Post by account_disabled on Mar 9, 2024 23:02:09 GMT -8
Cities rely heavily on imported food to survive. Whether from the surrounding countryside, or from other countries hundreds or even thousands of miles away.
In the latter case, this requires packaging, storing and transporting fresh foods in such a way that they reach their final destination intact and almost as good as when they were picked. A large, seemingly crazy investment in labor and energy could be avoided if food could be grown in the city. But since real estate often comes at a premium, how could this be possible?
Enter a system called vertical farming.
This revolutionary form of agriculture is still in its infancy, but its potential is truly revolutionary. Let's find out why.
vertical far Phone Number List ming innovations
What is vertical farming?
Vertical farming , as the name suggests, is a form of farming that is specifically designed to facilitate agricultural production within vertical structures such as buildings. Large-scale versions tend to consist of a series of vertically stacked surfaces that are usually, but not always, integrated into existing buildings such as office blocks.
They can also be created inside repurposed warehouses, used shipping containers, greenhouses , or other buildings that would not normally be suitable for large-scale farming.
You can also do it, on a domestic scale, in your own house or garden on a small budget.
For this reason, among others, vertical farming can be done in places that traditionally lack the enormous amounts of open space necessary for growing crops, such as in metropolitan areas.
Vertical farming is a revolutionary and arguably more sustainable farming method for several reasons. For example, it tends to require much less water than normal farming, by some estimates up to % less.
This is because some of the water used can be recycled and reused. In addition, less water is lost through evaporation.
It also takes up less space (especially the soil footprint) and has little to no impact on local natural soils (other than the soil surface just below). According to the Vertical Farming Institute, each square meter ( square feet) of floor space dedicated to vertical farming produces approximately the same amount of vegetable crops as square meters ( square feet) of conventionally farmed farmland.
Generally speaking, vertical farms can be operated without the use of pesticides and herbicides that are potentially very harmful to the environment. Due to the controlled conditions that vertical farms provide , growing crops year-round is also usually possible.
Vertical farms are also considered a great way to deal with an urban phenomenon called “food deserts.” This refers to densely populated areas that lack access to fresh foods such as fruits and vegetables. Because vertical farms can typically be built in a small space (or within existing structures), they can improve easy access to fresh food, which would not have to be shipped from distant farms. Fresh food can be sourced locally, rather than having to be shipped and stored before consumption.
How does vertical farming work?
Vertical farms tend to consist of one of several models, ranging from stacked wooden shelves in garden patios, to warehouses and greenhouses that can produce enough food for entire communities, to modernized facilities in buildings such as skyscrapers.
Some, such as those built by Eden Green Technology, consist of specially designed towers with stacked plant cups. For larger, purpose-built vertical farms, hydroponic systems are often employed to help control the indoor climate year-round.
Other aspects of vertical farms can also be regulated, including automated control of temperature, light and humidity. A high level of control is often vital to the success of the farm, as failure to maintain specific conditions can lead to the loss of entire crops, similar to how events such as droughts and floods impact traditional farms.
In the latter case, this requires packaging, storing and transporting fresh foods in such a way that they reach their final destination intact and almost as good as when they were picked. A large, seemingly crazy investment in labor and energy could be avoided if food could be grown in the city. But since real estate often comes at a premium, how could this be possible?
Enter a system called vertical farming.
This revolutionary form of agriculture is still in its infancy, but its potential is truly revolutionary. Let's find out why.
vertical far Phone Number List ming innovations
What is vertical farming?
Vertical farming , as the name suggests, is a form of farming that is specifically designed to facilitate agricultural production within vertical structures such as buildings. Large-scale versions tend to consist of a series of vertically stacked surfaces that are usually, but not always, integrated into existing buildings such as office blocks.
They can also be created inside repurposed warehouses, used shipping containers, greenhouses , or other buildings that would not normally be suitable for large-scale farming.
You can also do it, on a domestic scale, in your own house or garden on a small budget.
For this reason, among others, vertical farming can be done in places that traditionally lack the enormous amounts of open space necessary for growing crops, such as in metropolitan areas.
Vertical farming is a revolutionary and arguably more sustainable farming method for several reasons. For example, it tends to require much less water than normal farming, by some estimates up to % less.
This is because some of the water used can be recycled and reused. In addition, less water is lost through evaporation.
It also takes up less space (especially the soil footprint) and has little to no impact on local natural soils (other than the soil surface just below). According to the Vertical Farming Institute, each square meter ( square feet) of floor space dedicated to vertical farming produces approximately the same amount of vegetable crops as square meters ( square feet) of conventionally farmed farmland.
Generally speaking, vertical farms can be operated without the use of pesticides and herbicides that are potentially very harmful to the environment. Due to the controlled conditions that vertical farms provide , growing crops year-round is also usually possible.
Vertical farms are also considered a great way to deal with an urban phenomenon called “food deserts.” This refers to densely populated areas that lack access to fresh foods such as fruits and vegetables. Because vertical farms can typically be built in a small space (or within existing structures), they can improve easy access to fresh food, which would not have to be shipped from distant farms. Fresh food can be sourced locally, rather than having to be shipped and stored before consumption.
How does vertical farming work?
Vertical farms tend to consist of one of several models, ranging from stacked wooden shelves in garden patios, to warehouses and greenhouses that can produce enough food for entire communities, to modernized facilities in buildings such as skyscrapers.
Some, such as those built by Eden Green Technology, consist of specially designed towers with stacked plant cups. For larger, purpose-built vertical farms, hydroponic systems are often employed to help control the indoor climate year-round.
Other aspects of vertical farms can also be regulated, including automated control of temperature, light and humidity. A high level of control is often vital to the success of the farm, as failure to maintain specific conditions can lead to the loss of entire crops, similar to how events such as droughts and floods impact traditional farms.