The High-Tech Vertical Farmer

In the kale-filled facility at vertical farm startup Bowery Farming, it’s a piece of proprietary software that makes most of the critical decisions -- like when to harvest and how much to water each plant. But it still takes humans to carry out many tasks around the farm. Katie Morich, 25, loves the work. But as roboticists make gains, will her employer need her forever? This is the fourth episode of Next Jobs, a series about careers of the future hosted by Bloomberg Technology's Aki Ito.
Host, Producer: Aki Ito
Camera: Alan Jeffries, Brian Schildhorn
Co-Producer: David Nicholson
Editor: Victoria Daniell
Writers: Aki Ito and Victoria Daniell
Like this video? Subscribe: kzbin.info?sub_...
Become a Quicktake Member for exclusive perks: kzbin.infojoin
QuickTake Originals is Bloomberg's official premium video channel. We bring you insights and analysis from business, science, and technology experts who are shaping our future. We’re home to Hello World, Giant Leap, Storylines, and the series powering CityLab, Bloomberg Businessweek, Bloomberg Green, and much more.
Subscribe for business news, but not as you've known it: exclusive interviews, fascinating profiles, data-driven analysis, and the latest in tech innovation from around the world.
Visit our partner channel QuickTake News for breaking global news and insight in an instant.

[@parthgajjar1607]

"The software tells her what to do." So basically she's playing real life Farmville. Neat.

[@HypoXXL]

More like real life stardew valley! :D

[@bonfil1]

Sims?

[@Allyouknow5820]

Hypo_Tech Haha, was about to say just that :'D !

[@TheNefastor]

Except she's getting paid for it, not the opposite.

[@stephen6739]

Yet she was worried about not having a PHD to grow some leaf....

[@ralgore]

Employee of the month: *Laptop*

[@halconsalvaje]

Lmao

[@halconsalvaje]

Who owns this company? A program AI?

[@arnavrawat9864]

Those softwares are seriously powerful these days.

[@baradavi3681]

Smartphone...

[@NYSMCOM]

You forgot, "Again" ... "Laptop Again". :D

[@korcanatalay]

This is so informative that I want to start my own Katie now...

[@AnkitSingh-gf1zb]

😂😂😂

[@walikazmi7613]

LOL

[@prachetasnayse9709]

YES

[@Hajbibi]

Yeah wtf

[@TheNefastor]

Yet another illiterate dumbass who can't read a video's title but still thinks he's smart...

[@MichalOcilka]

Too much backstory not enough sci-fi farm

[@hermanenrickoatienza8801]

Read the title

[@rc_youtubeaccount1331]

the ideological mission of showing a successful woman and dehumanized production (not only cost, labours usually hold different beliefs from liberal journalists and bosses, so not touching "the outdated different" itself is inviting for them) prioritize transmitting knowledge and business analysis as cost advantage, energy consumption. Let electricity replace all solar energy, can't believe it's economic and environmentally attractive.

[@rc_youtubeaccount1331]

''Plant factories versus greenhouses: Comparison of resource use efficiency'' this uni research tells the feasibility of sci-fi farm.

[@rc_youtubeaccount1331]

simply speaking, even the reporter knows this is not an attractive biz mode, and she is no way a professional either, so depicting another pioneering woman to spoil specific readers is very all she can do

[@rc_youtubeaccount1331]

more look around, soilless products are incompetent in cost or quality but still hold a small fraction of high-end organic market very much due to marketing only. China (particularly certain rich provinces with blind worship in new concepts from the west) had made a great scale of failed attempts earlier between 2016-18 and soilless farming has been outdated even in this "rich fools" market.

[@lu-dx6oh]

Is this about vertical farming or Katie's life ???

[@blue_cameron]

luis fuentes her cat and her husband are an important part of vertical farming

[@TheNefastor]

Yo morons, the title says *farmer* not _farming..._ who taught you to read ? Betsy DeVos ?

[@lu-dx6oh]

whats with the anger cat lover

[@Brandons125]

I'm surprised we didn't see the cat in the credits. That cat was probably the most important part of the whole video.

[@SuperGamer87]

Honestly, I think this video deliberately wasn't trying to delve too heavily into either. It's trying to keep a human aspect on a technological trend. If anything, I got from this video is that you don't have to be super-familiar or super-qualified to become successful at this emerging technological trend in agriculture. A young woman, with an initial bit of skepticism, but support of her loved ones, was able to enter and succeed in this field. Then, the story tells how we're going to need alternative solutions for humanity's literally growing problem of an increased population. Finally, the video ends with Katie reaffirming that she thinks human minds will always have a component that machines lack, so there's always going to be some need for us, in this advent of newer technological fields. I took this video as a way to get people interested in asking questions about vertical farming, and generating a personal interest in such trends in technology, rather than trying to answer questions about vertical farming. Because the latter would probably feel colder, on its own. Especially in an era today where people are increasingly more concerned about humans jobs being reduced by technological alternatives. If you're going to share the idea, you have to break the ice a bit. I think this was just an icebreaker.

[@badaburner]

Spare a thought for the software programmers

[@Amit-sp4qm]

nah .. leave them in their VR ..

[@AS-3D]

Press f to pay respect

[@latewatch7611]

F

[@bok..]

those nerds? what do they do?

[@mrrmn19]

Katie deserves it all. Doesn't she? [grabs popcorn awaiting Marxists]

[@CaedenV]

There are so many pluses and minuses to vertical farming. On the one hand, it is super efficient. Most farms use 80-90% less water than traditional farms, no pesticides, no (or very little) fertalizer, typically a solar roof will power all the lights of a building. But mostly, there is a promise of little to no long-haul shipping or long-term storage. You can just build a vertical farm in every city, and grow crops year-round to have always fresh local food! It is a great leap forward for any plants that are lettuce sized or smaller. The down side however is the price. When you have companies full of enviornmental PhDs and programmers, as well as expensive up-front costs for all of the lighting and automation equipment, the break-even point for these kinds of small veggies is pretty much never. Put one of these in every city, control them with a centralized system, and fill them with cheap labor and less automation and you will have yourself a profitable company that can pump out food for the masses. But that still does not solve the food problem. most people don't buy a lot off small crops. For this to really take off, it needs to be able to take over staple crops like corn, wheat, and rice, and do it cheap. And it seems that they haven't quite cracked that nut yet... but I bet they are getting close! Once they can do that, the world changes overnight. But in the US, corn is hard as it is so large. I wonder if we will simply continue using fields for corn, of if we would shift our staples to more rice based products.

[@ameenaydan7794]

Wow I never knew so much about Katie! Cause I really wanted to...

[@johnjacobjinglehiemerschmi9102]

Snarky is a lil biatch

[@suxxa]

"The High-Tech Vertical Farmer"

[@waywardchild3380]

I want to know about the farming not her life !!

[@victoriage]

then maybe read the title of the video

[@TheNefastor]

What part of "farmer" don't you understand ?

[@SuperGamer87]

Then stop being pretentious and go find a video specifically on vertical farming. This video was just an ice-breaker, showing some human aspect behind the emerging technological field.

[@zulkifli2038]

indeed

[@jameshumphrey9939]

her life yes replaced by AI and automation soon like everybody's job in the future don't worry about knowing about anything about this kitty kat you will be well fed and taken care of by your superiors its our destined fate - relax !

[@danellerbe1521]

I'm an automation specialist for an oil company- This is the future in so many industries, my family & I also consume a Whole Food Plant Based Diet- This type of industry can help eliminate the inefficiencies of farming and get much needed tech jobs nearer large population centers where the produce can go straight to market! I Love it!!

[@richardmoustache]

I'm so glad that everything finally came together for Katie. Let's revisit this in a year, and see if Katie's still there. Check back in 10 and see if the "farm" is still there....

[@aaithubarla]

It's been 3 years, did you?

[@juliaset751]

I would like to see a cost breakdown of field farming vs. vertical farming from seed to consumer. I understand that the appeal of the vertical farm is the lack of pesticides, the taste, the freshness. It still would be interesting to see a cost comparison.

[@e99783]

Julia Set I second that request

[@Auronomi]

I third that request

[@hartmada2757]

There a very similar operation called little leaf farms. I've visited and talked with them. They make 60-67% gp per case. These guys might be a little lower but I'd imagine no lower than 40% gp.

[@railgap]

Nah, the appeal is that you can have agriculture at all, indoors, or underground. Because in 400 - 500 years, there won't BE any above-ground outdoor agriculture. This is the unavoidable furture now.

[@EdwardSinclair]

That is the real question....

[@Tagnar]

This can be set up underground, can work at night, can be used in space and on other planets. Automated, no pests, minimal water usage, no fertilizer wasted, no waste spilling into local areas. Only downsides are initial costs and running electricity costs, but both can be improved upon as solar batteries get cheaper and tech set-up becomes mass produced.

[@theblue882]

@R J Very interesting views, sadly 2 dimensional

[@strellettes8511]

@J R id hate to be you

[@railgap]

WHAT other planets? WHERE? YOU GOT SOME HIDING IN YOUR BACK POCKET WE CAN USE??

[@EdwardSinclair]

I hope it's not used for illegal purposes, why does it have to be underground? What are you planning to grow under there?

[@catem8752]

I like the fact that they've highlighted her life...jobs of the future will affect every aspect of our lives. It only makes sense to see how a human is adapting to the new jobs.

[@409raul]

Why the sob story about her life?? I'm here to see if this vertical farming is actually a viable option.

[@suxxa]

"The High-Tech Vertical Farmer"

[@berengamble1882]

Gosh tell me more about the tech, not about someone's self doubts.

[@suxxa]

"The High-Tech Vertical Farmer"

[@tobyschmel5408]

So how are they doing financially and what is the cost to the consumer?

[@WillZipf]

It's pretty much the same price as the other salads that are grown in real fields.

[@p46709394]

YOU WISH ! ! ! Vertical farms are not yet profitable , just like netflix or tesla. It will be some day @!!!

[@theaussie6526]

$20 for kale

[@thezebraherd8275]

Exactly when they do strawberrys which are seasonal and people actually want it will make money but for now it is dumb

[@VezWay007]

It is not dumb. Just because it came first doesn't mean it's dumb.

[@alisardo1119]

It's quite impressive what kaitie is doing at bowery farm,she's been setting up a role model for people looking forward to get involved in new technological fields.

[@user-bj4tg6vl6k]

م +

[@MoonCatching]

I had this idea in 1999; I’m so happy to see this actually being created!!!! I talked about it all the time hoping that the right people would be able to make it happen!!!!! Great JOB my fellow humans!!!!!

[@dgb5820]

This is in my opinion the most advanced technology platform in the horticulture industry, well done to the founders

[@yathinsurya4270]

Was the documentary about the farming or Katie I got confused 🤣🤣🤣

[@TheNefastor]

Yeah, I can see that you are. Here's a hint : the title says *farmer.* No need to thank me.

[@yathinsurya4270]

@@TheNefastor thanks for your wisdom 🤣🤣

[@TheNefastor]

@@yathinsurya4270 you're welcome.

[@earthmeeks9102]

Maybe it was about a songwriter working at a farm... that wrote the song " Maggie's Farm"? (Due to copywrite issues, he changed her name to Katie) Hopefully I didn't further confuse the issue . (wink Yathin Surya, and grats, Jean Roch for the quaint rare quality of WISDOM you possess, plus of course Bob Dylan for coming together here in these final years of pre-posthumanity.)

[@rock3tcatU233]

Geezus, what's up with all the dumb asses who are unable to read a single line title...

[@boobtube1212]

Seems like a much easier job than working out in a field. Little bending over, climate control, near or in an urban area. In the immigration debate one point that gets made is that Americans won't work in fields, this kind of agriculture job would make it much more likely that they would.

[@RJ-ew9fl]

boobtube1212 nah the fruits and vegetables still have to be sent to warehouses, get cleaned, get frozen, get boxed; and I've done that 3 years and only saw 2 white people

[@jur4x]

By the time this becomes mainstream, there only going to be just 3 or 4 people at whole factory. So not exactly a lot of new jobs there. And it is quite a trend everywhere.

[@josephgroves3176]

boobtube1212 I worked on a farm (tomatoes and potatoes) and, unless you're in a backwater, the heavy dirty work you describe was done by tractor attachments. And there were only 2 immigrants out of 7 workers (tho most of the rest were summer part timers), but I presume that ratio is not typical

[@BigBodyBiggolo]

The "problem" here is that people of wealthier countries for example the USA, commonly have a better education and therefore are reluctant to take jobs they wont get decently payed for compared to the amount of work other people have to do for the same amount of money, often in very uncomfortable conditions. This is where immigrants fill the gap, and they always have in almost all civilizations in history, this is how a civilization grows and how knowledge gets spread and how eventually we got where we are now.

[@Owen_O-Quinn]

This type of farming can really only support greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers. It is never going to make up a huge portion of food supply

[@MrRandom26]

Those lights are the real magic. We use these in our indoor facility and they allow our crops to grow past the lights without burning the plants.

[@heronnfreitas8835]

I loved it, I'm impressed this is in Jersey, and also it's a neat reporting, by not only presenting the technology but also the social impact it gives to its comunity. Awesome!

[@kishore4770]

Appropriate title for this video should have been 'This high-tech farm grows KATIE in a factory!' 😁

[@kvishnudev]

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@mrrmn19]

The part with the parents makes vertical farming seem like a drug. I laughed.

[@GoGreenYes]

Professional Gardener are not dirty anymore..

[@ralvinpamolino2806]

It never has been.

[@mikeg9b]

I loved this story: automated, computer-controlled farming .. and Katie. I hope Bowery Farming becomes the Apple of kale.

[@MUSTASCH1O]

It's exciting to see this technology coming to fruition and real businesses starting up. Nice to see the opportunities this technology is bringing for people like Katie too. "Farm Operator", that's a subtly space-age job title if you ask me.

[@Dizraptor]

I agree that vertical farms could potentially benefit space exploration, but even now it is quite an exciting project. It is great that such projects find support among investors.

[@Jfdas123]

Katie didn't start Bowery she's employee #9. So tell me why it's more about her than the company and tech. used? Useless video.

[@cya6109]

The company probably didnt want to give out too much infomation so they focused quite a bit on katie to try full the video

[@luisbaltazar1]

pretty face factor played a key role in bringing you here as well, admit it.

[@guberization]

I think the video promotes the field and degree in agriculture more so for people who want that. For colleges, degrees, and farmers there was a large demand for people who wanted to learn and research in that area. The degree picked up a great deal and large amounts of people wanted to go into a field that they thought would be in demand in the future. The problem with that way of thinking is that you can't predict how well your field of study will be in the near future. The farmers and companies were more educated and learned how to produce better crops from the university studies and the people that went into that degree. Once they had that information and used their research as standard practice, the need for these people with degrees became less desirable and so you had a large number of people with a degree that was oversaturated and hardly any need for them. I think the video shows more ways the degrees in agriculture will be available because of changing practices in agriculture or the way technology is forcing change on those farmers that wouldn't change. I hope that helps in why I think they chose to look at employee number nine.

[@ganto77]

guberization Finally someone who gets it.

[@mrwhooooooooooo3068]

the segment is called "Next Jobs", so it's about the jobs

[@Rod-bp8ow]

Ms.Katie, you're admired by many Americans and many individuals worldwide, you bring prosperity as well as types of work where there is infinite joy for agriculture and preservation of farming methods and production that is certain and not for losses, inventories that are always realized, GDP that is continuous and grows original that gives employment and businesses to have suppliers that supplies food at their respective shelters, micro house, respective tables of different size. It is thankful always to have many individuals such as you, a fighter, and a woman. Marriages that are honourable in all righteousness be it left and right. Certainty is always evident in the business, continue to live and Impart the same light that ye possess.

[@koaasst]

ive been doing this hobo style for 15 years now. with the advent of legal weed, the industr has boomed like crazy and become so cheap to do on a small scale at home. very rewarding.

[@AnyFactor]

When the science is not interesting or financially sustainable, you try to fluff up the business with personal stories. That is how tech startups work these days.

[@adrianfuentes9408]

My question was going to be - how profitable is this? But you answered that question for me

[@marie-evest-louis1758]

Its ok, they ll just get a bunch of bail outs from our governments!

[@platypuss619]

I mean I get your point the idea that this cant be profitable in future is false, this very well might be the key to human adaption to climate change and maintaining the food supply.

[@bellezavudd]

A lot of American agricultural is subsidized and has been for decades.

[@logiknotlogic6586]

Well this can obviously be made a lot more simpler and cheaper by removing a lot of unwanted stuff. And over the years, tech will become better and it might be profitable in the future

[@literally8647]

I'm a vertical farmer, best job ever!!

[@kimtilka3406]

We need more of these

[@ganeshsankaran7041]

I want to start this farming in India, Katie Thank you sooooo much

[@lbgstzockt8493]

>Grows plants super environmentally safe >wraps them in plastic >ffs

[@vagizz]

maybe it's that fast degrading type plastic who knows.

[@NereKH]

A part of the problem of feeding the entire world is not the amount, but the distribution of what we eat. If it rots while in distribution, it's gonna take a lot more food to feed one person, I'll tell you that. In that way, plastic wrapping is environmentally friendly.

[@007hansen]

just mention the "plastics" video from kurzgesagt instead of repeating the facts from it you cave dwelling mongrels -.-#

[@BananaBug]

what are you talking about kurzgesagt?? Nothing anyones said here I havent been told about scince I was like litturally four years old??

[@ManrielXiii]

What's the solution dumb ass.

[@MacrobianNomad]

My school took us to a vertical farm few years ago in London in the East end, a building in the middle of a business area. It was so fascinating and what was most interesting to me, was the fish farming. They used the fish excrement as nutrients for the fruits and veg. [Edit] it's is sad that patenting laws prevent this from being everywhere for all of humanity to benefit from it. The fact that information is a commodity and those who pay for it can exclusively access it, is specially the heartbreaking part of our profit driven world.

[@hounamao7140]

It is because of patenting that it exists. You think you'd spend half your life researching sth to make zero profit and get it china copied? The most innovative and modern countries are countries with a strong patent system.

[@doonit]

Beautiful produce. Did you see how gorgeous it looked through the plastic packaging in the supermarket? Amazing

[@anthonyparbury9123]

Well done this type of farming is the future.

[@tomhilditch2328]

"It's like crazy to see the stuff I grew on a plate," said no farmer ever.

[@puresciencetheoretical4691]

cause she isnt truly a "farmer"

[@robinbantigny8640]

lmfao

[@JoshStobart]

@@puresciencetheoretical4691 hit that nail on the head buddy. This is what happens when academics try to farm... overcomplicated expensive rubbish.

[@ramakambing7991]

@@JoshStobart amen

[@bige8549]

Why not? It's 2019. I wish they wouldn't package it for sale in plastic, though.

[@BrondolfrMadhorse]

The packaging keeps it fresh, it wouldn't last long without it

[@Rod-bp8ow]

This is an example of an industry that hones, shapens the abilities of individuals, it teaches craft of life, discipline, growth, and being preserved of the things that preserves life,from the source making it continuous and flourishing. Employees are healthier and full of being productive in so many ways. It calls for mastery of culture, who knows, it could be you. Human skills cannot be compared to a mecha. Man was given dominion to rule the world and manage its resources. "Planted by the waters by the word'. As bearers of living waters that flows.

[@user-yv3rv8eo2d]

Thank you Bloomberg. Now I know about Katie's life🤣🤣

[@catdogfishcake]

looks great but I am curious about their energy usage, can this sort of set-up be easily run on renewables?

[@harrisonkey698]

very easily, a lot of them across the world run directly on renewables

[@nc3826]

great story if it would have been called "Katie's love her work day at her Orwellian vertical factory farm"... So go google vertical farms or Bowery Farming want real info on this subject...

[@danielsalas7071]

Jesus Christ, if you were expecting detailed information on vertical farming, then you shouldn't have clicked on a title that can be read as "this farmer grows kale". Implying that the center of the story is the farmer, not the Bowery Farming. Follow you own goddamn advice, lady.

[@northavealum]

Go look at what they're doing in the Netherlands, and then come back and criticize this operation. Clearly the investors see something you don't

[@ZhongliAcross7NationsOfTeyvat]

I wonder.. Why 1.5k people dislike an informative content like this?

[@smangalisomhlongo5707]

The world needs this

[@urbanbaba6216]

Wow it's amazing. I will also start this type of modern farming.

[@johnrommelramirez7534]

DK KHATRI Wish you luck on your venture!

[@scientistsbaffled5730]

No. You will not.

[@spiderpig641154]

whenever there's a video of modern "vertical farming" that's going to "change the world" it's always kale and salad. Why don't you grow real vegetables like potatoes, carrots, onion, garlic...

[@LydiaScherr]

Right!! The truth is, it's just not profitable right now. I was just chatting with my friend who builds these things and he was saying how growing something like cucumbers requires too much light energy for the photosynthesis to create glucose in the fruits/veggies that only leafy greens make sense to grow. This is disappointing if this is supposed to be the future of food, we need to keep improving the science and technology behind this. I wrote my Master's thesis on Vertical Farming, and it has a long way to go before we are seeing more than leafy greens and herbs coming our way.

[@JaCornCobb]

​@@LydiaScherr is your work published and available to the public? i would love to read it.

[@kevinfruhwirth8391]

Also interested in your thesis! Is there a way to purchase it?

[@LeFleur80]

those grow underground (they're tubers) so its hard to grow that vertically without it rotting and theres probably not enough space

[@Abbysteel3456]

Thank you for posting this im interested to see where were going.. ❤

[@thebeachfishing]

Thanks for sharing! New ideas always welcome!

[@Quapadople]

0:48 Damn...I'd love to do that vertical farming too:))

[@mexicanreformist1522]

It doesn't go into the specific details about this farming, but from the looks of it. It appears to be aquaponics which there's criticism about supplying nutrients through a tube. Also there's the matter of using plastics which rubs into the water and goes into the plant. However if build correctly with a full ecosystem using quality fishes and so on can be beneficial on a mass scale for the population. I also believe that this type of thinking will result in more community farming which will encourage people to be more invested in building farming lands for the community.

[@BrianSWG]

Its probably hydroponics and not aquaponics. They are only using water and chemicals. They dont seem to be combining it with another system ie animals

[@utkarsh2301]

Bloomberg is something which Journalism should be.

[@SargeantRho]

this is one of the most interesting video i saw on youtube!

[@droid1312]

Yes, this video is meant to be about Katie. Katie and her job. This series is called "Next Jobs", not "how vertical farming works".

[@oscartweedale4707]

so glad i watched the least inspiring documentary available on employee Katie and her cooking ability rather than the farming techniques.

[@squarerootsfarms6609]

Check mine out

[@jailonbailey2149]

The documentary is about a vertical farmer not vertical farming

[@arielholtz]

I'm happy Katie that your considerate of the robots.

[@kevin84lee]

Awww bless her parents!!

[@HKashaf]

why is 30 mil considered a startup

[@jascrandom9855]

"Start up" means that its New.

[@mokus603]

There startups with lot higher budgets and nobody cares.

[@PotatoMan007]

Startups initial focus is on value generation over profitability.

[@pratik1568]

Small loan of a million dollar

[@TheNefastor]

@@pratik1568 start-ups don't rely on loans. They give shares against investments so they can start up, instead of starting from scratch.

[@fidianaa3533]

so touching for an excellent video

[@uminhtetoo]

Congratulations!🎉🎈🎊🍾

[@MsKante]

"It will be pretty lonely for the robots if they dont have anybody to talk to" LOL

[@andrewwaters2354]

Wow she works in a factory how revolutionary

[@TheNefastor]

Yeah, revolutionary. Unless you can point to long-established factories where they grow plants. Plus, it's a factory in America... not as common as it used to be

[@SuperGamer87]

Santiago Bron ...You _are_ aware that: a) the U.S. produces nearly $1 trillion of agriculture for itself b) most factories (even in Europe, South America, and throughout Asia) generally use parts imported from China c) the US imports a lot of food because 350+ million is a lot bigger than your average European nation of just 5 to 10 million d) this story is about the automated farming process... ...right?

[@novacolonel5287]

a and c) Europe supplies itself as well to the largest part, and the sum of our populations exceeds your 350 m. No single country larger or more economically powerful than the US, but combined we are ahead. No judging here - same technological level, more people = more output.b) Depends on tech level. Machines are mostly german or italian made, at least the more sophisticated ones. The chinese can do them extremely cost-competetively, and lots of it, but the last tad of quality is not present. Yet.d) Totall agree.

[@sshray1115]

Truly Next level!

[@IndraSunrise]

Video is about an employee, in a series about jobs. Comments are 90% people talking about the industry, not the job. If you want more information about vertical farming, those videos are out there. This video is a video about employees in a vertical farm.

[@ShailendraPaliwal]

"it's like crazy to see stuff I grew on a plate" Yeah, that's crazy right! I wonder if anyone has ever had that experience!

[@ferencszabo9271]

The inspiration surely came from Minecraft automatic farms

[@crunchygs8771]

cactus

[@zakirhossain4581]

I am in Japan. I want to work this vertical farm. What a nice farm. I never seen before.

[@WhiteDervish]

Give 1/10 of such effort to natural farming. The world will start changing in a month.

[@anshulbhandari9870]

i will grow high quality weed like this. who wants to invest in my startup??

[@armaanilyas3185]

Anshul Bhandari send me 69 bags 🤣

[@hanguyen5101997]

Where do invest?

[@rashnie9]

Anshul Bhandari yes

[@FunnyAsian00]

Growing lettuce and green leafy stuff is barely profitable.... Marijuana ain't gona be profitable using vertical farming yet

[@osabio5068]

I'm in. hahaha!

[@thezebraherd8275]

This will take of when they grow strawberrys or something people actually want and are seasonal but can be grown indoors also the marketer will be credit lol heck I might have to do that

[@JIMMY_NEMESIS]

more of this Aki Ito was a great little Docu

[@fauzi449]

we need factory like this!

[@letmefilmthis]

This is every vegans wet dream.

[@NoLeadsEnt]

i know what every vegans nightmare is :D Harvard's (decade-long) study on Plant intelligence and their conscious family oriented behavior. you are just to big, and impatient to notice they live and breath just like humans. :D happy reading! i'll order you a steak, and wait by the bar.

[@9385dee7]

Honestly it's any person's dream who can't afford imported vegetables or can't grow them / source them locally. If you look to places in northern Canada or even norther Europe you can't grow vegetables because if the climate, and importing things like salads or even fruit is mind bogglingly expensive. Vertical farming is a way to grow food when it's pitch black outside (24 hours of darkness is a thing the more northern you go) and -35 degrees and there's 10 foot of snow and the boats, trucks or planes cant deliver food. Most of these operations run on extremely effecient LEDs and pumps making them not just affordable to run, but affordable to the end customer. Also, the vertical aspect means that it takes up less space (which is why you can have a farm in the middle of New York City etc) and be cheaper for people looking to start a vertical farming buisness.

[@NoLeadsEnt]

im a fan of vertical farming myself, yet, Nebraska has a 90-year-old farmer who is killing it with greenhouses using thermo-heating. this previous thought, that we can't grow food anywhere on the planet, is dissipating fast. This gentleman has a yield of over 8x the normal conventional farming operation, using 1/8th of the land. all year round, and runs on solar power. the best part of it is, that he is buying up all the land, no longer rich in nutrients because we have stolen it all from the soil (farming incorrectly). not to mention his 100% organic method. it's a huge simple solution to add. his only issue is two pests, and they are removed by an organic oil mixture. its quite impressive, i must say! yet, something tells me that our ancestors who used to do something similar to this were also reaping harvests off of these ancient methods, revised. they used to have a hole mounded with veggie's etc, and an opening to the sun on a 66 degree angle, (i think) depending on your location from the equator.

[@blue_cameron]

NoLeads Ent. More plants are killed by meat eaters because animals eat plants.

[@NoLeadsEnt]

@@blue_cameron so do insects. Far more insects eat plants than humans. That's why they communicate with the enemy of the attacker v.i.a pheromones. They share soil only with relatives. You see plants are conscious beings. But reality is harsh to some by showing, "life needs life, to live"..nL how far does your love for life go? To starvation? Or are some to small to care about? Plant life matters hehe

[@tommash.r.2606]

Does this go under “organic” when its grown in a lab without natural sunlight?

[@luiseduardogonzalezquiroz272]

Yes it is. Kind of.

[@thatyougoon1785]

why should the origin of the light have to do anything with the plants? light has an intensity and wavelength, that's all.

[@Simon-dm8zv]

I don't see the problem.

[@LowestofheDead]

It needs less water because the light is at the exact wavelength the plants can absorb

[@nywe]

The only disadvantage I could see with this is that it's _too_ clean. There's no snail poop, insect bytes, dirt particles, or anything like that on these plants. Like with allergies, which are much more common in cleaner environments with little training for the immune system.

[@cybrfriends5089]

I understand the people wanting to know more about the vertical farm and less about Katie. But honestly, I think is also very interesting somebody can go to college, pay an enormous amount of money for education. Graduate, and have a really hard time looking for a job in their field. So they have to settle for a job where a computer is your boss. Basically you do what the computer tells you because the computer no only knows better, it has experience it already learned due to artificial intelligence. This is the future to most of our descendants. You do not have to like it or dislike it, it does not matter, it is happening. I for one welcome our computer overlords.

[@marlenagrzanka5070]

I am really impressed all this process and vertical farming! Could I get to know more about sowing process ??

[@comforth3898]

wow 9 employees at that huge facility automation is really creating unemployment

[@davidj7607]

Katie is a robot.

[@bogdanbogdanovich140]

Her parents are so understanding...

[@jorgearellanodeleon4320]

Love this new concept. Hope to see more of this. Katie's story is inspiring

[@GjaP_242]

6:47!

[@Burnamanism]

Cool idea, but seems pretty energy intensive. I work on a farm and we have a massive grow light called...the sun.

[@OnlineSupportTeam]

"it might look like we are in a spaceship"... obviously reporter hasn't been in a space ship :eyeroll: Internet Astronaut with 12"

[@marlak4203]

Yea it looked like a warehouse to me. Also like a lab or even a backroom area where cables for computer servers go.

[@benjebb]

I read an interesting article where it was saying that these indoor farms produce 3x more co2 then outdoor farms because of the higher temperatures that are needed then say outdoors in Spain

[@fredmyinga9007]

Its agriculture with brains. Superbb

[@kaktotak8267]

Why are they using white light? Wouldn't it be more efficient to use red light?

[@thatyougoon1785]

Yes it would, or blue light. But I think they have some light for when people work there. Idk. Maybe electricity is cheap where they live and there is no need to be super energy efficient

[@Hans-dm1hs]

I don't think they would be able to properly inspect the plants under red light.

[@kaktotak8267]

It's not like they have to monitor every plant 24/7. They only check them twice a day probably.

[@kaktotak8267]

Plants don't need full white light spectrum for photosynthesis. It's more efficient to give them a small part of the spectrum, preferably of longer wavelength.

[@SuperGamer87]

Not if the plants are from Krypton...

[@julkhanzambranozambrano8876]

We need this

[@AasifHaque]

No, we don't, the natural crops still have more amount of nutrients in a wider range of types, which is much healthier for humans and animals. Also, in this artificial way, natural distribution and mixture of genes among different types of a single species, is disturbed as there is no sexual reproduction of the crops, thus at a later time, these crops will lose the ability to survive in different climates and conditions. So, this method is scientifically unethical and not worthful. Rather try to find a way to grow more crops by discovering natural insecticide, fertilizers and better genetically modified species which die less and give more seeds/ food.

[@julkhanzambranozambrano8876]

@@AasifHaque seriously? You are selfish.

[@s4mbuk4]

Aasif Haque that’s stupid especially since this is a huge way towards space farming. Also, since when do you need sexual activity to create a diverse plant. We are long past the Stone Age seeming times where you crossed a yellow pea with another yellow by hand. Bio engineering my friend. Also this saves space. You don’t have to deal with pesticides or parasites. This is a huge success. Fuck the old-age farming style.

[@AmericaFirstRifleman]

@@julkhanzambranozambrano8876 your a dumb woman

[@ryanlalla6710]

oh btw for those who are confused the video title is: "The High-Tech Vertical Farmer" not: "The High-Tech Vertical Farm"

[@Hession0Drasha]

Katie is beautiful. This industry needs to grow

[@arnorrian1]

"It would be pretty lonely for the robots if they have no one to talk to." She hit Banks's Culture on the head.

[@explosivedude8295]

Is this a video about Vertical Farming or is it just about Katie's life?

[@GjaP_242]

A 2020 report found that nearly 690 million people-or 8.9 percent of the global population-are hungry, up by nearly 60 million in five years. The food security challenge will only become more difficult, as the world will need to produce about 70 percent more food by 2050 to feed an estimated 9 billion people. 3:33 The challenge is intensified by agriculture’s extreme vulnerability to climate change. The problem also works in reverse. Agriculture is a major part of the climate problem. [World Bank]

[@314jrock]

This video is about both; vertical farming and Katie's life as a vertical farmer.

[@AzriRich28]

Awesome farm!😁 Thanks for sharing!

[@lorenzo8495]

Awe, that's sweet. I thought she was the one that owned it. They're a sweet working couple! Katie is awesome! Great piece Aki Ito :)

[@cinhh]

Vertical farming is a fascination topic! But how Katie found here job? Couldn't care less...

[@wildlifemaster1665]

I thought this was about the farm not about an employee Like the vid btw.

[@HT-vd4in]

So these are the pros and cons of in door farming at least in my opinion: Pros: nutrition flow can be highly regulated, Water is not lost but instead can be recycled Cons: High energy consumption Ergo: the costs can only hardly being minimized. But still I see great chances of the implications in deserts, where water and nutrients are scarce and energy is cheap

[@Rhosclsgdk]

Thanks great video

[@ctcentralinfo]

"New Jersey: The last place you would expect sins of life"...sounds about right.