Agriculturalists have plowed the soil for millennia, tilling and toiling to yield life-preserving crops. Though this is clearly a tried-and-true method for food production, there are newer and better ways accessible to modern growers, like indoor farming. Learn more about these three recent advances for the future of indoor farming.
Vertical Ecosystems
In environmental enclosures, growers can control light, temperature, water, and air quality all year long to create optimal growing cycles. These controlled environments are prime places for plants to grow strong and healthy. And the best part is these enclosures are not beholden to specific geography.
The indoor farming revolution changed not only the location but also the direction of planting. When farmers would spend days tilling vast acreages of land with livestock-driven tills, now indoor farmers swiftly assemble aisles of metal shelves. Indoor farming advancements into vertical dimensions created rows of shelves resembling those of grocery stores.
Modern Greenhouses
The greenhouse is no modern invention, but its recent adaptations have proven instrumental in developing indoor farming techniques. These see-through enclosures typically exist in sun-bathed areas where light pours through the glass ceiling, creating a humid environment wherein more plant species can thrive than in the soil below.
Today’s greenhouses blend the traditional with the modern. They capitalize on indoor farming technologies like light and air sensors, automated misting cycles, and coherent Internet of Things communications. Nowadays, indoor farmers can write self-sustaining automation and let the software care for their plants.
Urban Agribusiness
Indoor farming isn’t just about agrotechnology; there’s a whole industry of agribusiness involved. Agribusinesses focus on growing products for a quick turnaround in consumer markets. The furthering of indoor farming, though, pushed agribusiness from rural areas to urban hubs.
Who would think that you could be both a citizen of downtown Brooklyn and a career farmer? Well, urban agribusinesses have taken advantage of indoor farming techniques to enter previously untapped markets. Now, concrete-bound retailers and grocers have accessible, fresh merchandise to fill their shelves.
After pondering these three recent advances for the future of indoor farming, it is no surprise that the industry is still growing. In the near future, you will find more indoor farms and greenhouses in urban, suburban, and rural communities alike. If you want to learn more about how to jump on these trends and build your own environmental enclosure, reach out to us at National Partitions to get started.