PRODUCE PRODUCTION SYSTEM AND PROCESS
First Claim
1. A process for growing produce, the process comprising:
- in a production facility equipped with at least one production lane, producing non-compartmentalized growing trays of plants growing in a soil blend engineered to have absorptive characteristics that provide a predetermined soil moisture level and a watering cycle of predetermined length, the soil blend also engineered to have nutritional characteristics that provide a plant growth cycle of predetermined length;
advancing individual growing trays of growing plants along the production lane toward a watering station on a gravity-fed growing rack;
as the growing trays advance along the production lane, illuminating the growing plants with light at frequency, intensity and duration selected to produce desired plant characteristics within a predetermined growing cycle;
as the growing trays reach watering stations along the production lane, adding water in amounts calculated to maintain the predetermined soil moisture level; and
controlling environmental inputs to maintain plant health and produce plants within the plant growth cycle of predetermined length, the plants having at least one predetermined desired characteristic.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A process and system for growing produce decouples farming from the unpredictability of the external environment by moving the farm into a highly-controlled enclosed environment in which all variables are optimized to grow produce of exceptional quality in a consistent, predictable manner, while minimizing or eliminating deleterious environmental impacts. A filtered, positive-pressure environment greatly reduces particulate contamination and pest infiltration from the outside. Seedlings are planted in containers of an organic soil mix engineered to deliver optimal amounts of water, nutrients, fiber and organic matter. The containers advance along a production line, in the process being given controlled exposure to light of predetermined intensity and wavelength, optimized to produce a desired growth pattern. Water is given at regular intervals in amounts calculated to produce optimal growth without waste. Nearly all inputs to the process are fully recyclable or are completely consumed; thus little or no waste is produced.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A process for growing produce, the process comprising:
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in a production facility equipped with at least one production lane, producing non-compartmentalized growing trays of plants growing in a soil blend engineered to have absorptive characteristics that provide a predetermined soil moisture level and a watering cycle of predetermined length, the soil blend also engineered to have nutritional characteristics that provide a plant growth cycle of predetermined length; advancing individual growing trays of growing plants along the production lane toward a watering station on a gravity-fed growing rack; as the growing trays advance along the production lane, illuminating the growing plants with light at frequency, intensity and duration selected to produce desired plant characteristics within a predetermined growing cycle; as the growing trays reach watering stations along the production lane, adding water in amounts calculated to maintain the predetermined soil moisture level; and controlling environmental inputs to maintain plant health and produce plants within the plant growth cycle of predetermined length, the plants having at least one predetermined desired characteristic. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification