As we explore the future of farming in this online series, I’m replaying in my mind the field tours I’ve done over the past year and a half.
Technology is moving fast. I’ve had the distinct pleasure of visiting growing operations in several areas, including a firsthand look at machines and practices that would have seemed far-fetched even five years ago.
On a tour of Braga Fresh Family Farms BB #:206762 in Soledad, CA, within view of the original Braga Ranch barn filled with memorabilia and a museum-worthy collection of antique farm equipment, I zoomed my camera in on tiny little flames taking out weeds one by one.
The Carbon Robotics LaserWeeder was in action, zapping and sizzling weeds nearly too small to distinguish with a human eye. The technology can work day and night, replacing the labor-intensive, back-breaking job of eliminating weeds from newly sprouted rows.
Optics within the vehicle are sensitive enough to start the weeding process far sooner than by hand with a crew, saving time, money, and consumers from finding an unwelcome addition to their mixed green salads.
But the high-tech tour didn’t stop with laser weeding. We also watched how Braga Fresh uses a high-tech delivery method for a creative solution to pest pressure. The company works with a drone operator to disperse beneficial insects over crops being stressed by pests.
Lady bugs, syrphid flies, and green lacewings are deployed over the company’s organic crops to help it grow without pesticides, and support bee habitats.
This kind of pest management isn’t without its risks, however. The company is working hard to help educate buyers and consumers about the presence of beneficial bugs during harvest.
On the off chance a load might come from a field that has been treated with lady bugs, for example, a few stray larvae or full-grown bugs might still be present.
These technologies, and new ways to deploy them, are changing the way farming looks. Driving through the regenerative test plots at Braga Fresh is an eye-opening experience as well.
Lush blocks of flowers decorate the borders of each plot, and plants like baby broccoli shoot up between tall grasses.
This technology contrasts sharply with others rising fast in the fresh produce sector. Over the past few years, billions of dollars of investment have gone into indoor farming, and many of those farms are starting to come online.
Where I live in Central Texas, we’re about to see a fierce battle for shelf space from big players that have recently built new facilities, including Eden Green, Iron Ox, Revol Greens, Infarm, and Kalera.
Several other markets across the country are experiencing a similar boom in controlled environment agriculture. It will be interesting to see how these new greens vie for shelf space against established brands in the market.
This is a column from the November/December 2022 issue of Produce Blueprints Magazine. Click here to read the whole issue.
