Category Archives: Innovation/Ag Tech
Crop Improvements
Game Changers: Water from Air
Company Uses Solar Panel Technology to Make Water from Air
Maybe, it is not ready for Central Coast Ag, but “The system is called Source and is being tested in water-scarce countries in Ecuador, Jordan, and Mexico. Using solar panels, the system pulls moisture from the atmosphere to provide clean drinking water.”
Thrive AgTech Innovation Forum (2/2017)
The Thrive AgTech Innovation Forum , featured “the top 50 most innovative companies exemplifying the best in agriculture-focused innovation and 11 of those companies will present their solutions ranging across big data & analytics, biotechnology, cloud service, connected devices, robotics & automation, and supply chain & infrastructure.”
For more information on the Trive Ag Tech Innovation Forum, go to: http://www.perishablenews.com/index.php?article=0058081
Water-Musings: Nitrate Treatment of Groundwater (2/17/17)
John Skardon, with Tailwater Systems, has applied municipal water treatment technologies to remove nitrates from agricultural wastewater abd recycling systems. We attended a field tour to look at an early prototype.
John Skardon conducted a field tour of one of his early prototypes. Since 2017, John has made great progress in system design, portability and affordability.
Learn more at https://www.tailwatersystems.com
Ag Tech: 21st Century Ag Innovations
The Salinas Valley has connnected with Silicon Valley in the Twenty-first Century! Considering the proximity of the two “Valleys”, this connection was inevitable. The possibilities of synergies are exciting!
Given the right circumstances, the right motivations, and the right return on investment, growers will always innovate. Problem solving is what they do. That is who they are. It is part of their DNA.
Innovations: The Future Arrived Yesterday!
“There is a cloud of basic research” in the life sciences that has occurred over the past 20 years that is hovering over and awaiting application to agriculture, medicine, and the environment. Research has been done for innovations that are yet to come!
Reposted from Facebok, November 01, 2016
Agri-Musings: Achieving Uniformity
Automated Lettuce Thinner
Each lettuce plant must be ready to pick on the same day. This can only be done by achieving uniformity. Acheiving uniformity is an intricate process. Every facet of lettuce production from seed selection, tillage, bed shaping, planting, irrigation, and cultivation has a goal of uniformity.
It is critical to have a specified number of plants per acre. Each lettuce plant must have a specified area in which to grow; and therefore, uniform plant spacing is absolutely critical. HIstorically, uniform plant spacing was only obrtained by lettuce thinning by hand. This process was labor-intensive, time-consuming, and expensive, and was only feasible with an sufficient labor supply.
However, with today’s labor shortages, growers are doing all they can to increase efficiencies. One new technology being employed by lettuce growers is an automatic lettuce thinner. The thinner sprays a solution, composed of either a contact herbicide or high-concentrations of nitrate fertilizer. This can be done using camera technology or a predetermined “footprint”. This increases precision without having to resort to the use of hand-hoe crews.
Take a look at one company that is innovating lettuce thinning. .
It’s the combination of many technical advances that create big evolutions!
Reposted from Facebook, October 13, 2016
Game Changer: My avocado is older than yours!
With fresh fruits and veggies, shelf-life is serious business! Anything that will buy a few hours or an extra day, is a competitive advantage! This technology is a game changer!