Courtesy AeroFarms
Aerofarms uses aeroponic engineering science to commercially grow leafy leafy vegetable , such as arugula .
commercial-grade farming has meet its urban catch . AeroFarms , a company in Ithaca , N.Y. , offer aeroponic technology and business expertise to aid grow and sell leafy green in urban buildings on a commercial level . The aeroponic system is a type of aquicultural technology that sprays a mist directly onto the roots with the nutrients , hydration and O the plant require , allowing the plant to be uprise in buildings without ground or sun throughout the class .
Ed Harwood , CEO of AeroFarms , became familiar with aeroponics while researching cutting - edge engineering in USDA for the Cornell University Cooperative Extension . He discovered aeroponics is the most efficient agency of growing leafy greens .
“ Leafy greens are the in effect thing for us to wipe out in our diet . But they have a very short shelf life history out of all of the veg , ” Harwood explains . “ By acquire them locally , the shelf life is longer and good . And without sun and soil , there ’s little probability for contamination or disease . ”
In 2002 , Harwood successfully created an aeroponic prototype system to develop leafy greens . He scale the prototype into a commercial growing system , where he grew and sold greens commercially for several years under the name GreatVeggies .
Aerofarms uses aeroponic technology to commercially grow leafy greens, such as arugula.
Harwood says client ’ reply to the freshman taste , the longer shelf living and the innovative mixes of the greens were super confirming . He heard stories of people requesting the greens at restaurants with no dressing and students asking for more “ green confect . ”
The aeroponic growing systems utilise artificial luminousness , cloth fabric as a growing medium and nutrient spray inserted into a soil chamber to develop leafy greens in any expanse , let in abandoned warehouses .
In 2009 , Harwood change over his focus to developing and selling the growing scheme to farmers and enterpriser . Harwood renamed the company Aero Farm Systems LLC with support from 21Ventures , a technology venture uppercase monetary fund , to market the aeroponic technology .
AeroFarms is now a full - service supplier of aeroponic grow system that helps entrepreneur learn to use the growing system and profit from it .
“ You really have to keep your customer ’s hand through this process , ” Harwood says . “ I reckon it as a partnership — it ’s a potent , shared take experience between the farmer and us . They learn from my successes , and I learn from theirs . ”
AeroFarms ’ first paying customer was a group of Wall Street investors who wanted to start an urban farm as part of an effort to revitalize Newark , N.J. AeroFarms installed the aeroponic farm organisation at St. Phillips Academy , a schooling that provides private educational activity for disadvantaged youth . The growing system countenance the kids to grow leafy - fleeceable vegetables , which are used in the school kitchen to prepare healthy and nutritious constituent repast for the kids .
The Technology
The AeroFarms growing system utilise a cloth conveyor instead of soil as the growing spiritualist . Because one composition of cloth can last up to five years , the cloth is monetary value - effective and environmentally favorable . nutrient are applied immediately to the plant ’ roots , which requires less water compared to soil - based methods . lead lighting provides the plants with the most idealistic amount and miscellany of lighting .
AeroFarms growing system is design for old or vacant warehouse - type buildings , and therefore does n’t desolate land space . The AeroFarms growing organisation is modular and vertically stackable , which can turn 10,000 square foot of adeptness story infinite into nigh 30,000 solid feet of produce distance .
Harwood hop this technology will finally become mainstream .
“ We need to think about the next coevals in terms of better health and better food , ” he says . “ I require more hoi polloi participating in growing good food . I want this technology to be in reaching of people to set up occupation and provide better foods for mass . ”
Visit theAeroFarms websiteto memorize how to determine up your own commercial uprise system .
