A month ago I attended GreenTech 2019. There were quite some changes and new observations. Now for some proper substance – one of my favourite presentations at GreenTech 2019. Continue reading GreenTech 2019: General Observations and an Aquaponics Presentation
Last month, I started the course Precision Farming at Wageningen University. Precision farming is about applying the right dosage, at the right place, at the right time, which is easier said than done. Over the past few weeks, we have Continue reading Delphy: Applying Precision Farming to Greenhouses
Last week, I attended an evening organised by Heeren XVII, the biosystems engineers’ society at Wageningen University. The theme was insects. A presentation was given by Bart de Ruiter, director of R&D at Proti-Farm, a Dutch company producing insects. Continue reading An Evening with Proti-Farm
Agricultural systems are complex. Data and machine learning can help. But how exactly? Believing something can be useful and knowing how are two different things. PlantGeek are applying data and machine learning to automate aquaponics systems. Continue reading PlantGeek: Machine Learning and Aquaponics
Could it be that the logical conclusion of controlled-environment agriculture is natural ecosystems? If controlled-environment agriculture is to become sustainable, it must be able to use waste as an input for nutrients. In 2016, the AVFami project group* realised that Continue reading Bacteria and Biofilters Are Underrated
For the past month, I have been following one of Wageningen University’s flagship courses: Greenhouse Technology, given by Cecilia Stanghellini, Bert van ’t Ooster, and Ep Heuvelink. Last Thursday, we went on an excursion to three companies: Ter Laak Orchids, Ridder Growing Solutions, and Holstein Flowers. Continue reading A Floricultural Excursion
It’s strange what can happen within a year. In September, a surreal surprise occurred when I got a presenting spot at TEDxWageningenUniversity in November. My talk was on AMI (aquaponics-mushrooms-insects) systems and how they can connect resource management to health. Continue reading TEDxWageningenUniversity and 2018 in Review
I never really understood the point of microgreens. The whole point of this indoor farming movement, I thought, was to help meet our growing demand for food sustainably. And there were microgreens, calling themselves sustainable, whilst really being something that Continue reading In Defence of Microgreens
A few days ago, the Grand Finale of Wageningen University’s Greenhouse Challenge took place. It was a great day of discussing urban agriculture, showcasing new ideas, pitching, and celebration. Here’s my experience of that day. The Stand At 10 AM, Continue reading The Greenhouse Challenge Grand Finale
At Aquafarm 2018, Zjef Van Acker had been talking about his latest brainchild, the Virtual Vertical Farming Lab (ViVe Farm Lab), an online platform for sharing data and knowledge. On the way back at the airport, he showed me some Continue reading AMI’s Farm Lab and the First Vertical Farming Festival