Why Shipping Container Farms are a Scam

[@SimpleTek]

What do you think about the price some of these companies are charging for Shipping container greenhouse farms?

[@marvingsde]

Overpriced, yeah. But not a Scam.

[@enriquemolina6169]

I’m doing my job to make affordable container homes & affordable container housing available to the communities who need it most

[@mzi6519]

@@enriquemolina6169 shipping container houses are thash . they are just scam invited by the used container industrie 1

[@johnm.4141]

Did Elon sell his first electric vehicles for a modest price? NO

[@newrenewableenergycontrol5724]

Great idea as a concept! Now, lets apply the most important research tool I learned in college! The KISS principle. Keep It Simple Stupid!😁😁😁

[@briandharris]

Relieved to learn that the scam is only that they’re overpriced.

[@SimpleTek]

That’s good!

[@Nonamebrand168]

Me too! Lol we have one on the way. I was like "oh snap what have we done!?" Lol

[@kingdav5794]

But this is chemical agriculture with all the négative aspects of it

[@andrexadoh]

@@kingdav5794 I work in one and let me tell you these things are expensive, ecological disasters, and maintenance nightmares. The up keep to keep them clean and pest free is heinous. Eventually they admit you will need pesticides. The dependance is brutal.

[@andrexadoh]

@@Nonamebrand168 Hi just curious if you received your Growcer and how is it going. We would like to connect with other communities that have them. I work in one and it ridiculous.

[@alansnyder8448]

I was expecting this video to say the container farms didn't work but instead, it is just that the non-DIY version is too expensive. This is really interesting since the application I'm looking for is to use it to grow my own food. Rather than specializing in just one food crop, I'd rather build something that could do 10 at once. The reason for doing this is to make sure they can be grown year-round regardless of what is happening outside, needing little or hopefully no pesticides, and don't need to worry about deer or squirrels getting into the garden. Has anyone looked into this? Let's say your target crops are: vegetables: cabbage, spinach, carrots, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, berries: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries Which are suitable or this and which could be grown together.

[@SimpleTek]

Good questions

[@patrickmccollian5528]

They don’t work. I had one and the plants rot from water leaking over them. Total mess

[@seanriley1445]

Not an expert in any way but my AG professor was asked about this sort of farming and leafy greens are best, root veggies are decent and everything else is "probably not a good idea". But its been 5 months, if this has worked out, would love to know!

[@MarketingStrategies28]

Non diy is more exspensive. But its done for you so you start straight away plus its tax deductible

[@3crowsfarm16]

The hit to ROI is not just electricity and financing that $180k debt It's also regular purchase of hydroponic chemicals -this adds up fast My farm partner and i looked into this and it was 8 years to break even assuming we sold everything, paid ourselves minimum wage and worked 40hrs a week ...and that nothing went wrong, for 8 years

[@SimpleTek]

I laughed at how much they wanted to see the produce for - like food grown hydroponically in a trailer will sell more than food from a local greenhouse......

[@jaishetty8586]

It isn't viable at $180k. We have therefore priced it at $26,900+shipping, ex works India, and will be glad to offer further discounts if we have more quantity. The product must almost compete with the open field crops, while offering better quality, pesticide free produce.

[@obiekeledo8903]

how did you go? post covid do you think its more feasible

[@elenidemos]

If you have multiple units on your farm, you also don't need the prep & water storage for each unit. Each container with with the prep & water storage could service 4 containers for single level (including itself) or 8 if you stack upwards. Smaller prep area would be all you need in each, to gather harvest or have prepared trays/plugs before set out. Maximising growth area.

[@SimpleTek]

These work well, the issue is what some companies are charging for them

[@elenidemos]

@@SimpleTek Agreed. At the price point you mentioned, they would be economical & per unit faster to pay off, so you can GET the ROI. 2-3 years to pay off a $139k unit, are they talking about growing drugs or are they just insane?

[@thomasflores7817]

@@elenidemos they probably are, but there are companies that openly make containers geared towards growing cannabis, and they go for like $60k, pretty far below that price point

[@elenidemos]

@@thomasflores7817 👍. Just thought to state what I did, to show ways of maximizing your growing space. If you have more then a single unit, you don't require a "prep" or "water" area in each unit, what ever your price point.

[@jvin248]

The container farm builders are pricing relative to buying a conventional two acre farm, that's who they think their competitor is. Imagine two acres of California or two acres in downtown LA/NY/Chicago (many are setting them up in back alleys or parked on side streets). Then their pricing seems like a great deal. They are also targeted at buyers who are directly selling to restaurants and perhaps medicinal smokers, both of which willing pay top cash for convenience products.

[@SimpleTek]

scam

[@PeterSedesse]

You don't think there are delivery operations that can deliver same day salad greens to NYC from eastern PA and NY state? They aren't competing on land, they are competing on the product. Also these things aren't producing 2 acres of crops, they are producing 1/5th of an acre of crops. In Eastern PA, you can get an acre of farmland for around $4k and doing salad greens on an acre of land (producing 5x's as much product) would cost you another thousand or two in infrastructure (post harvest processing). And I would LOVE any example of the city of new york allowing a shipping container to sit permanently in an alley.

[@RR-et6zp]

hey bro you got any excel sheets on this data and profitability etc?

[@jaishetty8586]

@@RR-et6zp what "crop" data do you need ? let me know I will send it across.

[@MingleVision]

Technology has value. A system that takes the guesswork and human error out of a sustainable farm that's growing hundreds of pounds of produce annually that's safe to sale to the public.

[@bindiberry6280]

People can rent their backyard to these shipping container farmers, especially for growing and packaging fresh medical ingrediencies seasonally. In this way, we actually help save more natural habitats for the environment.

[@SimpleTek]

that's an option

[@halfanacremom3967]

Another problem is the shape of the shipping container, within 10000 dollars (just the materials I do the labor myself)I build a 256 square feet warehouse from ground up. And it will never have the width and length portion like the shipping container. The super skinny shape simply make the operation so hard! No point.

[@SimpleTek]

yep

[@abstractedaway]

Yes, but they're good at vertical load bearing, so use them like pillars with storage space!

[@motalasuger]

@@abstractedaway there is also the downside of having to build a stair / elevator / etc to get at the ones above ground level unfortunately, I’m sure it gets old pretty quick having to arrange them in height instead of width if you can

[@PeterSedesse]

Exactly, shipping containers are 8ft wide, now you lose about a foot of that with insulation, down to 7ft, now subtract 2ft for the walking aisle... down to 5 ft of grow space... You lose 10 ft off the ends for the other stuff, so 30 x 5 x4(layers) gives you 600sq ft growing area. A typical market gardener grows beds that are 50ft x 30inches... so 125sqft. This entire shipping container that costs $180,000 is the equivalent of 5 beds... The math is terrible for them and the ROI is easily over 10 years even if nothing breaks. If you want to do urban farms, just rent a warehouse.

[@jaishetty8586]

S C are desired bcoz they can be shipped easily. No other benefit.

[@FOATE]

I used to work for a company that built container farms and climate controlled rooms! I can tell you right away that in most cases those systems are not economically viable. It's not just the investment there's also alot of maintenance involved with systems like this. I don't think the price is a scam, because a good sealed climate controlled container system costs at least 100k to build. If you want to grow anything else then lettuce it can cost you 40k just for quality LED lights!! I like to compare it to cars, growing in your back garden is like your trusty old beat up car that just keeps working. A little greenhouse is like a nice car that you like to fix up yourself. A professional greenhouse, container farm or climate controlled room though, is like a race car that requires regular maintenance, and a MUCH higher operating cost. For maintenance think about (solenoid) valves, pumps, sensors, relays, air distribution socks, also things like LED lights, circulation fans, air conditioning pumps, actuators for ventilation slats, grow trays etc.. They dont last forever.. For operating cost: lights, climate inputs (like heating, cooling, (de)humidification), CO2 (we built sealed systems, so no outside air), nutrients (because clean (or even sterile) growing is highly recommended, and hydroponics saves on floor space). So who were our customers then? Not your regular farmer I can tell you. So, flower growers liked them for testing and breeding new varieties. Also biotech laboratories use them for all sorts of testing. But perhaps most obviously: seed growers! If you consider a kg of good tomato seeds is worth more then a kg of gold, then it starts to make sense doesn't it? We used to build these systems for some of the biggest seed growers in the world!

[@SimpleTek]

Interesting background

[@Tarabaspence]

Dude you can use aeroponics and a slide system like large RV travel trailers. You can use a large slide area with polycarbonate slides and use clear materials and led lights. A real greenhouse cannot be beat in my opinion. Thanks for introducing me to aircrete.

[@SimpleTek]

Thanks for the tips!

[@iskandarsyah9624]

Scam is not the right title, overpriced yes.

[@SimpleTek]

you ARE correct.

[@sethbordeaux1749]

The reason the price spiked, is because the factory in Westborough had to shutdown for covid-19. This was contract manufacturing, and the contractor, laid off all the workers. You can't just tool up for that in a day. These take a warehouse sized facility and lean production to produce if you want to have ISO quality. The entire supply chain is disrupted, from the mini splits to the LEDS. Afterwards, Amazon robotics scooped up the space. The factories in china didn't have to shut down, and they didn't have to put the same amount of engineering because there was already an example to copy or get inspiration from.

[@alexandermayerkirstein]

Scam IS correct. Selling toilet paper for $500 a roll would also be a scam regardless the issue in the supply chain. I’ve seen many companies from manufacturers to retailers meet the challenges that COVID brought. Adaptability is one of life’s greatest achievements. Someone is getting scammed with these expensive container farms. It’s in our nature to seize the opportunities to scam others for personal benefit during times of adversity. Lumber, oil, commodities are led by scamming geniuses. Don’t be fooled by plausible explanations why a roll of tp could cost what a short cruise to Mexico does.

[@iskandarsyah9624]

@@alexandermayerkirstein Then you might lump Apple's products in this category too.. the Chinese will definitely know that.. Personally it's ok to over price as long as the market is fair, ok and knows it's overpriced, people have preferences ..

[@alexandermayerkirstein]

@@iskandarsyah9624 I appreciate your point, if people are willing to pay then what’s the problem. There are times when people will pay grossly overpriced items when they are misled, or cornered into doing so, neither is moral and there are some laws that deal with such, i.e. profiteering, racketeering, anti-trust, etc. all of which could have people willing to pay high prices that are deemed illegal due to some unfair advantage. Somewhere something suspicious begs the reason these manufactured farms are absolutely ridiculously priced. I suppose instead of complaining I should be joining the ranks of those who sell these for so much. I do, however, as you supposed, group Apple products in the realm of unethical product marketing. Having people pay stupid sums of cash for a device that serves other interested parties far more than the consumer who paid the unreasonable price. Our phones are not ours. They do not act like our property, don’t remain as viable property and the profit of Apple comes more from selling our privacy than from making electronic devices. Your point is spot on. Thanks.

[@smob0]

I think you are under estimating the amount of power you will need to run the system. My back of the envelope calculation, with 200W/m^2 of illumination and 110m^2 (~1200sq ft) of coverage, the light requirements of the plants will be 22kW. I think by the time you factor in losses and the heat pump (which is going to have to be sized to sink the heat from the lights), such a system might need 400A service or better at 120VAC.

[@SimpleTek]

LED?

[@smob0]

@@SimpleTek Yeah, in my experience growing full sized plants needs at minimum 100-300W per square meter of growing space with LEDs.

[@resilientfarmsanddesignstu1702]

Why use the shipping container at all? Just by some cheap corrugated metal sheets and hang them on a wood frame or better yet, build a multifunctional barn, greenhouse or other homestead structure and set up the hydroponic system in there. These shipping container farms are intended for sale to people who have no knowledge and skill in hydroponics, no desire to learn it and plenty of money to burn to purchase a hydroponics setup and to hire someone with the knowledge and skill to operate it. They want it so that they will have food in a zombie apocalypse and to show how ecologically responsible they are to their posh friends. In a global market, there are enough of these people to supply a business with customers. That’s the sad truth. The only reason for use of the shipping container is that the unit can be shipped anywhere cheaply and the company can claim it is green because it is upcycling shipping containers. In my humble opinion, and we subscribe to the permaculture/regenerative farming/agroforestry model, growing vegetables is not just about feeding yourself and making money, it’s about learning and interacting with the surrounding ecosystem and building a sustainable resilient ecologically-based economy and community. You can’t do that in a box.

[@SimpleTek]

totally agree

[@publicdomain3378]

Thats not a bad price if if it comes with a warranty.

[@chrisj5505]

You can make your own for under $20k. The problem with this sort of farming is a lot of hydro. It is ok if you have a 25k solar system that can power 48kwh a day. You can also use biogas generators. It is still cheaper than building a winter greenhouse. The cost to diy is very cheap, just do it yourself dont buy from a company

[@SimpleTek]

clearly you haven't seen my videos on winter greenhouses and heating

[@sethbordeaux1749]

Hey man. I like your channel, but I think you're being unfair to Freight Farms. These are good people. They might smoke a lot of weed, but they work hard trying to solve real problems. They put a lot of R&D into these boxes. The engineering from prototype to commoditized unit will probably astound you. These aren't crappy boxes. These are solidly designed to last for many years. I'm happy your area doesn't have insane real estate prices, food deserts, and unpredictable weather. I think it's wrong to call them scammers. You can balk at the price, but out here an apartment will cost you half a million. Yet there are still neighborhoods where you can't buy food unless it comes in a can. The graphic calling them scammers is just plain mean. You don't seem like a mean guy. This seems out of character.

[@SimpleTek]

I never said there was anything wrong with the unit, but LOOK at the price - you can get a similar unit on alibaba for $20,000 !!!!!!!!

[@Songer80]

The shipping container doesn't come with land attached to it so it is a rip off. The high real estate prices are due to the location of the land which the home is built on not because of the structure.

[@stephenkeebler732]

And, most of those expensive locations will not allow you to install these boxes, according to Zoning and Building Codes...

[@sethbordeaux1749]

@@SimpleTek Oh, believe me, there is a huge difference in quality. It's like comparing any product. Regardless, using the word "scam" is implying that they are bad people out to steal money. They aren't. It's not cool to imply illegal wrongdoing. Love the channel though. Can't complain about the other stuff.

[@sethbordeaux1749]

@@stephenkeebler732City planners love urban farming. They are rewriting codes and UAOs. Most zoning will accept the container if it is styled for surroundings. This can mean painting, or something like a cedar lattice. "Food miles" is a common metric used. Addressing a community‐wide food approach is consistent with planning urban infrastructure systems. For example, urban energy, water, and waste, metabolism, and mass inflow systems are ideally designed to support the whole community.

[@matthewbabel1570]

I have an opportunity to buy an older model LGM Freight Farm for around 5k. I have been doing research to figure out if i should get it. Its fully functional from a university. How much does 200 pounds of lettuce even sell for? Are there better things to grow? Im in NC.

[@SimpleTek]

If costs $4k just for the shipping container here, empty! That’s a steal!!!

[@SimpleTek]

But it!!!!

[@novelenterprise]

I think the main issue is the lack of diverse things u can grow in the containers, from my research theres only 8 crops that do well in this environment that make it “sustainable “

[@SimpleTek]

There’s way more than 8

[@andrexadoh]

@@SimpleTek It depends on the type of unit but right now there are not many options except leafy greens or herbs in the general entry level type.

[@SimpleTek]

@@andrexadoh good point

[@TNBushcrafter]

@@andrexadoh I grow indoor and outdoor hydroponics year after year. Tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, cucumbers, radishes, carrots, beets, medicinal plants, many leafy greens of course, and many other things.

[@drinkwater9891]

@@SimpleTek i think its wrong to grow animals in shipping containers and they look ugly and the vegan hipsters will just fill up cities with monstrous metal crap and make it look like industrial dockyards, we had a nice set up before, we had nice countryside where you can grow anything freely with nice wide land getting energy from the sun so at least animals and plants have some dignity and we had cities where people could do the other factory and office type work. growing plants like this is disrespectful to life itself, let alone growing animals in cages or humans in tiny apartments with no sunlight or at least windows

[@onlyguitar1001]

I thought he was going to say that shipping container farms are a bad idea but they're such a good idea that we need them to be affordable to take off. This technology has to happen on a large scale. We can save millions of animal lives by not farming outdoors, we can reduce the use of pesticides, reduce travel emissions, save vast amounts of farmland that we can reforest and have fresher food

[@SimpleTek]

Thank you

[@babaluto]

Here's an update on the cost of 40' refer units. I get them for $2900 from the leasing companies. Currently Jacksonville. I've been growing spirulina in my two containers for nearly two years. They do require 100 amp service, much more than a hydro farm but an excellent 100k+/year income. Good topic here.

[@kieranjunge]

Let's talk more about this. I need some containers.

[@SimpleTek]

my point exactly!

[@IBBZ650]

hi could you talk me through this id like to hear more in detail of how to set up ect im from the uk would appreciate it thanks

[@babaluto]

@@IBBZ650 what is ect?

[@michaelmccabe3330]

​@@babaluto think they meant etcetera.

[@andru5054]

Where did you get that Kimball is building shipping container farms? I relied on this info and went to visit him and they don't manufacture anything, they buy shipping containers from Freight Farms

[@SimpleTek]

Touché

[@andru5054]

@@SimpleTek you trolled me bro hehe but you also inspired me to try and fix this problem😊✌️ Thanks for the informative video

[@leekosub1196]

Do you have or do you know of a video or series on how to convert a shipping container to a container farm? I have an empty shipping container with water and electric very close by.

[@SimpleTek]

Lots on KZbin

[@rodmancrump4709]

The value comes from the research and development that was done beforehand. It's a very sensitive growing environment and the smallest metric being off can be catastrophic and can lose a lot of crops and money. There is a lot of manual labor and trial and error that goes into controlled environmental agriculture

[@SimpleTek]

very true

[@andrexadoh]

And thats why its not sustainable and environmentally sustainable and friendly

[@hoofheartedicemelted296]

I was thinking of a geodesic dome myself with grow towers to maximise output while saving space. It would require a portable power station before actually implementing the build otherwise I might end up the creek when these brown outs and black outs occurr. I'm a northern hemisphere resident so aquaponics is out of the question since Winters can be severe. Perhaps Kimble should take a page out of his brother's play book and sell low but sell quantity. Look at the pound stretcher shops in the U.K you can buy for a single pound/dollar but how many people leave poundstretcher with only one item? People leave with big bags of items. Food for thought. Thanks for the video and thanks for listening.

[@brettsmith4128]

There are a lot of faults using steel box shipping container as hydroponic farms that are designed for shipping. They require insulation, they are aesthetically not appealing dropped into suburban locations, they would be hard to permit in many cities and towns, they consume a lot of water and too much energy, they are most likely not ADA compliant etc etc. A scam, probably not. If someone pays that price thats their problem. Overpriced for ROI, yes. The lack of growing options for vine crops such as tomatoes and micro green production is a fail. Selling small lettuces would be an issue in most markets for ROI. Probably why you see some container farms in remote areas where produce prices are high to start with. I would steer away from anything Chinese made, cheaper yes, will not last the test of time we all know that. It appears that Freight Farms started the trend and others have followed along. Build your own if you have the choice.

[@SimpleTek]

Well said

[@greenmachineca473]

Ok so couple things. A lighting alone is 5-10 easy.. container is 15k now and shipping that container cost 20k now. So we’re at 35k without anything in it. The price on Alibaba are not real price msg them and find out . Your 40k budget is not even close unless its total DIY and very limited on output

[@brianpimental2948]

What do you think about the Grow Spec farms from China. They are range from 30k to 60 depending on build out. Plus shipping and tariffs. I enjoy you channel

[@SimpleTek]

Depending on specs that sounds like a good deal

[@brianpimental2948]

Thank you

[@kaiyack]

Maybe a little expensive for us that know better but I think you may be underestimating the costs. 50 amps? Freightfarms advertises 150A at 240v. Lighting fixtures alone start to drive up capital and operational costs. And they need to be designed for short light to canopy distances. The fixtures need to be intense and appropriately spaced. More light generally means a quicker harvest for most vegetative, leafy herbs and greens. Higher turn-over. I see a lot of folks satisfied with their lanky lettuce that took 2 months to grow from their home depot LEDs. Additionally, can’t simply stick a mini-split head in there and expect the air to mix thoroughly throughout the box, across all plant layers. Gonna need distribution fans and plenums-those add up and add electrical requirements, and operational costs. Even LED lights give off some heat. Plants breath and respire 24/7. Now seal all that in a box. You’ll need something bigger than an average 12,000 btu SEER to handle all the humidity of densely packed plants and heat from whatever lighting. Maybe even multiple condensers for redundancy. Wouldn’t want to lose the entire crop if your only AC went kaputt. Are you planning to mix all the nutes by hand? Automated systems cost money. Every nutrient component will require a dosatron head. Unless you’re doing batch nutes-in which case good luck staying late every day. Inline fertigation means no intrusive stock and mix tanks. Everything needs to be stainless steel and food grade plastic to meet GMP and for you to get crop and product liability insurance, satisfy HACCP planning, on top of meeting local sanitation requirements. Can’t have galvanized anything around food prep. Most PVC pipe at home depot is for drain not potable water. CSA or ETL certs on all equipment too. Some cheaper LED fixtures bypass that process to get to market faster. Pumps have to be sanitary. If these manufacturers are really doing component due diligence, I can see why they go for $180,000+. Yes we could source for cheaper, especially if you speak Mandarin, which we do all the time. But an eight year ROI is not terrible considering most of these machines are not being run by skilled horticulturalists. And how long do most start-up businesses take to turn a profit? A Tribe or a hospital buys one of these and all they have to do is replace the LED’s every 10 years. Maybe a pump goes bad. Reoccurring fertilizers costs but that’s not insurmountable. Fertilizers could be bought in bulk for savings, if stored properly. Or maybe they don’t care to turn a profit because food security is more important? Or it can arrive to a remote location in one shipment on a flatbed on one invoice versus a multitude of individual equipment orders? Sometimes people/institutions want to snap their fingers and have a turn-key solution, without all the homework or employing specialists.

[@SimpleTek]

Thank you for the huge detailed reply

[@aishalyon]

Ontario CANADA here, what is your opinion on bringing these in from Alibaba, any more information you have come across since posting this? Im interested in creative a food market, that has portable potential, Vs. output of production in a greenhouse vertical gardening systems....

[@SimpleTek]

I like the idea!

[@stephenfulp3782]

Love simple tech and love the idea of under cutting the bad guys.insulation could be done with strawbales on the outside walls on the cheap no lost space inside also no condensation problem on inside of containers

[@SimpleTek]

Thank you for the kind words

[@decal2154]

Why can’t an individual connect solar on top of the unit to reduce, eliminate, the power company.

[@SimpleTek]

it's possible

[@gedeuchnixan3830]

I don´t see 20-30K happening, that´s where I estimate the total build cost of one container. When a container and airpump is about 13K already, where´s all the other parts (tables, tubing, wires, ventilation, lights, autonomization and labor coming from? They´re probably around 20-25K to build in northern america so a reasonable price would be 40-50K, they have to make profit.

[@SimpleTek]

Build it yourself

[@gedeuchnixan3830]

@@SimpleTek If I want one I would, but I don´t see it making sense in Germany for the simple fact, germans don´t pay premium for artifically/ greenhouse grown products, we pay premium for natrually grown products and food isn´t expensive. A regular greenhouse works just as good over here and I can put some lamps in a greenhouse no problem, if wanted or needed. DIY is more fun and easier to customize for the exact personal usecase and of cause cheaper.

[@abstractedaway]

There are right ways and wrong ways to get shipping containers up to spec. Most people are cutting and welding them to the point where the "7 reasons" video applies. Those who make good use of open-side containers and exterior insulative cladding get around most of these disadvantages.

[@SimpleTek]

Thanks for the tips!

[@thuydao7052]

That's why school need to teach students practical living skills and promote their creativities with practical projects.

[@SimpleTek]

@@thuydao7052 well said

[@JohnNoe-hf9zx]

Does any one know of a design and material list for a DIY unit?

[@SimpleTek]

@@JohnNoe-hf9zx let me know if you find one

[@BDPershing]

The cost to ship to US from China is 4 to 8 dollars a kilo. Without import and inspection taxes. A container weight is roughly 3750 kilos. Meaning 15k at the minimum for importing a China made food container, If no weight is added. If we estimate the full build with everything included in the shipping container, it adds 1,000 lbs. The cost is now ~$16820. A container will cost around 40k at the bare minimum to import. Now honestly I do believe a hydroponic farm in a container isn't efficient enough to attempt. The system still requires adding stuff to the water and the cost of that alone doesn't help to pay for the unit.

[@SimpleTek]

Shipping costs went crazy but they are slowly coming back down

[@greenislandfarmer6819]

Finally. Your asking the hard question. I have been listening to people within the vertical/container growing community. Each and every one talk about investors. Should the product u grow not be the investor to pay u. Also it doesn’t mention that it will be like having a new born baby for the rest of your days.

[@SimpleTek]

well said

[@Floreypottery]

I was looking at some Used aeroponic growing containers for under 70k they claim 500 heads of lettuce a year. Roi was 13 months to pay unit off if you can build a greenhouse it is way cheaper

[@SimpleTek]

you can build a shipping container way cheaper too!

[@oscargirin]

I’m running referee trucking company,and nowadays ,refeer trailer (old one ) is 4-6k,if you wanna buy dry van trailer (3-6k) so I have 8 trailer in the yard which I don’t use ,so if I connect these 8 trailers and redesign them for freight farm system ,would it be great ideas instead of doing trucking business ?

[@SimpleTek]

I like it!!!!!

[@newrenewableenergycontrol5724]

Sometimes we get focused on R&D with a basic idea, then move forward like the original idea is written in stone. You must be willing to change your design every step of the way. That means, yes, you spent a fortune figuring out that gold dust works great. But if you rethink and sacrifice that idea, you may change the entire concept in a way that might make the whole thing even more applicable. Maybe steel dust would work fine. These are ideas, not family pets! You must be willing to adjust. For example, a new shipping container is not necessary. They sell these things used, because they become questionable for high seas use. And several years ago, there were many available. Growing racks can be made from used retail shelving which after Covid are available at slightly over scrap level. Want to make a fortune? Build one of these with the least expensive material sources you can find, make a complete "how to" video, then sell that video for $100 on the net with secure book access. Temperature control? Do you realize there is a constant temperature area closer to you then your local gas station? 30 feet underground the temperature hardly changes at all winter or summer! Heat and cooling expenses just dropped off the list! The savings in one year would pay for the dig. I would estimate this build to be in the $10,000 range! (Unless you excavate) Now your vegetables can sell at a profit below wholesale!

[@SimpleTek]

you really need to look at my other videos

[@newrenewableenergycontrol5724]

@@SimpleTek I just found you this morning! I will Thanks for the info!

[@PC2011HK]

"Great Minds Think Alike". Climate control and burying the farm container 30 feet under the ground is a great idea / refinement!!!! Bomb shelter and Safe Room - all in one. Also, if one has a side chamber, doubles as a burial chamber. And then as fertilizer!!!!! The burial chamber concept would save $20,000 for the plot and $30,000 for the funeral and if you are Asian, $5,000 for the post-funeral banquet. Oh. A sister-container can sell burial space for anyone who believes in recycling and helping humanity - likely will be regulated. One plot can store how many - stacked? They pay a premium for being on top. (Being silly. Apologies.) UHAUL has a small version of freight container. So does one of those Storage Pod outfits. Their containers are front yard / back yard / parking spot friendly. About the size of a large mini-van or a small truck. But you still need pollinators to have a successful harvest. And bees don't like people in their hive. Remember. www.uhaul.com/Tips/U-Box/U-Haul-U-Box-Containers-Vs-Pods-Portable-Storage-15338 www.pods.com

[@jaishetty8586]

Geothermal HVAC can be a supplementary aid, but cannot beat high efficiency refrigerant heat pumps. The ground temp is "stable" but at what temp ? The temperature is different for different locations. One could offset it with solar power if location permits. With SC farm, you just need to power on, and connect a water source. It is deployed !! If you grow "exotic" stuff, profit wouldn't be an issue.

[@TNBushcrafter]

@@jaishetty8586 the underground consistent temp is always right at 50°F. I've been 1800 feet down, below frost line it doesn't matter.

[@andriiyeromenkov6337]

I can supply you with containers for around 3k + shipping costs from Europe 😁 but not insulated unfortunately, insulated cost around 7k euros, with built in refrigerating system

[@SimpleTek]

yep!

[@kieranjunge]

Message me if you're serious.

[@olaleyeololade6803]

Let’s talk

[@enochaarrestad1168]

Why can't I just set this up in my basement? I'm thinking 50 square feet should provide more than enough through the winter.

[@SimpleTek]

Exactly!

[@sunnygunz]

so you have plans to build?

[@SimpleTek]

@@sunnygunz I don’t sell plans, sorry

[@sunnygunz]

@@SimpleTek If you decide to sell plans i will buy it

[@SimpleTek]

@@sunnygunz I really appreciate that, at this point that’s not a direction I want to go. But thank you for making my day.

[@BaconKongen]

Could you make a video of deep water hydroponics in greenhouses? mabe using solar panels, and storing the energy (as heat) inn the water? using insulated long tanks and the floating rafts as insulation to keep the plant roots warm in the water at night when the air in greenhouse is colder at night. if there is litle evaporation because of the floating rafts, there could be less energy lost...

[@SimpleTek]

coming soon!

[@BaconKongen]

@@SimpleTek looking forward to it

[@raincoast9010]

How healthy is food grown with hydroponics versus grown in living soil?

[@SimpleTek]

depends on what you put in hydroponically....I prefer soil though

[@jaishetty8586]

much much healthier.

[@nicholasdworcowyi5735]

People are hungry to be in some sort of business they could manage themselves. The glossy pics, profits glaze over the reality of the investment. I know how they feel. I nearly fell into one here in Australia on a turn-key greenhouse operation. Thank goodness our bank manager explained how we could have lost our "farm" if we couldn't keep up our borrowed money repayments of $75000 Aust back in 1991.

[@SimpleTek]

EXACTLY!!!

[@JarJoe92]

Looking for your advice (anybody) Dear friend you get the key word they are scammer; since couple of days I'm collecting the necessary items for hydroponic farm to build it in used container and converted to farm. Day to day I dream to establish a factory to do container farm here on Saudi Arabia. I can pay used container with US $1000 to $2000 best Air condition $1000 >>> I'm looking for advice?

[@SimpleTek]

All depends on your budget

[@marctorrades1760]

Yeah I was looking at 1 from South Africa It wasn't as expensive, but just wondering if it was the not a scam

[@SimpleTek]

if the price is right they work

[@michaelhardisty5206]

Do you actually know the prices of produce on a rez?

[@SimpleTek]

Good point, it’s high but after the pandemic it’s crazy in many places

[@venividicredi4993]

If its optimal production is 2Ha worth of food then market price should never be more than about 25%-50% of the land price, at which point there might be a huge market for a 20' or smaller version to compliment the garden shed

[@SimpleTek]

good point

[@StripesofValor]

I build and operate my own hydroponics farm and have also dealt with premade Chinese hydroponics systems. I’ve found that engineering of these Chinese units are not engineered correctly. We use a system in a classroom and it regularly floods and stuff breaks all the time versus my custom built systems. Difference is that I have 21+ years in skilled trades and I have a better understanding of how things should work. Just got a quote from a U.S. manufacturer for $130,000 plus shipping. I’m betting I could design and build a comparable shipping container system for $30,000-$40,000 depending on inflation; doing the work myself (welding, plumbing, electrical and automation).

[@SimpleTek]

Thank you for your insight, I completely agree with you. The prices in my video were pre-pandemic, everything is different now and your prices sound about right

[@mzi6519]

loock at heat pumps on alibaba . there are 18000BTU`s for under 150 dolars

[@SimpleTek]

wow

[@davidothus191]

Initially, Tesla cars were very expensive. Now that they are more mainstream, prices are about equal to "normal" cars. We are already seeing that in the shipping container farm market as well. While you can defiantly create one of these yourself, much cheaper, these are ready to go, out of the box systems, and there is a lot of demand for them in certain areas. These are for people who need to food / fresh food that they either have issues getting regularly and reliably. I have seen several higher end restaurants purchase these just for that purpose, and for them, their markup is already in the price of the food they serve to restaurant customers, so ROI is much easier to attain in a suitable period of time.

[@SimpleTek]

Well said.

[@profamir4828]

How do I contact you? I need a consultant to help a greenhouse overseas

[@SimpleTek]

Call me. Email first [e-mail]

[@kairon156]

Great video!! Holey shit, $139K converting it to Canadian as you did a bit later is the cost of a nice house with a small back yard. Isolated communities does make since where a town's budget can pay for something like this and sell the food locally. My question now is, Assuming you already have the land available, why not build a Good green house yourself?

[@SimpleTek]

I've built a few! building more

[@kairon156]

@@SimpleTek That's pretty cool.

[@cliffp73]

May I ask if you accept Peronal contact?

[@SimpleTek]

[e-mail]

[@shazzz_land]

it's main target is folks small companies that have at around 1000 pieces of livestock and need alternative sources for feeding them, especially for times of drowght and winter; for me for example if I were to have 200 cattle and supposedly at least 700 sheep, i'd definetly go for hydro for food making; in this case, yes, you can say that you can make a ROI in 2 to 3.5 years; if you have 10 cattle then it is not worth buying, it's cheaper to make a room in your house that will produce the needed food for the livestock you have

[@SimpleTek]

Ummm ok….

[@georgedavis6882]

What about variety. Your talking about grow racks that leave very little height for plants. Any thing else and it loses production ratio. It's a rich kid's toy...like a jet ski or motor boat.

[@SimpleTek]

Yep

[@RJSoftware2000]

A tent of shade cloth & pvc, with geothermal. Wood chips love them. But I live in Florida.

[@SimpleTek]

awe

[@alexandermayerkirstein]

Really enjoy your delivery as well the wholesome value in your content. You explain things simply and effectively. Thank you for all you do to make this world a better place.

[@SimpleTek]

I appreciate that!

[@chynesteban3309]

I think you have the right idea. But you could do this in a 350 square feet room, just put one of the greenhouses from your videos inside this room. Then put the equipment you just mentioned. It can be done.

[@SimpleTek]

yep!!!!!! but that would be 30 sq feet LARGER!!!!!!! shipping containers are only 320 sq feet

[@joespruill6447]

I see this more as a seed starter or micro greens. Other than that, no space to scale up! Thats my opinion and how I see it. There might be a few you could on the vertical gardening like tomato's etc. Between the price and the fact, you can't scale, and I'm not talking about adding more I'm talking about the efficacies of a unit.

[@SimpleTek]

makes sense

[@Jack_Hunt]

Simple. Buy your own shipping container and try and create the same thing. If you can do it cheaper good for you, if you can't go with Freight Farms but don't call it a scam just because you don't like price. That's not a scam. You just aren't their market. Maybe you can find a walmart version. It's a business dude.

[@SimpleTek]

scam

[@PeterSedesse]

For $139,000 you can buy about 40 acres of farmland in rural parts of the USA... the production from this unit is about 1/5th of an acre. Also just because of solar inefficiencies, you would need a solar array area of about 10x's the size of the shipping container to produce the light for 4 layers of lettuce, then you throw in a pump that has to run 24/7.....

[@SimpleTek]

for $50,000 Canadian you can get 160 acres here

[@halfanacremom3967]

I looked into the shipping container farms, the first thing that kills this idea was that my county zoning board. A lot of urban areas would ban this in the backyard because it violates the zoning code….

[@SimpleTek]

good point

[@EducateYourself789]

Then the code needs to change. If this is what the community needs, get petition signed, go to town meetings, and the ordinance change. Get the vote. This shortage is real. Obesity is real. We need to change, to eat better. So ordinance can be change if the real need is there to serve the general community.

[@ntekaactive6843]

My backyard is my backyard so the zone police can suck it. Make it appear like a shed or a patio party area. Stand up to govt as they are taking things too far

[@jaishetty8586]

try building on the roof top

[@bryanseidel4564]

Which country?

[@thomasflores7817]

What do you think of a setup like this for growing cannabis? There is a company, micro lab farms that sells them for 60k, with enough space for it to pay for itself in a couple harvests frown what I can tell visually

[@SimpleTek]

I think you could do it for 1/3 that cost

[@thomasflores7817]

@@SimpleTek I think you’re correct after doing more research

[@chrismartin7579]

A few days ago, Square Roots has shut down operations in most locations.

[@getinthespace7715]

It boggles my mind that people are paying so much for these. They are selling these containers as if they represent 3 acres of prime real-estate. It's a supply and demand thing. As long as they have high demand they will price them as such. The difference between America and China is labor cost and quality control.

[@x_lonewolf_x]

as for as EVs , my choice is the ford lightning , expensive YES , but has a lot of features that just about justifies ( some what ) its cost ; especially the ability to act as a limited power supply for your home in an emergency 🤠

[@SimpleTek]

I have an order in for a cybertruck. Their technology is 10 years ahead of the big 3

[@x_lonewolf_x]

@@SimpleTek but the cyber truck does not have the amount of space nor the capabilities of the lightning ; put a shell over the bed and you have a good off road/camping vehicle and in worse scenario the lightning can serve as a micro home

[@SimpleTek]

@@x_lonewolf_x have you actually compared specs? 500+ mike range 1400lbs tow capacity Tesla charging network Bulletproof

[@agbonasikegbe]

Lovely 👍 Thanks for the heads-up, really wished we can get this on Nigeria

[@SimpleTek]

Can you order from Amazon, eBay or alibaba?

[@davidjernigan8161]

It seems that the amount of electricity it will need would kill your ROI.

[@SimpleTek]

depends on what you pay for electricity. it's just LED lights, some pumps and fans and a an air heat pump - very efficient

[@AG-yb1lm]

Hello David , GREAT POINT , electricity costs money! Search for , and install full spectrum LED lights with a 200 Lumen Per Watt Rating (or as close to that number as possible). The higher the efficiency , the less money it will cost to operate. And the more money you will make! Regards. ...

[@rusticfox4283]

let's say you get a container farm made in china shipped your prob around $30,000 if the container farm was priced at about $20k. Most businesses need around let's say 60% markup that's a good middle ground for markup which is often between 30% and 100% your retail would be $48,000. As for being made in the USA/Canada the driving price of retail/production costs would be the cost of labor.

[@SimpleTek]

My pricing was before the pandemic

[@rusticfox4283]

@@SimpleTek fair $48k is still a much better retail then what the companies that do it want.

[@SimpleTek]

@@rusticfox4283 true

[@jamesloop]

I would be interested to know if there was a way to get around certain zoning restrictions and size limitations by using SIPS and installing affordable panel siding to make it look almost like a garage or other typical residential structure. TBH I don’t know too much about SIPS, it was something I was researching for a walk in cooler a few years back for my farm and couldn’t find a supplier to fit my timeframe so i just did a standard “stick-built” and polyiso insulated structure. Alternatively, a combination of the passive Chinese greenhouse in conjunction with hydroponics. There are a few folks I know of who do hydro in high tunnels, but I don’t know how much they spend on heating in the winter with just standard single layer greenhouse plastic. I love all the ideas and examples you feature on your channel and it seems like there is a lot of potential “fusion” between a number of them (geothermal, modular hydro structures, passive greenhouse, etc). Thank you for the great content!

[@SimpleTek]

Thank you for the kind words!

[@MagnificoMaltese]

The University of North Texas uses them to feed ALL their students!

[@SimpleTek]

interesting

[@enriquemolina6169]

I’M ACTUALLY DOING THIS! Thank you for speaking up!

[@SimpleTek]

you're welcome!

[@kieranjunge]

Good stuff! Are you still on it?

[@jaishetty8586]

We sell exactly similar shipping container hydroponic CEA farms for $26,900+shipping, ex works India. Can discount even further for multiple orders.

[@SimpleTek]

That’s a great price now after the pandemic! Please post your link!!!

[@yvesinformel221]

Wished you had the amount of money for a complete setup. Because you could spend several thousands just for lightning, The expensive one have a CO2 tank. There is a lot of work involve to build a complete unit. Of course if you do it yourself, it would be cheaper, but we want to compare apple to apple, so we need an electrician and you probably need a plumber (CO2 tank plus all tubing)

[@SimpleTek]

you can buy them complete on alibaba for $20,000

[@yvesinformel221]

@@SimpleTek ok. Even with shipping it will never go to 80K (just assuming, I never ordered a container from China).

[@SimpleTek]

@@yvesinformel221 exactly!!!!

[@normancomeau371]

Correct it is a rectangle put where you want it. If you can't do it with you're own hands then what odds are of success

[@SimpleTek]

DIY for the win!

[@mzi6519]

the only good plant for container plants are sadly not legal in my country if you know what i mean . i have sean many such "FARMS" even in containers diggt under ground.

[@SimpleTek]

this are totally legal

[@mzi6519]

@@SimpleTek i Talk about dome special plants that make you high and going into jail if your friends and helpers show up and lock into the Container

[@nprudhomme111]

hydroponic is nothing new. just new to many newcomers. the buzz is around the container but with it width it has a lot of limitations. something definitely wrong when one is asking 25k and the rest 80-130k. grossly overprice

[@SimpleTek]

Well said

[@3ngi_n33r]

I started my first small business for less than half of that. A bachelors degree costs less. If that even matters anymore. Buy a container and build your own.

[@SimpleTek]

Yep

[@matador677]

I know someone who is a teacher and got a grant for a freight farm for their school. He have a lot of ideas from selling the produce and creating a CSA.

[@juliendalbin7254]

First the idea of using led lighting for something that is going to seat outside, instead of the sun, is just counterproductive, unless you want to grow in winter in northern Sweden and places like that. Second, if this is too expensive for industrialized countries, imagine for us living in third world countries. Home grown solutions should be affordable, simple and applicable in poor countries.

[@SimpleTek]

well said!!!!!!

[@Rootofpoetry]

Why not lease them for under 2k per month so more people can afford them if they don’t like it just send it back easy and not had spend 40k to 180k on something they can’t resell it for a profit

[@SimpleTek]

that means it has to make $5-6,000 a month to pay out $2000 in a lease

[@vermontapple]

You leave some important details out. The freight farm system is almost completely automated and its all connected to your phone. I don't disagree they are overpriced but there is a lot of engineering and R&D. You aren't going to build one out of alibaba components that works half as well or is nearly as nice or lasts as long.

[@SimpleTek]

Most of their components are sourced from the same factories as alibaba

[@RR-et6zp]

A lot of emoting here jeez , prfioritize reason. You got an excel sheet on profitability etc?

[@SimpleTek]

English?

[@sunc1122]

The commercial value prospects of container cultivation systems are limited. The inherent high energy consumption is an inevitable problem. Plants must photosynthesize. Artificial light sources are a necessary condition. Except for some extreme environments, such as the north and south poles, such areas and special areas that cannot provide sunlight resources. Occasionally, there is not much market. The so-called plant factories are maintained by burning money. Once the capital chain is broken, the plant factories will be wiped out. Those who advocate the large-scale commercialization of plant factories are not only crooks or crooks.

[@SimpleTek]

ok

[@maxfontes2078]

Commenting a little bit after this video was posted, this guy clearly didn't do much research on the farms themselves. He doesn't use any statistics to back up how profitable the units actually are. I personally operate a Freight Farm and that segment showed almost exclusively pictures from different farming units. He says something about how many levels of plant growth there are and there are 0, it's all done on vertical walls in a freight farm. I do back up most of what he's saying, the units are ridiculously expensive and not easy to make your money back on. That doesn't change that there are many farmers doing very well, and the units contain a lot more complicated technology than he makes them out to.

[@SimpleTek]

Well said

[@johnfunk-yv7vg]

I think it's much cheaper to buy Chinese greenhouse or a plastic cover double layer and have have geothermal battery

[@SimpleTek]

Maybe

[@JawaDaHut]

I looked into food box truck mushroom farms. Dude wanted 235 k for it. I couldn’t believe after looking into it and finding a video on u tube.

[@SimpleTek]

Make it yourself!!!! 1/5 that easy

[@protocolpalpatine]

U can get a used fiberglass 31ft trailer for 1000usd because they cant be recycled. Convert it into ur own. Muchh cheaper

[@SimpleTek]

Where?!?!?!?

[@protocolpalpatine]

@SimpleTek u have to go door to door, drive around look for old ones basically not road worthy and show up with cash. 9 times out of 10 they take the money. I've bought 8 of them like this in the past

[@protocolpalpatine]

Also when I say old I mean old, 80s and 90s fiberglass trailers

[@SimpleTek]

@@protocolpalpatine - ok, answers like that make me elevate you to genius status. GREAT HUSTLE!!!!!!

[@pierreshasta1480]

Container farms are not viable, because the operating cost (electricity) makes vegetables and fruits too expensive, and therefore not competitive in the market. Regarding the price of container farms, it is true that the purchase price is much too expensive. You can use a room in your house or basement, install an NFT system lit with first-price LEDs, air conditioning/heating, and you will get exactly the same thing, for a few thousand dollars.

[@SimpleTek]

ummm ok... don't agree

[@jaishetty8586]

It is all about "efficiency" and detailed engineering that goes into this. Everything from "soil humidity" to the Vapour pressure deficit is controlled electronically. The light spectrum also changes as the plants grow. Besides the Nutrient composition also changes as per the growth stages. It is a smart farm.

[@RaelNYC]

I throw sugar snap pea seeds in the dirt then eat them all summer. I don't need electricity for them.

[@SimpleTek]

Ok

[@nealhere]

now it is 2024. any updates on the market and availability.l Love the idea and the great use of land. LET'S GO! all the best sw fla neal

[@SimpleTek]

@@nealhere wooohooo

[@midnite22767]

Good topic and discussion. I have to agree, the space constraints of the SC is limiting however, if you live in a place with severe weather, a SC will provide much more protection than your traditional greenhouse, not to mention the ability to lock and secure the contents. Thank you for highlighting other options! Lots to think about...

[@SimpleTek]

Good point!

[@jaishetty8586]

SC is preferred, from "transportation" point of view. Nothing else is as easy to transport even if it is slightly less than 300 ft.

[@andrexadoh]

Good point. I think SC farms should definitely be reserved for extreme weather regions. Tundra or desert regions.

[@oldoldpilgrim7898]

The volume of your voice goes from a near whisper to a near shout. I'd like to be able to set the volume at one place and leave it there.

[@SimpleTek]

noted

[@anadubar4819]

What would put me off is the amount of high tech, computer control panels and software that go into this. What if one of the components breaks down or needs readjustment and I am sitting with my shipping container at the end of the world, far away from the company's engineers? I cannot repair or programm that myself, and I am afraid the service cost of the company would be insane, too. I prefer low-cost and low-tech solutions, that make me really indepenent.

[@SimpleTek]

You could build it much simpler though

[@anadubar4819]

Ripping off native communities in Canada is really ugly 😞

[@SimpleTek]

Yep

[@andrexadoh]

These systems are not promoting food sovereignty. Firstly the quality of the produce is horrid. Its flimsy, devoid of flavour and crispness. Secondly the amount on inorganic plastic waste and the use of chemical fertilizer makes this totally unsustainable and environmentally damaging. The work required in maintenance of these things is half the work if not more. The pathogens that can invade and the lack of flexibility in terms of the produce is again not being disclosed. They are shams and only benefit the shammers.

[@SimpleTek]

ummm ok

[@andrexadoh]

@@SimpleTek I work in a Growcer. Problems are only getting worse.

[@overthenever4262]

I've been building these for twenty three years and 80 + grand a piece , that's sick . Do Not Purchase those ! Custum builds for Custum goals ! You need , I got 👍🌴✌️

[@SimpleTek]

Thanks for sharing