Going green and growing greens: This tech startup uses air to cultivate produce
New farming product meant to sustainably grow herbs, vegetables and everything in between
St. John's company Aera Farms is hoping to take the restaurant industry by storm — or mist.
Aera's farming appliance, Victory, started with a Tupperware container and lights in Shawn and Amy Fisher's basement. Now, it looks much like a refrigerator.
The product can grow leafy greens and root vegetables through aeroponics, meaning the roots are suspended in the air and are sprayed by mist.
The husband and wife team say the method is a sustainable way to produce food at a constant rate.
"You can grow more yield and variety than any other solution in a Victory farming appliance," said co-founder Shawn Fisher.
The product's website says it can yield up to 64 kilograms of produce every month, if it's harvested every day.
Amy Fisher says daily harvests are possible because the seed pods auto-germinate, powered by special software. The marketing expert said the software detects what nutrients the crops need, and adjusts the system's temperature and moisture accordingly.
"You can grow lettuce from seed to harvest in 30 days in our units," she told CBC Radio's On The Go.
Hitting the market
Unlike its plants, the company didn't get to this point in a matter of days.
It's been a side project for the couple for about ten years, and much of the design and fabrication still happens in their basement with the use of 3D printers.
"Almost everything inside the unit Shawn has designed and printed as part of the prototype," Amy Fisher said.
Help from investors and fellow entrepreneurs got them off the ground — and the Fishers have big dreams for Victory.
"Over time, hopefully every kitchen in the world is going to have a farming appliance," Amy Fisher said, laughing.
But for now, the pair is starting with Newfoundland and Labrador restaurants.
They told CBC that Victory appliances are being sent to Piatto, Terre and the St. John's Convention Centre in the coming weeks.
Amy Fisher said the company holds a vision of sustainability in food production, which is very attractive to the restaurant industry.
According to Aera's data, each Victory offsets about 87 litres of gasoline a year, and saves up to 127,000 litres of water.
The going rate for one of the devices is about $20,000, but the company claims users can save up to $18,000 a year based on average distributor prices.
"A lot of chefs and people are interested in diversifying the things they can grow," said Amy Fisher. "But if it's for cost, you're going to save a lot on the leafy greens and herbs."
Shawn Fisher said the food produced by the appliance doesn't experience nutrient degradation because the roots are still attached when harvested.
He calls it the "freshest food in the world."
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
With files from Jamie Fitzpatrick
