Tag Archives: farming

Find Your Therapy in Home Farming and Consuming Your Own Produce

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In today’s fast-paced world, where life is often synonymous with perpetual motion, the desire to reconnect with nature and savor the fruits of one’s labor is stronger than ever. The concept of home farming, often romanticized for its therapeutic qualities and the satisfaction of producing your food, appeals to many. However, the hurdles of time and resources have long kept this dream at bay for most. But with Regrow, a groundbreaking innovation, the dream of home farming has been brought closer to reality.

Designer: Haneul kim (Designer dot)

Regrow offers a revolutionary experience for those who are intrigued by the idea of home farming but find it challenging to manage the daily responsibilities and investments it typically demands. This innovative system automatically transforms food scraps into fertile soil and showcases your bountiful crops, all while providing a rewarding, environmentally friendly hobby.

In a society where people yearn for the soothing embrace of home farming, the daily grind often obstructs their path. The daily chores of tending to plants, adjusting soil, and monitoring water levels according to the seasons can be burdensome. It’s no wonder that around 60% of those who initially embark on the journey of home farming give up, with the top two reasons being difficulty managing time and the cost of supplies.

Regrow, recognizing the unique place it occupies in the kitchen, draws inspiration from various kitchen appliances. It brings a new dimension to the concept of home farming. With Regrow, users no longer have to fret over the time constraints of home farming in their busy lives. Instead, they can efficiently care for their plants with an array of features designed for convenient operation.

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The soil used for cultivating edible plants is primarily recycled compost from food processors. The snug fit of the lid and body keeps unwanted odors from escaping, while the powerful rotation function effectively processes various food scraps. This synergy of recycling and sustainability sets Regrow apart.

Regrow is designed to be user-friendly with just five simple buttons. Users can schedule tasks via the dedicated mobile application for quick use or even operate it remotely. The glass door on the front can be easily opened for harvesting edible plants, making the whole process incredibly convenient.

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One of Regrow’s unique features is its hole bottoms, which facilitate the flow of soil and compost. The compost generated by the top food processor automatically moves to the bottom through a rotary grinder. If users prefer to use water instead of compost, they can open the top lid to add water. This combination of features ensures that users can effortlessly maintain their edible plants, promoting their health and sustainability with minimal effort.

Regrow incorporates a bottom LED bar that provides users with invaluable insights into the needs of their edible plants. It changes color to indicate when watering is required, when soil adjustments are necessary when it’s time to clean food waste, or when the system is circulating. This intuitive feedback mechanism ensures that users can take timely and appropriate actions to ensure their plants thrive, enhancing the overall home farming experience.

In conclusion, Regrow offers an all-in-one solution to the common barriers of home farming, making it accessible and enjoyable for everyone. With its innovative technology, sustainable practices, and user-friendly design, it not only simplifies the process of home farming but also promotes a greener, more self-sufficient lifestyle. Regrow brings the joy and fulfillment of home farming within the reach of all, revolutionizing the way we connect with the earth and harvest the goodness it provides.

The post Find Your Therapy in Home Farming and Consuming Your Own Produce first appeared on Yanko Design.

Channel Your Farmer Instincts and Grow 3 Meals in just 4 Days with this Microwave Look-Alike Farmland

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The field of agriculture has been experiencing remarkable technological advancements, transforming the way we produce and consume food. Innovations like Hydroponic farming technology have already shown the potential to enhance crop growth and quality. Building upon this trend, Square Greens presents a groundbreaking solution that reimagines food production and consumption, combining cutting-edge technology and minimalist design to offer fresh, nutritious meals in just four days.

Designers: Eugenio Costa, Edoardo Graci, Valeria Cattoni, and Simone Centonze

In a world where convenience and health-consciousness go hand in hand, Square Greens emerges as a game-changer. Square Greens introduces a novel approach to cultivating food that is both technologically advanced and environmentally friendly. Unlike traditional farming methods that require ample land and time, Square Greens thrives within a minimalistic, compact greenhouse resembling a microwave.

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The driving force behind Square Greens was to create a tool that marries simplicity and efficiency. At its core, Square Greens is a compact, A5 paper-sized pod that houses an entire ecosystem for rapid plant growth. The green pod design is ingeniously crafted to facilitate optimal water absorption, ensuring the plants receive the nutrients they need to flourish. The incorporation of a needle-like mechanism acts as a water stopper, releasing water into the pod’s cotton medium once inserted.

One of the standout features of Square Greens is its user-friendly design. The green pods are designed to accommodate seeds and can be easily removed, simplifying the process of planting and harvesting. Notably, the creators have taken innovation a step further by incorporating a status bar that changes color as the plants receive water. This intuitive feature acts as a visual indicator of the pod’s hydration status, ensuring optimal growth conditions.

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The meticulous attention to detail is evident in every aspect of Square Greens’ design. The rear of the greenhouse showcases a harmonious arrangement of the logo, legal information, and energy plug, all encapsulated within a single square. This blend of aesthetics and practicality is a testament to the creators’ commitment to offering a seamless user experience.

The journey from concept to reality was a series of careful iterations and innovative problem-solving. The initial prototype consisted of nylon components, including two frames split in half, a water pump, and a water-resistant LED strip. Through rigorous testing, the Square Greens team fine-tuned the system to achieve optimal growth conditions. The result was a “secret” system that dramatically accelerated growth, enabling a complete meal’s worth of greens to flourish in just four days.

The initiative to enhance user convenience in agricultural processes is truly commendable. Establishing a continual connection between users and their crops fosters a sense of engagement, thereby contributing to the potential success of the device among producers. However, the realm of food production is a delicate domain to experiment with. The apparent artificiality of the process may raise apprehensions among users regarding the adoption and consumption of the resultant produce.

Nonetheless, it is crucial not to disregard the significant market acceptance that hydroponic technology has experienced. It is a technique of growing plants using a water-based nutrient solution rather than soil. This innovative technology found graceful approval among both consumers and the market at large. Notably, even a prominent grocery chain, Carrefour, has embraced this method, incorporating it into the production of its own range of fresh food items. This instance underscores the feasibility of integrating advanced techniques into the food industry.

The key to success lies in skillful marketing. Presenting the technology in a strategic and appealing manner holds the potential to overcome initial hesitations and pave the way for widespread adoption. While challenges exist, the precedent set by hydroponic farming exemplifies the transformative power of innovation, providing optimism for the long-term prospects of this novel product.

Square Greens represents a quantum leap in the agricultural industry, ushering in an era of rapid growth and efficient food production. By combining advanced technology with elegant design, Square Greens has created a solution that not only addresses the demands of modern consumers but also promotes sustainable practices. As we continue to witness the fusion of innovation and agriculture, Square Greens stands as a testament to the endless possibilities that await us in the realm of food production and consumption.

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The post Channel Your Farmer Instincts and Grow 3 Meals in just 4 Days with this Microwave Look-Alike Farmland first appeared on Yanko Design.

A weather-based indoor farming system to help your plant parenting dreams

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We all have heard the importance of farming, planting trees, and going green. But we also are in the race to have the best urban lives. Finding a balance between urban living and incorporating green elements into our daily lives is essential for a holistic and sustainable lifestyle. While urban environments cater to our aspirations and societal needs, the importance of nature and its benefits cannot be overlooked. Weatheseed offers a unique solution to bridge the gap between these contrasting lifestyles, allowing us to enjoy the tranquility of rural living within the city through water and plants.

Designer: Naeun Kim and Nakyung Kang of W ID

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In our fast-paced urban lives, there is a growing desire to reconnect with nature and embrace the comfort and serenity of the countryside. Many individuals opt for a lifestyle that combines urban living during the workweek with rural getaways on weekends. Additionally, cultivating plants in the city has become a popular way to experience the indirect benefits of rural living. However, keeping track of weather conditions and dedicating time to plant management can be challenging amidst busy city schedules.

Weatheseed addresses the challenges faced by urban dwellers by providing a system that enables individuals to predict and cope with the conditions of their farmland, making plant cultivation easier and more efficient. With Weatheseed, the visual representation of weather conditions in the countryside becomes accessible in the city, facilitating informed decisions regarding plant care and providing comfort to those living in modern society.

“Weatheseed” is derived from the fusion of three words: weather, supersede, and seed. The product incorporates a weather forecasting feature, allowing users to gauge and display weather conditions. Weatheseed provides the necessary resources for plant growth by utilizing water and LED lights. Water, after providing moisture, is collected back into the water bottle through a pipe, ensuring efficient use.

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A visual representation of weather and humidity in the countryside is made possible through the movement of water on the “weather notification board” and heating caused by the water pipe. By installing a unit with a hook-shaped crown in the field, the humidity can be monitored, and weather information can be shared. This feature aids in effectively managing crops effectively.

The flowerpot design includes a tray that can be adjusted in three sizes to accommodate plant growth rates. A multipurpose tray stores supplies such as nutritional supplements and pruning shears. The product also incorporates a charging socket at the bottom for aesthetics and convenience, offering a clean cable management solution. Wheels are provided for easy movement, and a pedal controls the wheels, allowing for stability when lifted.

The unit head can be separated from the main body and installed on cultivated land. This feature enables the measurement of soil moisture, providing valuable insights for both city and rural farming. The higher the number, the more humid the soil, ensuring that crops receive appropriate water for healthy growth.

Weatheseed comes in two earthy colors: Monstera Khaki and Kalonji Blue. These color choices have been thoughtfully selected to blend seamlessly with various interior design styles, enhancing the overall aesthetics of any space.

Weatheseed presents an innovative solution that harmonizes urban living with green elements, enabling individuals to experience the benefits of rural living within the city. By providing weather information, efficient plant growth systems, and soil moisture measurement, Weatheseed simplifies the process of plant cultivation and encourages a balanced and sustainable lifestyle. With its functionality, aesthetics, and customization options, Weatheseed offers a valuable tool for embracing nature in our modern urban lives.

The post A weather-based indoor farming system to help your plant parenting dreams first appeared on Yanko Design.

Cake’s Autonomous ATV for farms and ranches keeps the delicate ecosystem unperturbed

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We are slowly heading into a future where sustainable and responsible farming will be vital. Avenues of farming balance crucially on the biodiversity, and regenerative ranches. Keeping multi-crop fields requires avid supervision and the CAKE Kibb autonomous mobility solution aids in regenerative agriculture in already depleting soil resources.

The all-terrain ATV is designed with a priority on using natural resources wherever possible and has environmental protection etched in its DNA since it can plant and harvest crops responsibly on its own or in semi-autonomous mode. Traditionally, the machinery used on fields and farms is driven by fossil fuels which juxtaposes with the vision of taking care of the animals and surroundings without affecting the ecology of the area. This has prompted the designer to create Kibb which doesn’t impact the biodiversity of the region or damage the surroundings – rather it aids the farmers like never before.

Designer: Fanny Jonsson

Kibb in itself means, Ox in Gutniska dialect of the Swedish island Gotland. This is a representation of the strength of the vehicle while having the gentleness of the animal when it comes to nature. Driven by an electric motor, the ATV moves tenderly around the farm, and that too autonomously. Modularity is one key feature of Kibb, as the components can be swapped around to cater to the tasks required at the ranch or farm. This prevents obsolescence cycles as the parts can be updated over time.

The powerful vehicle is designed in a way to have the least possible impact without compromising the inherent capability. A holistic approach of ATV is centered on the material choices for the components. For instance, the tires are crafted from dandelions which are in plenty in the Scandinavian landscape, or the plastic used in the body is made from locally available linseed plants grown in Sweden. The frame and other vital components are made from aluminum which is a sustainable material as compared to other industrial materials – it is highly recyclable without any major material degradation.

According to the designer, the main beneficiaries of this project are the animals and the bugs living in the soil. The diverse ecosystem of all the organisms helps rejuvenate the soil’s quality over time. The electric-driven Kibb plays a vital role in this as it keeps the environment around the farm and animals untouched from any physical or chemical interference.

The post Cake’s Autonomous ATV for farms and ranches keeps the delicate ecosystem unperturbed first appeared on Yanko Design.

This floating farm turns salty seawater into nutrients for agriculture & improves marine environment!

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A Japanese start-up has designed this floating marine farm called Green Ocean using agricultural technology that cultivates seawater as a direct nutrient source! The innovative structure combines salt-resistant technology and sea-friendly architecture to the world a potential solution for the climate change-induced rising sea level problem which comes with heavy salt damage. It harvests rainwater, improves the quality of the water around it, helps with food production while saving water and being a sustainable architectural structure.

Sea level rise is getting progressively worse due to climate change which affects agriculture heavily – it means less land to farm on and also damage to coastal land because of excessive salt. N-ark has developed Green Ocean in partnership with Cultivera which is an agrotechnology R&D company that aims to build the prototype of the floating marine farm by 2022. Seawater agriculture is a special cultivation method that absorbs water and nutrients in the ground and air by mixing and neutralizing alkaline seawater and acidic rainwater. As a result, a huge variety of vegetables can be grown by utilizing the minerals and nutrients contained in seawater!

Green Ocean is a floating, solar-powered, salt-resistant greenhouse constructed with thinned wood and carbon joints. Once it is out on the water, the marine farm will create two new green areas – one will be a food production space that floats on the surface and uses salty agricultural technology and the second will be a layer of algae that will improve the underwater environment. It has a distinctive angular roof that helps to collect rainwater which is then mixed with seawater and used as fertilizer for the plants. Cold seawater is also used for air conditioning within the farms. “By creating a cyclical system environment, Green Ocean plays the role of an adhesive plaster of the Earth,” explains the team.

The basic technology behind seawater agriculture is ‘moisture culture’ which allows cultivation under humidity control. With this method, about 15 cm of the surface layer of natural soil can be reproduced with a special fiber of approximately 5 mm, and vegetables with fortified sugar content and vitamins can be grown by evaporating water with the special fiber by applying water depletion stress to plants. Moisture culture uses one-tenth of the water that is needed in conventional irrigated farming methods and can be applied even in areas where water is not abundant making it a sustainable way to farm at scale.

Designer: N-Ark

The post This floating farm turns salty seawater into nutrients for agriculture & improves marine environment! first appeared on Yanko Design.

The World’s Largest Single-Domed Greenhouse Pushes The Boundaries Of Innovative Architecture

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Fun fact about greenhouses: growing crops in greenhouses produces 6 to 10 times the amount of yield compared to growing them in open fields. Also, the crops grown hydroponically in greenhouses have relatively small roots so 40% of the drainage water can be recycled for reuse. Greenhouses help us combat the growing food crisis while reducing the overuse of resources. They contribute significantly to sustainable agriculture and help facilitate natural pollination. Now that we are all team greenhouse, let’s look at what is basically the Queen of all greenhouses – the Tropicalia!

At this year’s Venice Architecture Biennale, you will be able to witness Tropicalia which is a first of its kind in the greenhouse category. Designed by French firm Coldefy & Associates, it will be located on the Côte D’opale in Northern France and construction will begin in 2024. The massive greenhouse proposes to immerse visitors in a tropical environment measuring 20,000 sqm and topped with a 35-meter-tall dome. An indoor ventilated temperature of 26°c will accommodate a diverse range of birds, butterflies, fish, reptiles, and exotic plants, fauna and flora.

The huge domed structure is designed to integrate with its environment by the absence of internal load-bearing columns. A double dome design is conceived to provide optimal thermal isolation while the entire building is developed to be energy self-sufficient; all the heat produced by the greenhouse’s effect will be recycled and stocked, and the surplus energy will be exported via a heat network into buildings and surrounding businesses.

This double insulating dome will protect the tropical ecosystem in summer and maintain its temperature in winter. The partial burial of the greenhouse will reinforce this insulation. The excess heat can therefore be directly used, stored or redistributed to our neighbors as part of a network of private heat or a “smartgrid,” said Denis Bobillier, Technical Director of Major Projects, Dalkia.

For this exhibition, visitors will get a glimpse of the architecture and engineering systems behind the tropicalia greenhouse, as well as its sustainable air treatment engineering. It also presents the current state of the research on tropical fauna and flora, and its benefits on the ecosystem, the planet and health. The exhibition aims to show how science can answer the question of ‘how will we live together?’, the title of the venice architecture biennale 2021 curated by hashim sarkis. The space will also host conferences with relevant figures of the architecture world to investigate and discuss the themes and challenges arisen by tropicalia.

Tropicalia – architecture, materials, innovative systems will be on show at squero castello in venice from may 22nd to november 21st 2021.

Designer: Coldefy & Associates

This indoor garden lets you grow up to thirty plants in the comfort of your home!

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We all miss the farmer’s market– those Sunday mornings, spending hours outside sifting through bins of locally grown kale and ripe cherry tomatoes. With the ongoing pandemic, those mornings feel like eons ago. While being in packed spaces like outdoor farmer’s markets is still discouraged, designs like indoor gardens provide ways for us to stay indoors and still get our farm-fresh produce without rubbing elbows with strangers. Gardyn, is one indoor garden that allows users to grow up to 30 different kinds of plants, needing no more than two feet worth of space.

The automatic gardening device, Gardyn uses hydroponic technology and app-powered maintenance to grow an assortment of seeds handpicked by each user. The thirty chosen yCubes stocked with seeds easily slide into the slots that dot Gardyn’s frame and sprouts appear within only a few days through app-integrated maintenance. An accompanying app called Kelby, essentially tracks the health status of the plants that fill out Gardyn, including water and humidity levels, temperature, as well as LED light dispersion. Through two high-resolution cameras, Kelby analyzes each plant’s development and adjusts the system’s parameters to optimize plant growth. In only four to five weeks, users can dig into their first harvest.

Gardyn’s fully-autonomous gardening system comes equipped with a six-gallon water reservoir that contains all the nourishment necessary for plants to grow for weeks. The system’s trademarked hybriponic technology also recirculates that water, along with air and supplementary nutrients in a closed-loop for the system’s roots to remain nourished and also to reduce water consumption by 95% when compared to traditional watering methods. The entire Gardyn system– the yPods, the aluminum columns, and the water reservoir– are made of high-quality, FDA-compliant, 100% recyclable materials to ensure that your garden is growing as naturally as possible.

Designer: Gardyn Tech

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Requiring no more than two feet, Gardyn can fit into any kitchen or garage!

Gardyn’s simple, sophisticated design even fits into your living room.

From a wide array of available seeds, Gardyn can grow anything from wheatgrass to dill, along with cherry tomatoes and even strawberries.

The trademarked yPods are made with recyclable materials and don’t need to be washed before use.

Along with Gardyn’s integrated watering system, plant nutrients come with each indoor gardening device.

Kelby, Gardyn’s accompanying app automatically takes care of your plants by tracking their development with two high-resolution cameras.

This indoor vertical farm relies on hydroponics to grow crops anywhere during any season!

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Since 2013, the Green Concept Award has functioned as a platform for networking and been awarded to designers who have made globally sustainable and innovative products. The awards recognize products already on the market or in their conceptual stages that stand out for their design, innovation, and commitment to sustainability. Each year, the Green Concept Award jury members finalize a pre-selection list before awarding the winning product with the year’s title. One of the products on 2021’s pre-selection list is Farmhouse, a hydroponic vertical farm conceptualized by designers at Kingston University’s School of Art.

Hydroponic vertical farming is a form of farming that ditches the need for soil, substituting in different root-supporting materials like peat moss or Rockwool, allowing plants to grow in nutrient-rich water. The five-tiered Farmhouse is stocked with trays that contain all the materials necessary for optimal hydro-plant growth, like filtered, nutrient-infused water, oxygen, and root support.

Additionally, the vertical farm comes equipped with bright lights, either LEDs or HIDs, to replace the natural sunlight outdoors so that each plant can receive special lighting according to its own Daily Light Integral (DLI). Hydroponics is a sustainable farming practice for many reasons, but a significant one might be that by tending to a hydroponic farm, like Farmhouse, crops can be grown anywhere, during any time of the year.

The food we eat on a day-to-day basis travels about 1,500 miles before reaching our plate. While picking produce up at the supermarket seems simple, a lot of pollution takes place behind the scenes, all before hitting the shelves. Delivering produce to grocery stores across the globe requires lots of plastic packaging and plenty more fuel for transportation, increasing levels of microplastic and air pollution in the process. The designers behind Farmhouse aim to cut those unsustainable practices by designing a hydroponic farming solution that can be used in any home, during any season.

Designer: Kingston University (Kingston School of Art)

The five shelves of the Farmhouse contain all the necessary materials required for hydroponic farming.

Outfitted with shelves, Farmhouse grows crops using metal trays that guide the plant’s direction of growth.

A water system, filter, and root-support material all work together to help produce crops through hydroponics.

Without the convenience of natural sunlight, hydroponic farming relies on LEDs and HIDs to feed crops with light.

Thanks to a ribbed glass pane and warm color scheme, Farmhouse can fit into any room.

Coming in denim blue, moss green, rose pink, scarlet red, and blonde yellow – the Farmhouse also comes with a simple frame and intuitive build.

A raised top shelf feeds the plants inside the Farmhouse with plenty of airflow and oxygen.

IKEA will help turn a Swedish city into a sustainable community

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IKEA is moving beyond the confines of the eco-friendly home to work on sustainable urban living. The flat-pack giant is partnering with the municipality of Helsingborg in its native Sweden on a green community project, known as H22, that takes in agr...

These origami greenhouses reduce plastic waste using a sustainable material: inflatable bamboo!

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You will find that in a lot of Southeast Asian countries people still use the traditional plastic-covered greenhouses and they are super popular in India which is the world’s second-biggest agricultural country. Polythene sheets are cheap and easy especially for those in developing countries like India where over 60% of the population depends on agriculture for income. We know that plastic is bad (and still find it so hard to remove it from our lifestyles), but most people in these countries don’t fully grasp that and the quickest way to convince them is by providing them with an accessible sustainable alternative while educating them simultaneously. This way we fast-track their sustainable journey and Designer Eliza Hague has already come up with the alternative solution – inflatable bamboo greenhouses!

Hague is a student at the University of Westminster where she is pursuing her Masters in Architecture. Her design features shellac-coated bamboo to emphasize the use of biomimicry in different disciplines of design – in her case it is providing eco-friendly architectural solutions inspired by nature. For the main structure, Hague drew inspiration from the Mimosa Pudica plant which closes its leaves when it senses danger and that is how she came up with collapsible beams featuring inflatable hinges. It gave the greenhouse a unique origami effect (it actually looks like paper too!) and also enables the structure to be easily flat-packed for transportation/storage. Rows of these bamboo-paper greenhouses can be connected to shared houses constructed from the soil, which has a high thermal mass, providing shelter from extreme temperatures in India. Hague envisions that the greenhouses would be shared by multiple families and would provide each family member with enough food to be self-sufficient, creating communal greenhouse villages in the city’s more rural and isolated areas.

“The tutors in Design Studio 10 encourage you to analyze what it means to be truly sustainable in architecture, rather than integrating sustainability as a generic requirement which is often seen throughout the industry. This helped to develop my project into something that challenges the suitability of widely used materials and current lifestyles. In light of the pandemic, the idea that architecture can provide spaces to encourage self-sufficient living has become more prevalent as we rely on supermarkets more than ever. This notion stimulated the desire to create a design that not only responded to its local environment but proposed innovative solutions to these challenges,” says Hague as she continues to develop her design so it can someday be an accessible alternative that will reduce plastic waste and educate people at the same time. Also, who wouldn’t love a cool, sustainable, origami dome as a greenhouse?

Designer: Eliza Hague

Polythene is used all over India because it is cost-effective for the rural demographic but it needs to be replaced each year which generates tonnes of plastic waste. With Hague’s alternative, the environmental impact can be minimized as the design uses locally sourced bamboo and natural resins extracted from trees.

The bamboo is then coated with shellac resin which makes it weather-resistant and gives it a texture similar to paper.

To set it up, all one has to do is inflate the greenhouse with air, cover it up with the bamboo-shellac material and fit the expandable fin-like black solar balloons that would sit between the inflatable beams and cladding for the hinges to facilitate natural ventilation based on the heat from the sun.

bamboo greenhouse

As each individual requires 40 meters-squared of greenhouse space to grow enough food to maintain self-sufficiency, the concept accommodates the potential different typologies based on two-person, three-person, and four-person homes.