Next Gen Farming Without Soil and 90% Less Water | GRATEFUL

Summary

In this video, Troy Albright takes us on a fascinating tour of True Garden, a vertical aeroponic farm that uses innovative methods to grow fresh, pesticide-free food. Troy, a licensed pharmacist, shares how the farm’s sustainable practices, including controlling the growing environment and using nutrient-rich solutions instead of soil, result in healthier, more vibrant produce. The farm saves space, reduces water use, and eliminates pesticides, offering a more environmentally friendly way to grow food. Troy emphasizes the importance of nutrition in health and encourages viewers to embrace local, clean food for better well-being.

Takeaways

• 😀 Vertical farming, like True Garden, grows food using minimal land, water, and no soil, which results in a more sustainable and efficient method of farming.
• 😀 Aeroponic farming allows plants to grow in nutrient-rich water, offering superior taste, freshness, and nutritional value compared to conventional farming.
• 😀 Troy Albright, a licensed pharmacist, shifted his focus to food and nutrition after seeing the impact of diet on health and wellness.
• 😀 Vertical farming can produce up to 10 times more food per square foot, using 90% less water compared to traditional farming methods.
• 😀 Growing food in coconut husk instead of soil eliminates the need for pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides, promoting a cleaner, organic process.
• 😀 Conventional produce often loses up to 50% of its nutrients during transport, reducing its nutritional value by the time it reaches consumers.
• 😀 Stevia, a natural sweetener, can be grown as a leaf and used as an alternative to sugar, offering a sweet flavor without added calories.
• 😀 Vertical farming offers the advantage of zero weeds, which eliminates the labor-intensive task of weed removal.
• 😀 True Garden’s vertical farm uses space efficiently, allowing it to feed around 100 families weekly from just a tenth of an acre of land.
• 😀 Troy stresses the importance of good nutrition as the foundation for overall health, claiming that a balanced diet can prevent many health issues such as headaches, gum disease, and depression.
• 😀 The video encourages viewers to take small steps toward better health, emphasizing that one change at a time can make a significant difference in their wellbeing.

Q & A

What is True Garden, and what makes it unique?

True Garden is a vertical aeroponic food farm that grows food using a controlled environment with no soil. Its unique feature is the use of towers that allow vegetables and fruits to grow in coconut husk with a nutrient-rich water solution, drastically reducing the need for soil, pesticides, and herbicides.

How did Troy Albright’s background influence his interest in vertical farming?

Troy Albright is a licensed pharmacist who shifted his approach to health after noticing the impact of food on his family's health. His personal experience, including weight loss and improved well-being through better nutrition, motivated him to explore sustainable food-growing methods, like vertical farming.

What is the role of coconut husk in vertical farming at True Garden?

Coconut husk, or coco coir, is used as the growing medium in True Garden's vertical farming system. It is a certified organic material that serves as a base for the seeds, replacing traditional soil. This reduces the need for pesticides and herbicides, making it an organic, sustainable alternative.

How does the aeroponic system at True Garden work?

In the aeroponic system, seeds are placed in coconut coir, and once they sprout, they are placed in vertical towers. A pump circulates nutrient-rich water every 3 to 15 minutes, which is then sprayed over the plants, allowing the roots to receive oxygen and nutrients without the need for soil.

What benefits does vertical farming offer in terms of water usage?

Vertical farming at True Garden uses 90 to 98 percent less water than traditional farming. The system is highly efficient because it recycles water through the towers, making it a much more sustainable solution for food production, especially in water-scarce regions.

How does vertical farming help solve the issue of limited space for agriculture?

Vertical farming allows crops to be grown in stacked layers, saving space. True Garden’s setup can produce 10 times more food in one-tenth of an acre, which is particularly beneficial in urban environments or areas where land for traditional farming is scarce.

Why are vertical farm-grown vegetables more nutrient-dense?

Vertical farm-grown vegetables are nutrient-dense because they receive more oxygen, fewer pests, and have a more controlled environment, leading to faster and healthier growth. The absence of soil also means no contamination from dirt, allowing the plants to have purer flavors and higher nutritional value.

What is the impact of traditional farming on food quality and nutrition?

Traditional farming often leads to the depletion of soil nutrients, and food is typically transported long distances, causing the loss of essential vitamins and minerals. Additionally, even organic produce can be sprayed with pesticides, further reducing its nutritional quality.

How does True Garden address the issue of pests and weeds?

True Garden’s vertical farming system eliminates pests and weeds by not using soil. Since there are no weeds to pull and no need for pesticides, the system reduces the environmental impact of farming and ensures cleaner, healthier produce.

What advice does Troy Albright offer to people interested in starting their own garden?

Troy suggests starting with plants you love to eat, keeping it simple, using clean water, and choosing good quality seedlings. He also mentions that residential vertical farming models are available, which can feed a family of four and expose them to fewer chemicals.