Originally published in Issue 14 By Eri Hayashi, Japan Plant Factory Association, Industry Expert We are immensely proud to be working together with Urban Ag News for our upcoming, fall 2016 event in the United States as part of an international project of the Japanese government and the Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry (METI). […]
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Originally published in Issue 14 By Lea S. Singer (7th grader) At the New York Sun Works’ Youth Conference on June 2, 2016, building a sustainable future was the shared topic. So many ideas were presented on how the kids of this generation could help build a better, healthier future for themselves. The passion shared […]
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Originally published in Issue 13 By Mitch Hagney In many cities, urban gardeners operated in a legal gray zone in terms of where they were permitted to grow and sell produce. Many growers were uncertain about whether they could use spaces like alley-ways, restaurants, or rooftops in addition to backyards. Most laws don’t currently account […]
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Originally published in Issue 13 By Eri Hayashi, Japan Plant Factory Association, Industry Expert For anyone who believes plant factories (PFALs)/vertical farms are only for leafy greens or for anyone who has given up growing strawberries in plant factories, they may have to reconsider their way of thinking. There is a great future ahead for […]
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Originally published in Issue 14 By Mitch Hagney Sometimes rather than bringing crops to the customers, customers come to the crops. The public’s enthusiasm for urban farming goes far beyond buying the produce, and that means that many customers seek to be more than just recipients of local food, they want to be participants in the […]
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Originally published in Issue 14 If you want a recipe for how to specifically control insect pests, then you would best be served using conventional chemical pest management. “When you look at things through an organic lens, it’s all about context,” said Michigan State University entomologist Matt Grieshop. “There are options to choose from, but […]
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A look back at how the Coalition for Sustainable Organics has worked to keep hydroponics and aquaponics as USDA organic-certified production methods. Originally published in Issue 14, July 2016 Organic hydroponic and aquaponic growers are waiting for the results of a National Organic Program task force report which is scheduled for release this month. Members […]
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Kimbal Musk, co-founder of The Kitchen restaurants and The Kitchen Community, a non-profit organization that has established nearly 300 school Learning Gardens, is working to spread his philosophy of the power of good food and good drink to connect people as family, friends and community. While Elon Musk has made a name for himself in […]
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If you are looking to take advantage of the demand for locally-grown potted edibles, here are some “new” crops that could excite retailers and consumers. While an increasing number of consumers are downsizing their gardens, they still want to garden. University of Minnesota horticulture professor John Erwin said as the population in the United States […]
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Originally published in Issue 13 Know your goals before investing in a water treatment system. A water treatment system is not going to add value to your product. It’s all about reducing the risk of crop losses. One of the advantages that ornamental plant growers have over growers of hydroponic edible crops is that ornamental […]
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Originally published in Issue 13, April 2016 To meet the increasing demand for clean, safe produce in both the U.S. and China, Green Sense Farms looks to open additional vertical farming operations along with a training facility to create job-ready graduates to grow in controlled environments. Robert Colangelo, founding farmer and CEO at Green Sense […]
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Originally published in Issue 13, April 2016 Duron Chavis, indoor urban farm director at Virginia State University, is helping citizens of Richmond and Petersburg, Va., have access to locally-grown produce year round. When Duron Chavis started the Happily Natural Day festival in Richmond, Va., in 2003, he never imagined how this one day event would […]
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Originally published in Issue 12 Proper HVAC Maintenance Delivers Savings and Reliability By John Zimmerman Learn what preventive maintenance should be done on a controlled environment agriculture heating, ventilation and air conditioning system and what it can cost you if it’s not. In Urban Ag News Issue 11, I introduced Jeffrey Orkin, CEO at Greener […]
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Looking to take advantage of the increased demand for locally-grown and a better quality product, ornamental plant growers in Michigan are adding a variety of greenhouse vegetable crops. Ornamental plant growers in Michigan are looking to extend their selling season by producing greenhouse vegetables. Many of these growers are looking to take advantage of the […]
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