Monday, November 12, 2012

20 Oz Oyster Mushroom Grown by Modular Growing Unit

These beautiful delicious and protein rich mushroom was grown using a proprietary system developed by Mike Duncan in Lake-fo-the-Ozarks Missouri.  It was produced in ten days using a modular growing methodology called The High Tech Mushroom Growing System, (HTMGS)

Technology
These wonderful mushrooms and many others can be profitably grown in an affordable modular unit.  The HTMGS employs a monitoring and control system that senses light levels, humidity, PH levels, temperature, air exchange rates.  The system also provides for feedback and self adjust various key elements like, light, temperature, and humidity.  Application of these modern production and food growing methods are creating a revolution in the ability of small farmers to produce a wide range of healthy nutritious mushrooms.   Presently we plan to offer Oysters Mushrooms (several different species)  we can grow almost any of the popular like Bottons, Portabello, Shitake, and Morels among others.

Applications
Mushrooms have a wide range of application other than culinary purposes.  Medical applications include immune system reinforcement, pain alleviation etc.  Another application of these grand single cell organisms is bio remediation.  Certain mushroom species can actually metabolized PCB's and Petroleum products.

Micro Farms:
The key is to become commercially viable, to be able to create and support a sustainable business for the small farm or  urban micro farmer.  In order to do this we are designing a unitized system that will be self-contained and come inclusive with all of the growing elements included.  This will provide all growing units, monitoring systems, HVAC and environmental controls and be fully plug in to local utilities or, alternative power network.

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Urban Farming, Food Security, and Mushrooms


The Revolution is here - Who Will Lead?

Look around you ... Farmer's Markets populate the weekend editions of most major newspapers, Local TV highlights new urban farms sprouting from the trash heaps of decaying neighborhoods and dilapidated and abandoned old  industrial sites.   Food is growing everywhere ... community gardens, urban farms, and backyards across America are sprouting with local food!  We applaud and support this effort to bring true food security back to our country.  It is a matter of national defense and certainly homeland security!

Our food supply chain is too long, too vulnerable, and too dependent upon a thin line of overworked and under supported inspectors and enforcement agents.  These hard working folks are forced to rely upon information often supplied by those whose products are, in fact, suspect and whose partiality can not be trusted.   America is too extended and too dependent.   We import too much of our food.  It is dangerous because it can be easily contaminated and wasteful because of the carbon cost of transport and the environmental cost of greenhouse gasses.

The Opportunity and The Need - Our cities are replete with abandoned buildings and large structures of the rust belt era of manufacturing.  Grow  here, Eat Here needs to become the watchword of local food purveyors.  The US Department of Agriculture has a 250 mile radius for qualification as local food.  Every day an ear of corn, or a head of lettuce travels, it loses both taste and nutrition. For example, Did you Know? Fresh peas can lose up to 50 percent of their nutrients within a week of harvesting.  This is true of many vegetables like Broccoli.  Food is often picked before it ripens to extend shelf life.  It also diminishes its nutritional content.  The average head of lettuce travels 1,500 miles from harvest to table.

A Solution: Food Security and Food Sovereignty - We believe it is now necessary for ... we the people, to develop a solution.  The government can barley run itself.  Let's do this ourselves.  We can form A National Network of linked urban farms.  A National Urban Farming Cooperative that assures healthy fresh food available to every American family.  We can assure nutritional reasonably priced food that includes a variety of local harvests with both protein and carbohydrates in a balanced mix of local food products.  Here is an example of what we have and what we can contribute to this solution.

Mushrooms: The Wonder Food! - The trend towards vegetarian and vegan eating habits brings up the old argument of protein and the issue of B12 deficiency ... I'm no dietitian but we have recently been informed about a food that has more protein than some meat and that can be grown virtually without fertilizer, a food that is fast growing and inexpensive to produce with the right technology.   Oyster Mushrooms, for example  have as much or more protein than many so called "meats."  31grams of protein per 100 grams of weight.  Only braised eye-of-round steak has more with a rating of 40.62.  A broiled t-bone steak (porterhouse) 32.11 and baked lean ground beef only 24.47!

We have the technology and are willing to share it with every urban farm that will join in a national network to accomplish the universal American goal of Food Security and Sovereignty


Thursday, August 16, 2012

The Huffington Post Nails our Future (and US) to the Wall


OSLO, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Downpours and heatwaves caused by climate change could disrupt food supplies from the fields to the supermarkets, raising the risk of more price spikes such as this year's leap triggered by drought in the United States."  Huffington Post!
Once the Supermarkets are empty ... all the food will be gone, then there will be no more food!  What will we do?   Well, if you have a Family Fish Farms Network  Aquaponic urban micro farm in your neighborhood you will still be able to eat ... That's for Sure!