Contemporary Meals For Everybody: “The Sota Grown Undertaking Grows Indoor Greens At CLC”
Written By: Theresa Bourke
August 29, 2021
Even if the temperature inevitably drops below zero in winter, kale, lettuce and other leafy vegetables will continue to grow in the Sota Grown Indoor Food Production Container in the Ag & Energy Research Center on the CLC’s Staples campus, feeding those in need in the community.
“Today is an incredibly exciting day to see the research that has now brought this to our region,” said CLC President Hara Charlier during a project cutting ceremony on Friday, August 27th. “And we feel honored to be the home of the pod that was so lovingly cared for last year.”
“Sota Grown is a project by the Electric Power Research Institute, an international non-profit organization that researches and evaluates how technology and energy come together in terms of generation, transmission, distribution, use, and impact. The indoor food production container at CLC is one of 14 pods distributed across the country.
“The work done is being studied in the US – hopefully soon around the world,” said Frank Sharp, senior technical director at the Electric Power Research Institute, on Friday. “… The insights you all have are shared, and then the insights we gained in other locations come back here, and we achieved that by developing the same product.”
The various containers are located in different climatic zones – with another cold-weather capsule in Brookings, South Dakota – and will help researchers determine how energy and water consumption differ in the different climatic zones.
Great River Energy, a Maple Grove-based power transmission and generation cooperative, supplies power to the Todd-Wadena Electric Cooperative, which is the local host for the Sota Grown Pod at CLC.
“Fostering community concern and driving innovative technology are always paramount to us, and this project combines both,” said Mark Fagan, vice president and chief corporate and member services officer, Great River Energy. “… Indoor food production offered a new opportunity to show how efficient electricity and technology can work together to create ideal conditions for plant growth, yield and persistence.”
For the Todd-Wadena Electric Cooperative, the project is a way to collect data and find better ways to serve customers in the future while supporting the agricultural industry.
“Todd-Wadena Electric Cooperative was started by our local farmers and our farming community is still very important to our cooperative,” said Allison Uselman, member and Energy Services Manager. “… Of course, this technology will never replace traditional agriculture, but it is a way to complement it in a positive way. We, therefore, hope that we can use this project to possibly support this local Ag community in the future. “
The project not only has implications for the agribusiness and energy industries, Uselman said, but also for local education and healthcare.
As a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives Education Policy Committee, Rep. John Poston, R-Lake Shore, hopes to use the ‘Sota Grown Project to bring more agricultural studies into the classroom for younger students to invest in the future of farming , which he said had a lot to do with technology and input from the younger generations.
“You can imagine these could be used in some pretty interesting settings to do a really good job,” Poston said of the pod on Friday.
The health industry also benefits from the Sota Grown project, as the vegetables grown in the container go to Lakewood Health Systems, which distribute them to those in need across the community. The healthy foods find their way to all age groups – from children to seniors who use the “Meals on Wheels” program.
About 8% of Lakewood’s patients suffer from food insecurity, said community health director Alicia Bauman and about 12% of school-age children suffer from food shortages at home.
“So projects like ‘Sota Grown’ are really helping to bridge the gap to provide these healthy, nutritious foods to the families we care for,” said Bauman.
Noah Boelter, Research Analyst at Central Lakes College, speaks to visitors about indoor food production on the Staples CLC campus Friday, August 27, 2021. Boelter turned on the LED lights on the Food Pod, which are the only heat source required. also in the winter. Theresa Bourke / Brainerd Dispatch
Indoor food production, also known as container farming or vertical farming, uses technology, plant science, and controlled environments to create microclimates. The ‘Sota Grown container is hydroponic – that is, plants grow in a nutrient solution, not in soil – and allows the plants to grow year-round regardless of the outside climate.
The temperature in the pod stays at around 68 degrees, which is equipped with LED lights that provide all of the heat the vegetables need to grow.
A dehumidifier draws water from the outside to use in the pod, while a water tank needs to be filled regularly during the winter months.
About 200 kale seedlings are planted weekly, and the container uses about 7-7.5 gallons of water per day, which Sharp compares to about three or four quick hand washes.