Farmers Gardening on the Farm Read Aloud Book on Youtube
Cities are heavily reliant on imported food to survive. Be it from the countryside that surrounds it, or from other countries hundreds or fifty-fifty thousands of miles away.
In the latter case, this requires packaging, storing, and transportation of fresh food in such a manner that it arrives at its terminal destination unspoiled and most as skillful as the moment it was picked. A vast, seemingly insane, investment in labor and free energy could be avoided if the food could be grown in the metropolis. But, with real estate usually at a premium, how could this be possible?
Enter a system called vertical farming.
This revolutionary form of agriculture is still rather much in its infancy, but the potential for it is truly groundbreaking. Let'south discover out why.
What is vertical farming?
Vertical farming, as the name suggests, is a form of agriculture that is specifically designed to facilitate farm production inside vertical structures similar buildings. Large-calibration versions tend to consist of a series of vertically stacked surfaces that are usually, though non always, integrated into existing buildings, similar function blocks.
They can also exist created inside repurposed warehouses, used aircraft containers, greenhouses, or other buildings that would commonly not exist suitable for large-calibration farming.
You can also brand small, domestic-scale, ones in your own home or garden on a shoestring budget.
For this reason, among others, vertical farming can be performed in places that traditionally lack the enormous amounts of open infinite needed for growing crops — like in metropolitan areas.
Vertical farming is a revolutionary, and arguably more sustainable, method of farming for several reasons. For example, information technology tends to require much less water than regular farming — by some estimates up to 95% less.
This is because a proportion of the h2o used can be recycled and reused. Additionally, less water is lost to evaporation.
It as well takes up less space (peculiarly the ground footprint), and has little to no affect on local natural soils (apart from the ground surface right below). Co-ordinate to the Vertical Farming Institute, every foursquare meter (10.76 sq ft) of floor space given over to vertical farming produces approximately the same amount of vegetable crops equally 50 square meters (538 sq ft) of conventionally worked farmland.
By and large speaking, vertical farms tin exist operated without the use of pesticides and herbicides that are potentially very dissentious to the environment. Because of the controlled conditions provided by vertical farms, all-year-round cultivation of crops is likewise usually fabricated possible.
Vertical farms are also seen as a great way to bargain with an urban miracle called "food deserts". This refers to heavily populated areas that lack access to fresh foods like fruits and vegetables. Because vertical farms can more often than not be congenital on a minor footprint (or within existing structures), they can better piece of cake access to fresh food, which would not need to be shipped from afar farms. The fresh nutrient can exist sourced locally, rather than needing to be shipped in and stored prior to consumption.
How does vertical farming piece of work?
Vertical farms tend to consist of one of several models, ranging from stacked wooden shelves on garden patios to warehouses and greenhouses that are able to produce enough food for unabridged communities, to retrofitted facilities in buildings like skyscrapers.
Some, like those built by Eden Greenish Engineering, consist of peculiarly designed towers with stacked plant cups. For larger, purpose-built vertical farms, hydroponic systems are often employed to help control the indoor climate all year circular.
Other aspects of vertical farms can also be regulated, including automated control of temperature, light, and humidity. A high level of control is usually vital for the success of the farm, every bit failure to maintain specific weather can lead to the loss of entire crops, in a similar fashion to how events such equally droughts and floods impact traditional farms.
At that place are many other examples, and we'll cover a few notable ones in a bit.
How to beginning vertical farming or how can you invest in vertical farming?
If yous are interested in investing or indeed starting your own vertical farm, you have a few options, simply these volition too depend on your aspirations. For domestic-scale "off the grid" kind of strategies, uncomplicated vertical farms can be created using old pallets, or other custom-made solutions.
Yous can too buy customized, or standardized, off-the-shelf vertical farm solutions too. We take included a few examples after in this article.
For larger-scale vertical farming options, you can either straight invest in existing vertical farms (either public or individual), or raise enough capital to set your own. This will, obviously, require large amounts of capital, but the potential for such solutions is predicted to rise dramatically over the coming years.
Some companies (also listed beneath) offer larger-scale pre-packaged vertical farming solutions that can be apace scaled upwardly, depending on needs. Many of these solutions can as well be combined with more traditional farming techniques, too.
What are some examples of vertical farming?
At present nosotros've covered some of the basics, let's accept a await at some interesting examples of vertical farming techniques currently available. This list is far from exhaustive and is in no particular order.
ane. Hydroponics – growing plants without soil
Hydroponics is a common system of growing plants used in most forms of vertical farming, and it is slowly but steadily gaining importance. It involves the growth of plants in solutions of nutrients, rather than soil — every bit in traditional farming.
In this vertical farming method, the roots of the plants are submerged in a food-rich solution which is oftentimes circulated and monitored.
2. Aeroponics – growing plants with no soil and very little h2o
Aeroponics is another method used in vertical farming. Start proposed in the early-20th century, the technique was refined by NASA in the 1990s when it was looking for efficient techniques to abound plants in infinite.
This technique involves the growing of plants in an air or mist environs, with no soil and very petty water.In aeroponics, seeds or seedlings are "planted" in pieces of foam stuffed into tiny pots, which are exposed to low-cal on one finish and nutrient mist on the other. The foam holds the stem and root mass in place equally the plants abound.
Aeroponics is considered i of the most efficient methods of vertical farming, equally it uses over 90% less h2o than even the most efficient hydroponics systems.And since the nutrients are held in the h2o, they get recycled, too.It has also been observed that the plants that are grown this way tend to take up more vitamins and minerals, which may make the plants healthier and more nutritious. The extra oxygen the plants are exposed to also results in faster growth.
3. Aquaponics – growing fish and plants together in 1 identify
Some other technique used in vertical farms is aquaponics. In this organization, fish abound in indoor ponds and produce nutrient-rich waste that acts as a food source for the plants grown in vertical farms.
The plants, in return, purify and filter the wastewater, which is recycled directly back into the fish ponds.
Along with fish and plants, microbes likewise play an of import role in converting fish waste products into useful nutrients for the plants, likewise.
iv. Lokal – growing food in situ
Another interesting vertical farming innovation is a organization called Lokal. Developed in collaboration with IKEA's Infinite 10 innovation lab, Lokal is a sort of pop-up farming system. Crops are grown hydroponically, and it primarily relies on artificial light, like LEDs, rather than natural sunlight.
According to the designers of Lokal, their system allows plants to abound three times faster than traditional gardens. In the demonstration model, a salad bar was prepare in front of the farm, so that the food could exist served upwards straight away
In the future, information technology is hoped to integrate sensors and machine learning into the organisation to enable it to connect to and be controlled by, devices like Google Home.
5. AeroFarms – the smart vertical farming innovation
First founded in 2004, a company called AeroFarms is making waves in the field of vertical farming. Using a modified form of aeroponics, they have combined genetics, engineering, food condom, data scientific discipline, and nutrition into developing their products.
According to AeroFarms, "our commercial farms are optimized for year-round production, no matter the season or atmospheric condition, and we have grown over 550 different varieties of plants including leafy greens, berries, tomatoes, and more."
AeroFarms aims to transform the whole organisation of agronomics by building and making farms that are environmentally responsible. They are edifice farms around the world to make certain there is a local product of food that is nutritious, rubber, sustainable, and delicious.
In short, they desire to abound more crops in less space in the hopes of bringing near a food revolution.
6. Plantscapers – a building that provides food for its occupants
A Swedish food tech company called Plantagon has come up with a creative solution that allows role spaces, and other high-rise buildings, to help abound food to aid feed its occupants. Their organisation is, in part, based on the concept of vertical greenhouses developed by Åke Olsson — from whom they bought the intellectual holding rights in 2008.
Olsson developed a rack transport system that gradually moves the planting boxes from the flooring to the ceiling of a vertical greenhouse, thus requiring no artificial light. This arrangement tin be installed in new builds, or retrofitted to existing buildings.
At present, the visitor is currently attempting to showcase its vertical farming system into a purpose-built building in Linköping, Sweden.
It is hoped that it volition be able to produce plenty food to feed nigh 5000 people, and includes high-level automation that will be employed for the maintenance and harvest of plants in order to proceed the costs very low.
Moreover, everything from sunlight, temperature, and nutrition, to the air quality will be measured through autonomous and controlled systems.
If the concept becomes a success, more than countries, such every bit Singapore, Hong Kong, United States, and others take plans to adopt it besides.
vii. VertiCrop – a sustainable farming technique for urban areas
VertiCrop is a proprietary agriculture technique that was been described every bit one of the "World'southward Greatest Inventions" by Fourth dimension Magazine in 2009. This patent-pending applied science was designed and developed and then that food could exist grown naturally in the surroundings of humming urban areas.
This vertical farming method provides up to twenty times the yield of standard field crops, while simultaneously using only 8% of the h2o that is usually needed for soil farming.
The vertical farming innovation works on a suspended tray configuration that is unique in itself and moves on a conveyor system. VertiCrop offers optimal exposure to both artificial and natural light in addition to nutrients that are precisely measured for every plant.
Information technology has been designed in such a way that it can promote the salubrious growth of crops in controlled and airtight-loop environments. Furthermore, information technology entirely gets rid of the need for using harmful herbicides and pesticides and maximizes food value, nutrition, and above all, taste.
8. Modular farms – produce fresh plants virtually anywhere in the world
Developed past a company called ModularFarms, this vertical farming solution is an entirely indoor organization that has the power to produce healthy and fresh plants virtually in any climate and anywhere in the world.
Not only that, but information technology provides a level of customization that provides it most endless application possibilities. Being modular, this vertical farming solution can be scaled apace in both size and the types of crops information technology tin can grow.
Their vertical farming arrangement uses purpose-built steel containers (not modified aircraft containers) that can exist installed to supplement existing farms, remote isolated communities, or dense urban centers. Each container is finer self-sufficient and includes everything from lighting, water supply and treatment, ecology control, and everything else the plants need — but hook it up to the power and h2o supply.
9. Cubic farming systems – the next-gen in sustainable farming
Some other interesting development in vertical farming is something called CubicFarms. This fully automated, environmentally-controlled system uses specialized trays that can be moved in a "v-shape" motion to ensure all sides of the plant receive just the correct corporeality of lite to maximize their growth.
The organization is based on the concept of hydroponics, with the addition of sophisticated water, food, calorie-free, and environmental control systems all independent within specially designed steel containers. Each installation tends to be custom-built and is shipped in an effectively complete state.
10. ZipGrow – vertical farming for the modern farmer
Another interesting solution in vertical farming comes from a visitor called ZipGrow. They accept combined the tried and tested utilize of greenhouses, with the principles of vertical farming and hydroponics to develop an innovative, low-cost, high-yield method of farming.
Suitable for domestic and industrial scale, ZipGrow'due south solutions also offer, in theory at least, all-yr-circular crop product for its clients exist them commercial farmers or homeowners and hobbyists.
The ZipGrow organisation uses a specially designed rack system with bogus lighting and a specially designed h2o recirculation system that saves between ninety and 95% of h2o consumption over more conventional farming techniques.
eleven. Bowery – possibly the most technologically sophisticated commercial indoor farm in the world
Utilizing hydroponics, Bowery is some other visitor making waves in the vertical farming community. Its vertical stacking solution can, co-ordinate to the company, let users to produce 100 times more than produce for the aforementioned infinite if traditional farming techniques were used.
Bowery's organisation makes utilise of LEDs, and finely controlled air weather, to provide plants with the "platonic balance of nutrients, light, oxygen, and COii."
It also uses a closed-loop arrangement to circulate and purify h2o in guild to oxygenate plants and significantly reduce water consumption.
12. Skyfarm – a air current-powered vertical farming tower
The architectural business firm, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners from London have developed designs for a new, and interesting, vertical farming concept called Skyfarm. The idea is to build a hyperboloid tower that makes utilize of different farming techniques including aquaponics and traditional soil-based planting methods to produce crops within high-density urban areas or at places where land availability is less.
The multi-story edifice would too partially be built from bamboo, to create a rigid circular frame while maximizing the sun exposure on the farm. The tower supports both the growth of crops and fish together through a re-circulating organisation where the nutrients from fish water are fed to the crops while the plants provide filters for the fish to thrive.
The bottom of the tower would contain market and restaurant spaces to help raise awareness amid the public, likewise as let them to enjoy the fruits of the projection. On the next level, a large transparent tank consisting of freshwater for the farming of fish like bass, tilapia, and barramundi. Above this, plants would be grown using a hydroponics organisation.
Higher up the hydroponics level, plants would be grown through aeroponics using only water mists and no soil. And finally, the elevation of the belfry would have water tanks and turbines to power the whole affair.
This tower is an case of a sustainable solution for growing produce with a short shelf life around the yr with easy accessibility for the urban population.
13.Sky Greens – possibly the world'due south kickoff hydraulically-driven vertical farm
The Singapore-based company Sky Greens has developed a revolutionary vertical farming system which might also exist the world's first low carbon, hydraulically driven farm. Vegetables are planted on specially designed growing troughs, mounted on A-shape aluminum frames, that are kept on rotation throughout the solar day.
These frames can exist every bit loftier every bit 30-feet (9 meters) alpine, each with 38 tiers of growing troughs, and each capable of accommodating unlike growing mediums like soil or hydroponics.
The plants at the bottom receive water, while the ones at the peak receive sunlight, with all plants constantly cycled throughout the day. This arroyo, the designers believe, minimizes the use of water, state, and free energy over conventional farming techniques.
In addition, the Sky Urban Vertical Farming System is capable of producing, information technology is claimed, ten times more yield compared to traditional farms. While the system is currently used to abound varieties of Asian vegetables, it could conceivably exist used to grow all kinds of fruits and veggies.
And that, vertical farming enthusiasts, is your lot for today.
With more and more people living in cities, and the pressure for supplying expert quality fresh nutrient close to the point of consumption, solutions like vertical farming could well be the time to come of farming in many parts of the world.
From dense urban settings to more hospitable parts of the world, vertical farming is but only "finding its legs" and is predicted to be a very large player in the futurity of agriculture.
Source: https://interestingengineering.com/13-vertical-farming-innovations-that-could-revolutionize-agriculture
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