Sustainability and environmental responsibility have always been at the forefront of the agriculture industry. Now in 2024, we’re turning our attention to a newer method of growing: vertical farming. Vertical farming is capturing the attention of experts, eco-conscious individuals, and food lovers alike. Vertical farming isn't your typical agriculture. It's a revolutionary way of growing crops in vertically stacked growing towers or horizontally stacked trays, often within controlled environments like dedicated indoor spaces, skyscrapers, and shipping containers. Vertical farmin ..read more

In this guest submission, Chef Holly shares three recipes using locally grown greens from Yellowhead Tribal Council. As an in-house chef, Holly cooks lunch everyday for the staff at Yellowhead Tribal Council as part of the healthy lunch program. It is a cold, snowy and gloomy March day here in Treaty Six territory (Central Alberta, Canada). I pull into the parking lot of my workplace, The Yellowhead Tribal Council (YTC). It is a pretty average looking, three story building with a parking lot. In the parking lot, there is a large trailer with the words “GROWCER modular food solutions” written ..read more

A closer look at how grants work and how you can take advantage of opportunities to launch your food project. What is a grant? You’ve probably heard of grants, but it’s important to understand what a grant is. A grant is a fund given by a person or organization for a specific purpose linked to public benefit. Grants are usually offered by a public body, charitable foundation, a specialized grant-making institution, or in some cases, a business with a corporate social responsibility. In other words, it is “free money” you can use to start or expand a project that benefits society. Grants can h ..read more

Growcer’s Research and Development team is currently conducting lettuce trials to see what impact certain conditions have on lettuce to ensure we’re optimizing production. In addition to recording yield and size data, we also collect “marketability” data. What do we mean by that? What makes one lettuce head more marketable than another? The R&D team began with a broad definition and identified the following criteria to give each plant a marketability score. Decision criteria Tip burn Bolting Weight Uniformity Packaging presence Each criteria impacts marketability positively or negatively ..read more

As we head into 2024, the agriculture and vertical farming industry is changing—fast. We’re sharing what’s gaining traction and what’s upcoming: for both growers and retailers. Let’s dive in and get a sneak peek of this upcoming year! The vertical farming industry is going back to basics: how can you grow what your customers want efficiently and reliably? Summary Vertical farming trends for 2024: Technological advancements Customized crop varieties Supply assurance with greenhouses Investments and funding for growers Retail trends for food Hyper-localization Focus on sustainabil ..read more

Vertical farms require high upfront investments, what are your options when it comes to financing your vertical farm?     Farming is expensive. Overhead costs and risk levels can fluctuate based on volatile market forces, supply chains, and even a bit too much rain at the very wrong time. The need for controlled environment vertical farming became clearer this year due to supply chain disruptions, shortages, and the high transport costs and emissions associated with leafy greens grown thousands of miles away from where they are sold. But like traditional farming, start up and mainte ..read more

Steer clear of common mistakes in vertical farming Avoid the common pitfalls of vertical farming Vertical farming is a rapidly growing sector in agriculture, offering sustainable, year-round crop production in a controlled environment. However, like any business venture, there are pitfalls that can hinder its success. In this blog post, we'll explore the ten common mistakes made in vertical farming. These errors range from financial oversights to operational missteps, all of which can significantly impact the productivity and profitability of your vertical farm. By understanding and avoiding t ..read more

How does our team impact the success and health of your Growcer farm? First: What is a Horticulture Technician? Horticulture Technicians are all about plant health. Their role records and tracks plant growth, makes sure that the plants receive the right amount of water and nutrients, and to carry out treatment if—or when—a plant shows signs of disease or pest damage. They can work either in outdoor agriculture environments, or indoors working with hydroponic production systems or in greenhouses. At Growcer, we do things a little differently. One day our technicians could be focused on administ ..read more

Find out why we recommend you grow these specific leafy greens in a vertical farm. The Why The vertical farming industry is currently geared towards producing leafy green vegetables, but why? From what makes the most sense financially, to the characteristics of leafy green vegetables themselves, there are a few good reasons why lettuces, herbs, and the like are the gold standard for hydroponic crops. A shorter supply chain (made possible by localized production) is more noticeable in crops like leafy greens compared to other crops like root vegetables. Ultimately, these crops are usually fast ..read more

Join us for a deep dive into vertical farming products. A panel from across Product, Research, and Installation teams will be live to answer your questions. From Growcer’s product offerings, to farm details, to yields, and farm management, we’re here to get you answers to your vertical farming questions. Join us on August 2nd at 3pm EST. Register here. Our audience is invited to submit their questions ahead of time, or conversely, live during the event ..read more