Running a Vertical Farm: A Beginner's Guide

Overview

This is a book for getting the whole picture of the vertical farm industry and the work itself in one pass. When you already have that foundational knowledge before you step onto the floor, you pick things up noticeably faster afterward—that’s the kind of first book I set out to write.

• Format: PDF
• Price: Free

About This Book

Across more than ten years and more than ten sites in vertical farming, I’ve asked myself again and again: “When a new person joins, what do I talk about first?” This book is that answer, written up as a single volume.

The job is learned on the floor—that’s the rule. But when you already have that foundational knowledge, you understand why you’re doing each task and what the numbers mean, and you pick things up on the floor much faster.

From the basics of cultivation, to how the equipment works, to the practice of farm operations management, this one book lets you grasp the whole picture of a vertical farm. It’s a book a supervisor or senior colleague can hand to a new member and say, “Read this first.”

Contents

Chapter 1｜The Future and Outlook of vertical farms

• What a vertical farm is—distinguishing the two types
• Why do vertical farms end up losing money?
• How to read the industry’s numbers and the news
• The reality of a profitable vertical farm
• The decisive differences from open-field farming and protected cultivation / the gap between research and the floor
• The three roles of a vertical farm manager

Chapter 2｜The Basics of crop management

• Key points in choosing a crop
• LED lighting and light
• Hydroponics systems
• Managing temperature, humidity, CO2, HVAC, and airflow
• Handling fertilizer and nutrient solution management
• Responding to tipburn and legginess

Chapter 3｜The Practice of farm operations management

• Where to start with farm operations management (the three layers: seedlings, numbers, people)
• Production plan, seeding, propagation, transplanting, final planting
• Harvest and post-harvest work
• Managing and training staff
• Hygiene management and data analysis

Who This Is For

• People who have just started working at a vertical farm
• People considering a career change or a job in vertical farming
• Owners and investors weighing entry into the vertical farm business
• Anyone looking for a first book to hand to a new member