Category: Vertical Farming

FarmBox Has Positive Impact on Community College Campus

Morgan Community College received its Vertical Hydroponic Farm in 2024 and immediately drew interest from the community. Kids from all grade levels were invited to tour the farm, as were local stakeholders and dignitaries during two community open houses. Since then, MCC professors have used the FarmBox to teach general sustainable agriculture practices, and have incorporated students from multiple departments, from biology and agronomy to precision forming hardware, business and multimedia graphic design. Thus far, students have successfully grown broccoli, bok choy, parsley, Korean ponytail radishes, cherry tomatoes, arugula, oregano, basil, Mexican mint marigold, Asian green mix, romaine, dill, chives and jalapeños.

Bill Miller, Precision Agriculture Faculty & Division Chair for Career Technical Education programming, said agronomy students choose a specialty crop for their final research project.College students holding up bags of harvested veggies outside the container farm that grew them.

“We do it from start to finish and look at how it produces, how long it takes to germinate, how until it’s mature enough to transplant, how did it grow in the walls, what are the nutrient vales,” Miller said.

Just before harvesting, Miller puts out a message to faculty and students and invites them to take produce home. Rising Up, a nonprofit in Morgan County, also regularly picks up fresh veggies for its food bank. “Everyone loves” the FarmBox, and it has become a vital and dynamic teaching tool on the campus, Miller said.

Early childhood education facilities have toured the Vertical Hydroponic Farm, as have high school students learning about agribusiness. Hundreds of others, including community leaders, have also had a chance to see the operational farm up close, and they’ve marveled at its capabilities and potential for further applications going into the future.

Tech Advancements Reshaping What Farming Looks Like

Technological advancements in farming have dramatically transformed the way we grow and manage crops. Precision agriculture, which uses GPS, sensors, and data analytics, allows traditional farmers to monitor soil conditions, water usage, and crop health in real-time. This technology helps optimize resource use, reduce waste, and increase yields. When applying inputs like water and fertilizers more precisely, farmers can achieve better results with less environmental impact.

Automation is another significant breakthrough in modern farming. Robotics and AI-driven machinery are increasingly used for tasks such as planting, weeding, and harvesting. These technologies reduce labor costs and improve efficiency, especially in large-scale operations. Drones are also becoming more common, helping farmers survey their fields from above, monitor crop growth, and even apply treatments like pesticides more accurately.

Vertical farming, a method of growing crops in stacked layers, has gained popularity as a space-efficient and environmentally friendly solution. This approach uses less water, eliminates the need for soil, and allows for year-round production regardless of weather conditions. By controlling the environment, vertical farms can produce consistent and high-quality yields with fewer resources compared to traditional farming.

Container-based farms, a specific type of vertical farming, are an exciting innovation and have been developed in part by FarmBox Foods. These farms repurpose shipping containers into self-contained, climate-controlled growing environments. Equipped with advanced hydroponic or aeroponic systems, they enable food production in urban areas or places with limited agricultural space. Container farms are highly efficient, using up to 90% less water than traditional methods and often running on renewable energy.

Tech advancements like precision agriculture, automation, vertical farming and container-based farms are revolutionizing the farming industry. They make it possible to grow more food with fewer resources, reduce environmental impact, and bring fresh produce closer to consumers, even in urban settings. These innovations are not just enhancing productivity but also paving the way for a more sustainable and resilient agricultural future.

 

FarmBox Foods, CORE Electric Unveil Tree Seedlings for Reforestation

On July 17, CORE Electric Cooperative (CORE) and FarmBox Foods, a Colorado-based manufacturer of controlled-climate farms, unveiled the first tree seedlings for a first-of-its-kind program focused on reforestation of wildfire-affected areas of the Front Range.

CORE’s Vertical Hydroponic Farm is housed inside an upcycled, insulated shipping container that FarmBox is using for research and development, with the goal of replanting blue spruces and ponderosa pines, both native species in Colorado, in places impacted by wildfires within CORE’s service area.

Guided tours of the box and interviews were provided by subject matter experts. CORE and FarmBox Foods’ executive teams also attended, as did research advisers from CSU-Spur and members of the media from 9News and The Denver Channel/KMGH.

“CORE’s partnership with FarmBox has given us an innovative way to support Colorado’s natural resources and continue our dedication to environmental stewardship,” said Pam Feuerstein, CORE’s Interim CEO.

FarmBox Foods began successfully growing tree seedlings and saplings in the controlled-climate container farm in 2021, but the Vertical Hydroponic Farm purchased by CORE is the first to be solely dedicated to tree propagation. FarmBox Foods operates the indoor tree farm at its home base in Sedalia and is conducting research on drought resistance, nutrient dosing, lighting and other growing parameters.

“We couldn’t have asked for a better partner to launch a ground-breaking program like this,” said Rusty Walker, CEO of FarmBox Foods. “CORE is pioneering something that could have a tremendous impact beyond just Colorado, and we have the technology and the team to make it happen.”

Family-Run Hydroponic Farm Takes Root in Nebraska

A local family is celebrating the launch of a new business centered around serving the Platte Valley community sustainably grown greens using an indoor vertical hydroponic farm.

Thirsty Roots Farm (‘TRF’) is a controlled-climate, water-efficient, tech-assisted vertical hydroponic farm housed inside an upcycled shipping container and is able to grow food year-round.

TRF is a multi generation family business owned and operated by the Kerrs: Jarod, Maggie, Jim, and Nancy. Jarod (2011 Scottsbluff High School alumni) and Maggie Kerr provide the business expertise and entrepreneurial spirit that have brought this innovative vision to life. Jim and Nancy Kerr bring lifelong growing expertise as members of farming families and firsthand knowledge of the Scottsbluff community as residents for over 40 years. Together, they started Thirsty Roots Farm to bring fresh, local, sustainable greens to communities and are starting right here with ROOT 1. This hydroponic farm will look to supply produce to local businesses in order to increase their reach and serve as many people these delicious greens as possible.

As of this week, TRF has launched a partnership with Powerhouse on Broadway, which is located in the City of Scottsbluff and recently opened their doors in January. Unsurprisingly, it is also owned by a longtime local family, Kerri and Dave Schaff. Powerhouse on Broadway specializes in farm-to-table dishes, making Thirsty Roots Farm a premiere partner to serve customers greens grown 4 miles down the road instead of 2,000 miles across the country. The excited growers and chefs have come together to develop specialty salads that will offer patrons a fresh and exciting dining experience. The deep color, variety of textures, and explosion of flavor in the greens combined with the creative vision of the chefs showcase a summer menu to truly be excited about. Also, the flavors extend beyond the salad bowl to their cocktail menu featuring edible flowers and fresh herbs jazzing up their libations. Pro tip: salads and cocktails are best enjoyed on the primetime Powerhouse on Broadway patio right on the new 18th Street Plaza.

The Kerrs are proud to begin their entrepreneurial journey with ROOT 1 to bring nutritious produce to this community that deserves high quality food and introduce a concept whereby residents can access fresh, locally-grown food at their favorite establishments all year long. This vertical hydroponic farm, built by FarmBox Foods, is helping share the family’s passion and experience of growing nutrient-dense, delicious food while celebrating their roots.

As Thirsty Roots Farm broadens its offerings in ROOT 1, it will announce additional partnerships and make items available to customers through its online store. Follow along on their journey by liking ‘Thirsty Roots Farm’ on Facebook, following them on Instagram @ThirstyRootsFarm, or by visiting their website www.ThirstyRootsFarm.com

About Thirsty Roots Farm

Thirsty Roots Farm is sustainability, community, and nutrition conveniently combined into a climate-controlled steel container. We are relentlessly striving to solve the problems of food availability and quality with year-round bountiful harvests as close as your nextdoor neighbor. Through innovation and a dedication to the small-scale farm systems sewn into the roots of our history; Thirsty Roots is empowering small businesses and communities to take the quality and availability of nutritious meals into their own hands.

What Types of Plants Grow in a Vertical Hydroponic Farm?

We dedicated more than two years to research and development, figuring out what will and will not grow in our containerized Vertical Hydroponic Farm.

The following list is not meant to be all-encompassing, but rather provide a snapshot of the types of crops that we and our customers have focused on, like yellow onions, collard greens, kale, a range of different micro greens, bok choy, red leaf beet and watercress. Of course, we’re always experimenting and adding to the list.

Vertical hydroponic farm

Peppers

    • Jalapeno- Jefe, Jalafuego
    • Habanero- Helios, Paper Lantern
    • Serrano- Altiplano
    • Sweet Pepper- Lunch Box
    • Cayenne- Red Flame
    • Ghost peppers

Tomatoes

    • Slicer- Mountain Fresh
    • Grape- Verona
    • Cherry- Sakura

Lettuces

    • Romaine
    • Muir
    • Rex
    • Magenta
    • Rouxai
    • Red Butterhead
    • Green Butterhead
    • Green Star
    • Ezflor
    • Grazion
    • Red Oak
    • Tropicana
    • Frisee

Herbs

    • Cilantro
    • Parsley
    • Chives
    • Oregano
    • Prospera Basil
    • Genovese Basil
    • Purple Basil
    • Spicy Bush Basil
    • Dill
    • Lavender
    • Purslane
    • Mint

Greens

    • Rainbow Chard
    • Collard Greens
    • Red Vein Sorrel
    • Arugula
    • Dandelion
    • Golden Frills
    • Kale
    • Tatsoi
    • Red Kingdom
    • Spinach- Lizard, Space

Flowers

    • Viola
    • Marigold
    • Nasturtium

Cucumbers

    • Pickler- Excelsior

Beans

    • Bush Beans

Starters

    • Pumpkin- Jack O’Lantern
    • Sunflower- Giant, Skyscraper, Mixed Colors
    • Marigold- Crackerjack, French Double Dwarf

Edible Beats Announces Hydroponic BeatBox Farms At Vital Root

Edible Beats, the Denver-based restaurant group that includes Linger, Root Down, Vital Root, Ophelia’s and El Five, has announced the installation of a Hydroponic FarmBox by Colorado-based FarmBox Foods in the backyard of their plant-based Denver staple, Vital Root.

Edible Beats, the 100% Employee-Owned Denver-based restaurant group founded by Chef Justin Cucci, has announced the installation of a Hydroponic FarmBox by Colorado-based FarmBox Foods in the backyard of their plant-based Denver staple, Vital Root.

Coined BeatBox Farms, the hydroponic farm fits perfectly into the Edible Beats family, where a love of music and sustainability are at the forefront of every initiative. This specific initiative is a step towards providing all of their restaurants, including Root Down, Vital Root, Linger, El Five and Ophelia’s with their own homegrown fresh produce, adding to their over 50% locally sourced ingredients within Colorado. Embedded in the fabric of Edible Beats restaurants are their commitment to sustainability and waste reduction. From 100% wind-powered buildings, to compostable storage bags and gloves, BeatBox Farms is another step towards reducing packaging waste and lowering their carbon footprint, as it eliminates the shipping of the produce.

Within the 320-square-foot Vertical Hydroponic Farm (VHF), plants will go from seed to harvest and can yield the equivalent of up to 2.5 acres of farmland annually, with the capability to grow 7,800 plants at once. Expecting to harvest 120 lbs of veggies and greens weekly, they will be growing a variety of produce: Red Russian Kale, Runaway Arugula, Tat Soi, Hon Soi, Wasabina Mustard Greens, Scarlet Frills Purple Mustard Greens, Watercress, Basil, Cilantro and Dill. And by filtering and recycling water, BeatBox Farms uses 99% less water than traditional farms, and is committed to being pesticide-free, insecticide-free and fertilizer-free. All factors that allow Edible Beats to avoid groundwater contamination.

At the helm, Edible Beats FarmBox Cultivator and AgriCULTURist, Cori Hunt has had a rich history in the culinary and farming world. After working in Central Illinois to start the first Farm/Restaurant collaboration, Epiphany Farms, Cori says, “I have witnessed the better path first hand. Now I strive to help spread the word of this better path and align myself with likeminded people and groups. That led me to Edible Beats, who have been on the frontlines of this concept in Denver since the conception of Root Down.”

With this kind of local farming, the self contained vertical hydroponic grow system produces 10x more volume year round then the equivalent size of a traditional farm, with a daily consumption of roughly $20 in energy, and only 4 gallons of water per day. Cori shares, “Together we are attempting yet again to break as many molds as possible, pick up the pieces and build a better future.” As a leader in farm-to-table dining, Chef/Founder Justin Cucci has pioneered a culture of sustainability over the years with practices that go well beyond the kitchen. “I really wanted to have a sustainable culture for the employees,” explained Cucci.

This year, Edible beats joined a small handful of restaurants in the country, implementing a pioneering, self-funded 100% Employee Stock Ownership Plan. Rarely seen in the restaurant industry, his 350+ Edible Beats employees will all share in the long-term financial worth of the company, which Cucci calls “the quintessential win-win.”

What Happens When There’s Not Enough Water to Go Around?

Water conservation in agriculture is a big topic of conversation as seven southwestern states try to figure out how to curb their water

Decades-old water compacts didn’t account for prolonged extreme drought conditions or the level of population growth. We need to be better about capturing and storing rain and snowmelt, but it’s obvious that cutting usage where we can is going to be key to ensuring the survivability of communities throughout the southwest. This is a very real challenge, and it’s one we’re faced with right now, before we encounter a dead pool situation that would have a catastrophic domino effect.

We’ve spent recent years figuring out how to grow food with fewer natural resources. As much as 50 percent of the water we use outdoors is lost due to wind, evaporation, and runoff caused by inefficient irrigation methods and systems. A household with an automatic landscape irrigation system that isn’t properly maintained and operated can waste up to 25,000 gallons of water annually.

The Vertical Hydroponic Farms we build are designed to limit water loss to evaporation and to get the most out of every drop of water. We capture, filter and recycle it back through our system, and you can water your outdoor plants with any nutrient-rich water that’s left over. It’s not the entire solution, but it’s one way that technology can help ease the burden on our fragile water supply.

Farming Solutions for a Sustainable (and Less Scary) Future

Farming Solutions are needed – It seems every day you come across a news story that paints a very bleak future for traditional farming and the consumers who benefit from it.

We’ll briefly explore the many challenges facing the agricultural industry, but we’ll also posit some potential ways for farming operations large and small to adapt to changing times and conditions.

Shifting climate patterns are making it vastly more difficult to predict whether a crop will make it to harvest. Heat waves, hail storms, cold snaps and floods have become more pervasive and intense in recent years. Even crops that may not be directly affected by catastrophes, like the severe drought currently gripping the western portion of the U.S., are being indirectly impacted by residual factors, like smoke from wildfires.

We’re also facing other crippling issues without a foreseeable fix. Supply chains that support agriculture have been stretched to their limit since the beginning of the pandemic for a variety of reasons, including transportation availability, labor shortages, and associated delays affecting raw material sourcing. And the skyrocketing cost of fertilizer is further complicating matters for traditional farming operations and having an outsized impact on already-thin profit margins.

But what if there was a way to circumvent these issues using innovations in agtech? It sounds impossible, and while it comes with its own set of challenges, indoor growing, especially in urban areas, could be a big part of the answer going forward. 

Science and tech have come a long way in the last decade (hello, sensor technology!), allowing growers to do much more with much less in a smaller footprint. And hyperlocal farming means produce grows near the consumer, eliminating supply chain-related woes. Instead of spending the first half of its shelf life in transit, veggies get to the end user much quicker, resulting in less food waste. Local growing also reduces the need to burn fossil fuels to get food to its destination, and empowers communities to gain more control over their own food supply.

It’s hard to put a value on security and reliability, and we certainly won’t attempt to, but controlled-environment agriculture allows people to harvest large yields year-round without external variables getting in the way. There’s also no need for fertilizers or pesticides, which takes possible contamination of drinking water out of the equation. 

The practice is gaining momentum worldwide and already having an impact on sourcing for grocery chains, hotels, hospitals, restaurants and food banks. Likewise, farmers are embracing the technology because it provides a security blanket in uncertain times.

Growing the Trees Needed for Reforestation Efforts

ReforestationWhen considering reforestation, the blue spruce is the largest known tree of its species in the country. This tree is recognized not only for its size but also the critical ecosystem services that it provides, such as food and shelter for wildlife, water purification abilities, and its role in absorbing CO2 from our atmosphere and storing carbon in its wood, according to AmericanForests.org.

Our Vertical Hydroponic Farm (VHF) farm is capable of housing up to 4,800 seeds in the seed table and 4,104 plants in the grow walls.  The farm’s climate can be adjusted to provide the ideal temperature, watering schedule, and nutrients for successful tree production. With a germination period of 10-14 days and a 95% success rate, followed by 60 days in the grow walls, FarmBox Foods makes reforestation possible anywhere, anytime, year-round. Annually grow up to 35,000 trees in 320 square feet while using only 3-5 gallons of water per day.

  • Efficiently manage the labor of your farm averaging 8-10 hours per week with the ability to remotely monitor your farms conditions.

  • One full time employee can effectively manage up to 4 farms, producing up to 140,000 saplings annually.

  • Greatly reduces the labor and need for acreage compared to traditional nurseries, while providing the ideal climate needs through any season in any location.

Traditional tree nurseries, when funded under federal or state cost-share programs, are required to have a minimum of 300 well-spaced seedlings per acre (1 acre = 43,560 square feet) in the first growing season.  Tree spacing most commonly used ranges from 435 to 726 trees per acre for reforestation purposes as well as wildlife enhancement programs.  In the FarmBox Foods Vertical Hydroponic Farm, you can accommodate over 8,900 seedlings and saplings in 320 square feet.

Impacts of climate change

Climate change is leading to unprecedented threats to our forests, including rising temperatures, prolonged drought, increased pests, and larger, more severe wildfires.  As of 2021, 128 million acres in the United States have the potential to be reforested.  To fulfill half of this need, we have to more than double our current production

National labor shortages are cited as the largest barrier to expanded seedling production.  Workforce limitations, including seasonal laborers, are a significant factor across America’s nursery infrastructure.  Retiring institutional knowledge is also creating additional barriers for successful operations to continue at today’s demands.

Disease and insect infestation kill more trees annually than forest fires.  When temps are high and tree sap is flowing, leaves and fruits are in full bloom. These are all attractants to tree-killing bugs.  The recent epidemic of pine beetles is a prime example of the devastation a little bug can wreak on tree populations.  Millions of trees were lost to the mountain pine beetle alone over the last 20 years. 

Fire is an inevitable part of what makes a forest a forest.  However, climate change and other human activity has been enabling even naturally caused fires to occur more frequently and intensely.  Wildfires also burn the carbon stored in trees and soil, releasing large amounts of smoke, methane and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which impacts the overall global temperature. 

Trees grown in a Vertical Hydroponic Farm can have a significant impact on revitalizing these forests and restoring the overall ecosystem.

Projected Water Scarcity Prompts Need for Farming Ingenuity

Projected Water Scarcity - FarmBox FoodsProjected Water Scarcity – The common refrain that fresh water is the next gold is ringing true as drastic changes in our climate are resulting in greater competition and a need for more efficient water uses, especially in the agricultural industry.

National Geographic points out that while the amount of fresh water on the planet has remained fairly constant over time — continually recycling through the atmosphere and back into our oceans, lakes and rivers — the global population has exploded in the last century. This means that competition for a clean supply of water for drinking, cooking, bathing and sustaining life intensifies every year. There is only so much water to go around.

Essentially, when taking saltwater into account, only about .007 percent of the earth’s water supply is usable for the planet’s 6.8 billion (and counting) people, National Geographic says.

The vast majority of freshwater  — about 70 percent by most estimates — is used for agriculture, and when you consider that feeding a planet of 9 billion people in 2050 will require an estimated 50 percent increase in agricultural production and a corresponding 15 percent increase in water withdrawals, the future becomes a lot clearer, according to World Bank.

Without proper governance, there is likely to be increased competition for water between sectors and an escalation of water crises of various kinds, triggering emergencies in a range of water-dependent sectors, according to a U.N. report.

Emerging technologies are quickly trying to find ways to get the most bang for each drop of water. Efficiencies have been identified, including vertical hydroponic farming, which drastically reduces the amount of water needed to grow crops. FarmBox Foods, a Colorado company that builds automated hydroponic farms inside repurposed shipping containers, has set its sights on creating a tangible shift in the approach to farming.

FarmBox Foods’ innovative, closed-watering system only uses 3-5 gallons of water per day and it does not contribute to groundwater contamination the way that traditional farming does. Furthermore, one farm is able to produce the same yield as 2 – 2.5 acres of farmland on an annual basis.

“Our container farms are built in such a way that it takes only a fraction of the amount of water to grow that same amount of produce,” said Rusty Walker, CEO of FarmBox Foods.

Climate change is projected to increase the number of water-stressed regions and exacerbate shortages in already water-stressed regions. It’s those regions that will realize the most benefit from vertical hydroponic farming and more efficient water usage in general.

An integrated view on water, the biosphere and environmental flows is necessary to devise sustainable agricultural and economic systems that will allow us to decelerate climate change, protect us from extremes and adapt to the unavoidable at the same time, the U.N. says.

The automated hydroponic farms use approximately 90 percent less water than traditional farms, and have a secondary benefit, as they can grow trees that contribute to the overall health of the environment by helping reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. One container farm from FarmBox Foods can grow 35,000 tree saplings per year.

For more information, go to www.UNwater.org or www.FarmBoxFoods.com.