“In comparison to standard flood and drain systems, our farms are more productive and more efficient,” Jack Farmer, Co-founder and CSO of LettUs Grow says. DROP & GROW™, a LettUs Grow container farming solution, has been launched at the beginning of Q4 this year. The farms utilize the company’s proprietary aeroponic technology and farm management and control software, Ostara.
An aeroponic approach
One benefit, Jack adds, is “productivity, down to the aeroponic side of things. In terms of growing greens for over two weeks, we can accelerate growth cycle rates.” Another is efficiency via integrated control of the lighting, HVAC, nutrients, and irrigation systems in one software system. Our farm management and control software Ostara enables farmers to easily automate tasks and manage their operations remotely.
“Not all container farms offer these solutions, like an ebb and flood- or a standard hydroponic system. We believe that the aeroponic focus gives our clients flexibility and a utility for a wide range of fresh produce markets.”
Jack Farmer, Co-Founder and CSO
Scalable solution
The DROP & GROW™ product line is focused on new entrants to the market & existing farmers that are looking to diversify their operations. For example, potential ventures include producing fresh herbs and leafy greens in the hyper urban areas to supply high-quality crops to food services and restaurants. Another example would be to integrate these systems into larger growing operations, perhaps helping them produce their rootstock.
“We’re led by growers, but we are technologists and horticulturists. We supply growers, rather than being commercial growers ourselves,” Jack says. We are really proud of “DROP & GROW™ as our first flagship product. We can later scale the technology these containers in much larger facilities such as glasshouses and indoor vertical farms.” There are currently opportunities with larger growers, who want to test these new technologies. Jack believes that as the industry matures, this more partnership-based approach will be the way forward.
After customer care
Jack believes that when having designed a software platform, you need to share all new learnings with the customer base. “We can take the pressure off of customers by providing them with the R&D. Practically, you want to keep them up and running, and producing, instead of allocating part of their farm to R&D."
"Alongside this, throughout the lifecycle of their operation, we will help them by improving the system and by diagnosing issues. Between that and training, we want to be the best partner we can be throughout this lifecycle. Our principle is to provide as much value as we can, and to be a long-term partner to all our clients,“ Jack notes.
For more information:
LettUs Grow
Jack Farmer, Co-founder & Chief Scientific Officer
[email protected]
www.lettusgrow.com