They Sell Plants Off “Living Towers”

They Sell Plants Off “Living Towers” CROPS New Techniques ZipGrow towers aren’t just vertical hydroponic growing systems says Nate Storey They’re the key to making smaller operations cost competitive with larger ones Because they’re modular and vertical users can triple standard greenhouse production The tower’s design was part of his doctoral research 4 years ago The past two years he began marketing it in the U S and internationally Besides selling a product Storey emphasizes educational support ‑ before the sale ‑ to ensure success Based on more than 100 YouTube videos and a diverse range of business models created by customers the combination seems to be working The Science After extensive research Storey decided that growing on all 4 sides of vertical units is inefficient “With the sun angle it wastes resources especially in greenhouses in the northern states So ZipGrow towers are one-sided with reflective surfaces of titanium dioxide on the other sides ” Storey explains The 4 by 4-in by 5-ft tall ZipGrow towers are also light and modular made of extruded food-grade pvc Plants grow in Matrix Media made of recycled water bottles and a binder that is lightweight durable and has a high biological surface area for microbes to live on to foster healthy plant growth The media also has plenty of open spaces for water to move through and help maintain steady root zone temperatures “The towers can grow almost any crop with any spacing ” Storey says He sells complete systems but notes that most customers purchase the ZipGrow Tower components starting at $50/each and tie them into their own systems From the U S to Africa to the Middle East he is amazed at the diversity of systems customers have come up with “Our product is like the Lego blocks of hydroponic growing ” Storey says Shipping Container Gardening ZipGrow towers are integral to Freight Farms’ turnkey hydroponic “Leafy Green Machine” LGM set up in shipping containers says Caroline Katsiroubas marketing manager for the Boston Mass company www freightfarms com “There are 256 towers in each container They are easy to move transplant and grow and are more efficient in terms of labor and space ” she says The company researched vertical systems and chose Storey’s towers based on his extensive research and the trust he earned in the hydroponic industry for developing a proven product Besides the towers Freight Farms sets up the 8 by 40-ft containers with lights and climate controls to provide the perfect environment to grow lettuces brassicas and herbs For example one Leafy Green Machine can produce 500 heads of lettuce a week “We are targeting institution food service groups ” Katsiroubas says Customers include hotels schools and wholesale produce distribution companies Farmers Market In Rochester Minn Chris Lukenbill www freshwithedge com transports ZipGrow Towers filled with leafy greens and herbs to farmers markets restaurants and food cooperatives where customers and chefs can harvest whatever they need “That differentiates our product and is the most ideal for longevity ” he says “It’s interactive It intrigues people and they can also see that it’s fresh ” He starts the towers in his greenhouse with up to six varieties in each tower He uses an enclosed trailer to deliver the towers pump battery and water needed to run the system At farmers markets or co-ops customers can cut their own greens which are weighed and charged by the ounce At a restaurant the system is located where diners can see it and watch as the chef cuts fresh herbs for their meals With an LED light system the produce continues to grow until it’s harvested and Lukenbill services his customers by switching out the harvested towers with new filled towers “The beauty of the ZipGrow Tower is its simplicity I build displays around them They are very encompassing and flexible ” Lukenbill says “In comparison to other systems the cost per plant is much lower ” Haydn Christensen one of ZipGrow’s first customers offers a similar service in Ft Collins Colo growing a variety of herbs and greens for his CSA restaurants stores and farmers markets “I take a tower to the store and customers do all the harvesting labor ” he says His company BayBerry Fresh www babyberryfresh was the first to sell live plants at Whole Foods By adding LED and T5 lighting to a heated space in his greenhouse he’s developed a system with the towers to grow basil in winter Living Walls The living walls that Teryl Chapel creates provide architectural variety yet also produce edible plants The founder of City Planet Farms www cityplanetfarms com incorporates ZipGrow Towers into an aquaponic system A wall he designed for a high-end restaurant in Sag Harbor Maine with water re-circulating through the plants and three fish tanks is a good example of taking the towers to a new level “The white towers fit in and are easy to hang and move ” Chapel says Because of the distance from his home in Manhattan to the restaurant he set up the system and trained an employee to do the maintenance ‑ cleaning feeding the koi and tilapia keeping the pump and tanks maintained etc To change out harvested ZipGrow towers Chapel set up an 80-sq ft aquaponic system in the restaurant’s basement with more fish and towers “They grow greens herbs cherry tomatoes cucumbers and celery for Bloody Marys ” Chapel says He also sets up seasonal living walls on rooftops and small displays in Harlem schools and for a non-profit sustainable group as part of his interest in educating others about aquaponics for sustainable and natural systems “I’ve been focusing on urban applications for access to fresh produce ” Chapel says including figuring out how to get in unlikely places such as airport food courts The simplicity and portability of ZipGrow Towers makes that possible Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Nate Storey Bright AgroTech LLC 1938 Harney St Laramie Wyo 82072 ph 307 766-6538; info@brightagrotech com; www brightagrotech com

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