which is made from porous lava rock. The filter is meant to convert urine/urea into nitrate. In this case, a synthetic urine will be used, simulating the human urine from a long-term space residency.
The system introduces urine into the filter, which converts it to nitrate until the photosynthetic oxygen production kicks in from the (hopefully, growing) tomatoes. This is the beneficial cycle by which plants ultimately absorb the nitrates they need: The algae prefer ammonia over nitrate, and so should protect the seedlings from potentially toxic ammonia levels, filtering the synthetic urine and putting this waste material to use as a nitrogen source for the plants.
Mustard greens grow in the vegetable plant chamber on the International Space Station.
Photo: NASA
Space farming has a robust history, and, experts say, a demanding future.
Soviet cosmonauts grew the first plants in space in 1982 on board the Salyut 7, nurturing a member of the mustard family. Three-plus decades on, NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) are set, in November, to grow spicy Espanola chili peppers, says Raymond Wheeler, a longtime NASA plant physiologist at the Kennedy Space Center, in Florida. The peppers would be the first edible fruit grown in space by U.S. astronauts, though joint U.S.-Russian efforts have been successful in raising greens, soybeans, and wheat. Pepper plants were launched into a two-day orbit onboard a U.S. satellite in 1967, but they were pregrown and are a whole other story.
“We’re still trying to figure out the best way to water plants in space.”—Gioia Massa, NASA
It took a long time to get even there. Raising flowering plants, like tomatoes or strawberries, is more complicated than greens. Gary Stutte, a horticulturist and space agriculture consultant—and a former NASA colleague of Wheeler’s who was principal investigator on four spaceflight experiments—worked for years during the ’90s on an ingenious earthbound program called The Breadboard Project. Researchers developed a 156-cubic-meter testbed which had a 20-square-meter area to grow plants in the simulated environment of a space colony.
Stutte says there’s much left to figure out, including how plants respond to partial gravity and how best to use new LED technologies to manage and optimize the 400- to 700-spectra wavelengths best suited for space-borne plant photosynthesis. “These different colors of light change the way the plant grows and decide whether pigments are produced, whether it’s purple or green, whether the stem is tall or short, whether the leaves are upright or not,” Stutte says.
Photo: NASA
NASA astronaut Christina Koch initiates a plant growth experiment on the International Space Station within a Veggie unit by filling the upper reservoir.
Gioia Massa, who works on the Veggie plant growth system for the ISS, says research into spectra for space plants has flowered in recent years to the point where horticulturists talk about “light recipes” for custom growth spectra and managing quality, intensity, and duration for different kinds of plants. Indeed, Eu:CROPIS will use the LEDs in the little greenhouses to try to boost the tomato seeds’ chances of success.
The vacuum of space is the harshest imaginable place for living things—the ongoing earthbound large-scale testbed for space farming, EDEN [PDF], operates out of a German station in Antarctica. Massa makes the point that it would be a pretty sad experience for a space traveler to have a plant failure on, say, day 70, and have to resort to warming up packs of processed food while they begin to plant all over again.
By learning more about plants, NASA hopes to advance long-duration space exploration, first to the moon and eventually to Mars. “We really need to learn a lot,” Massa says. “The behavior of water and gas flow changes so much in microgravity, and fluid physics is one of the most important things to test. We’re still trying to figure out the best way to water plants in space.”
They’ll want to sort that out before we get to our moon base.
This post was updated on 25 September 2019.
Lighting Control Platform Enables Dimming on Demand
Based on research conducted at the University of Georgia, Candidus has developed an adaptive lighting control system that assures that supplemental light is provided when the crop can best use that light and only in the amount that can be effectively used by the crop
Candidus is a startup company in Athens, GA, USA, that focuses on smart lighting control systems for the greenhouse industry. Their mission is to reduce the cost of supplemental lighting for greenhouse growers by implementing an adaptive lighting control system.
Candidus was co-founded by Drs. Erico Mattos and Marc van Iersel in 2017. Dr. Mattos studied photosynthesis optimization using LED lighting at the University of Georgia and previously founded a LED lighting company. Dr. van Iersel is a professor of horticulture at the University of Georgia, with a background in plant physiology and environmental measurement and control. His research focus is the optimization of the cost-effectiveness of LED lighting in horticulture.
Integration with third-party lighting
Candidus was awarded a US Department of Agriculture grant to develop an innovative adaptive lighting control system. Based on research conducted at the University of Georgia, Candidus has developed an adaptive lighting control system that assures that supplemental light is provided when the crop can best use that light and only in the amount that can be effectively used by the crop. The system will not change the basic lighting settings. "Because growers, not us, should decide how to grow their crop", Marc van Iersel clarifies. "But growers can very easily change the photoperiod and daily light integral, after which the controller will implement it."
Using instantaneous light measurements and a proprietary algorithm, Candidus’ control system determines exactly how much supplemental light to provide and when. Using an industrial microcomputer, the control system monitors the ambient sunlight and sends a dimming signal to third-party lights. Candidus’ supplemental lighting control system technology is particularly well-suited for use with dimmable LED fixtures, but can also be used with non-dimmable LED or HPS lights.
The Candidus controller
Candidus does not make light fixtures. Instead, the focus is on the development of optimal control systems for third party lights. The company is already working with several light manufacturers. "So far we have worked with Fluence BioEngineering and our first round of grower trials used their VYPRx Plus lights. We are also working with Illumitex and Osram", Marc says. "Most dimmable LED fixtures take a 0 – 10 VDC signal to control light output and our technology is fully compatible with such lights, regardless of brand. Osram uses a proprietary protocol for dimming, so that requires coordination between Osram and Candidus. But our hardware is fully capable of dimming those lights as well."
"Adjusting the lighting is simple and there really are no big challenges on that end of things as long as lighting manufacturers use dimmable drivers", Marc continues. "Some companies, like Signify, use non-dimmable drivers and those lights can only be turned on and off. The bigger challenge is with lighting systems that may not be designed in a way that allows growers to actually achieve their goals. For example, the overall lighting capacity may not be enough to allow growers to actually achieve the daily light integral when needed."
Web-based interface
Greenhouse growers use the control system through a web-based interface, entering only a few simple settings: the daily light integral target value, the time the lights should come on, and when the light should go off. If needed, growers can also program in low-intensity night interruption lighting for control of flowering of photoperiodic crops.
A sample of the monthly report growers get. Click here for a bigger version.
While the crop growth isn't monitored directly, Marc says they can make recommendations for a wide range of crops. "If growers are willing to share information on crop growth, we can make refinements in the lighting strategy."
At the moment, the Candidus platform doesn't tie in with existing cultivation software, but the company is interested in doing this in the future. "Hopefully, our software can be an integral component of control systems made by companies like Priva and Hoogendoorn", Marc says.
For more information
Candidus
info@candidus.us
www.candidus.us
Publication date: 9/16/2019
Author: Jan Jacob Mekes
© HortiDaily.com
Best Media For Your Hydroponics Setup?
Does it puzzle you to select the right media for hydroponics setup growing vegetables using the hydroponic method? different Hydroponic formats and hence require different kinds of media
Does it puzzle you to select the right media for hydroponics setup growing vegetables using the hydroponic method? different Hydroponic formats and hence require different kinds of media.
Hydroton
Hydroton or clay balls is expanded round clay pellets and is one of the more widely used media in India. It can be used on its own in hydroponics, aeroponics or deep water culture (DWC) or combined with other media esp. in drip systems (Grow bags, Trough system or Dutch Buckets). It allows maximum drainage and aeration. Hydroton can also be re-used if cleaned and sanitized properly with hydrogen peroxide.
Perlite
Perlite is a medium that is commonly found in soilless mixes. It is made from amorphous volcanic glass that has relatively high water content, typically formed by the hydration of obsidian. Be careful using this media by itself, as it will float.
Cocopeat
Coconut Coir is the most popular medium in India. It is Ph neutral and can be used for multiple months without sterilizing again. It works best when combined with another medium such as hydroton. Coir has excellent nutrient and water holding capacity. It should be cleaned and sterilized after around 6-8 months.
Oasis Cube
Oasis Cubes are manufactured from water-absorbent foam, Phenolic foam, also known as Floral Foam. They act as good starting plug for seedlings and plant cuttings, and not so much as a full growing medium. They are very cheap but have to be changed after every crop.
Jiffy Bags
fine cloth netting is filled with high-quality cocopeat and then compressed to form a “tikky” like coin pellet. It grows to approximately 7 times in height as soon the water is added. Cocopeat is held together by cloth netting and ensures optimum air/water exchange. Available in 1.25 Inch size. It is slightly costlier than the oasis cube but offers better seedling. Like oasis cube, it should also be changed after every crop
Conclusion:
Media plays a very important role in Hydroponic, hence selecting the right and Best Media for your Hydroponics setup is very critical for the optimum growth of vegetables.
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[INTERVIEW] For Indoor Farming, Why Are Cargo Containers More Optimal Than Warehouses?
Indoor farming projects have been touted for their environmental benefits, but a lack of scalability and profitability have caused smart farm startups to fail all over the world. However, Seoul-based automatic indoor farming startup n.thing is betting on a modular approach for success. The company found that shipping containers are appealing as scalable indoor vertical farming units, especially in countries that are short of fertile land.
The key to its flagship Planty Cube farming facility is a cluster of multiple 12-meter cargo containers, Kim Hye-yeon, CEO and co-founder of n.thing, said in an interview with The Investor.
August 23, 2019
Indoor farming projects have been touted for their environmental benefits, but a lack of scalability and profitability have caused smart farm startups to fail all over the world.
However, Seoul-based automatic indoor farming startup n.thing is betting on a modular approach for success. The company found that shipping containers are appealing as scalable indoor vertical farming units, especially in countries that are short of fertile land.
The key to its flagship Planty Cube farming facility is a cluster of multiple 12-meter cargo containers, Kim Hye-yeon, CEO and co-founder of n.thing, said in an interview with The Investor.
n.thing CEO and co-founder Kim Hye-yeon
Son Ji-hyoung / The Investor
“A stand-alone, single-unit shipping container is not suitable for farmers to do business,” the 34-year-old said. “The scheme to allow multiple shipping containers to be connected appealed to clients when they wanted to see how much space to use for indoor farming before their decision to buy.”
Farm owners may customize production volume and optimize green-growing environments simply by adding or removing cargo containers, making it easier to reflect the needs of farm owners with high flexibility.
Moreover, shipping containers are easy to find anywhere in the world, and they conform to international standards in size and quality, allowing the quality of produce to be consistent regardless of location.
“Such features make it much easier for us to export our indoor farming solution,” Kim said.
The startup’s effort may present a challenge to giant players, such as AeroFarms and Plenty. Their products -- indoor farms the size of a warehouse -- have limitations in exporting to foreign countries, Kim argued.
“Warehouses have higher ceilings, so there are differences in temperatures of warehouse indoor farms between higher places and lower ones. It can cause inefficiency in human effort for harvesting,” he said. “Also, a pest attack is likely to affect the whole of a warehouse farming area.”
A promotional image of modular indoor farm made up of cargo containers.
n.thing
In contrast, each Planty Cube unit is broken into 3-meter-high modules. Plants are sent to each module by stages of growth. Each module is assigned a role: loss control, seeding, sprouting, harvesting and pretreatment. The facility can grow leafy plants such as lettuce, as well as microgreens like herbs and sprouts. Each unit produces 300 kilograms of lettuce every four weeks at a default setting, except for the first seven weeks after the installation.
N.thing is inching closer to becoming the first indoor farming startup in Korea to win foreign customers. In Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, n.thing has embarked on a proof of concept with undisclosed partners in Korea and the UAE. It is considering expanding the smart horticulture business to other cities such as Dubai and Al Ain, as well as nations such as Singapore and Hong Kong.
“If we came up with warehouse-style indoor farming facilities, it wouldn’t have been attractive to clients in the Middle East,” he said.
Kim founded n.thing in January 2014. He was previously involved in a joint venture for an indoor agricultural facility in Uzbekistan. He studied electrical, electronic and communications engineering technology at Hanyang University.
The most crucial aspect to surviving in the automatic farming industry is a company’s ability to integrate diverse technologies into a solution -- from hardware like facilities and light-emitting diodes to software like internet-of-things sensors and farmer database.
“Technology companies with integrated farming solutions do not come overnight,” said Kim.
N.thing raised a combined 2.6 billion won ($2.1 million) in series A funding in December last year from investors including Naver-affiliated early-stage venture capital firm SpringCamp.
By Son Ji-hyoung (consnow@heraldcorp.com)