Blog

GrowBox even has financing options.

GrowBox Financing Options

Contain, Inc. and Toren Capital have partnered with us to offer financing on all GrowBoxes.

With Contain you can secure finance for a leafy/micro green or any other non-cannabis related grow setup.

If you need help with a cannabis specific finance arrangement, Toren will be happy to help.

Contain Inc.

We’re working with Contain Inc to help our growers find financing and insurance. Contain Inc is an alternate finance group dedicated to indoor growers, so they already have information on our equipment and know the indoor agriculture industry well. They work with growers working in greenhouses, warehouses and containers and fund clients from new startup farms through to multi-generational ones. They have also worked with a leading regional insurance broker to create indoor ag-specific insurance. Check them out! https://www.contain.ag/

Toren Capital

The Leader in Cannabis Lending 

Over the past three years we have helped companies in the cannabis industry get the resources they need to grow their businesses and take advantage of this exciting industry. https://www.toreninc.com/

Let us help you take your business to new heights. 

Amhidro

Autogrow

cropbox

cropking

cubicfarm systems

groshed

growboxco

gpsolutions

growtainer

vera

powergrow

stratagerm

sananbio

urban crop solutions

zipgrow

aessense

FOR INDOOR GROWERS

Contain empowers farmers by improving access to the capital you need.

Fill out our grower lease application, and we’ll help you navigate finding the capital to start or expand your indoor farm. Our minimum lease size is typically around $75,000, and like your dreams, we don’t have an upper limit.

We also connect you to indoor agriculture insurance.

Nine billion hungry human beings will be living on planet Earth by 2050, according to United Nations estimates.

Along with an increasing population, the world faces climate change, rising fossil fuel prices, ecosystem degradation, and water and land scarcity, all of which are making today’s food production methods increasingly unsustainable.

The need for solutions is driving important new agricultural innovations, in particular, Closed Environment Agriculture (CEA) in urban areas.

Why Urban Agriculture?

Urban agriculture means food production in densely populated areas, and it features many types of production systems, including traditional open gardens, protected environments, hydroponic greenhouses and converted shipping containers. These indoor facilities are ideal for that superior mix of natural sunlight and the powerful artificial lights favored in grow rooms.

Urban agriculture offers a promising path toward the goal of feeding the planet’s growing, and increasingly urban population. Many of the tools to make that path viable come from CEA.

What is Closed Environment Agriculture (CEA)?

CEA is a technology-based approach toward food production, it involves a combination of engineering, plant science and computer-managed facility control technologies to optimize plant growing systems, plant quality and production efficiency. The aim of CEA is to provide protection and maintain optimal growing conditions throughout the development of the crop, whatever it may be.

Production takes place within an enclosed growing structure such as a converted shipping container or purpose-built greenhouses and buildings. Plants are typically grown using methods in order to supply the proper amounts of water and nutrients to the plant roots. CEA optimizes the use of resources such as water, energy, space, capital and labor, and controls the variables such as:
• Temperature (air, nutrient solution, root-zone, leaf)
• Humidity (%RH)
• Carbon dioxide (CO2)
• Light (intensity, spectrum, duration and intervals)
• Nutrient concentration
• Nutrient pH (acidity)
• Pests

CEA technologies include hydroponics, aquaponics and aeroponics. These technologies provide all year round growing conditions by extending the growing season and ensuring product quality of microgreens and herbs, CEA complements but does not replace field crop production, however it leads to considerable water, power and space savings.

Urban Farming vs. Traditional Farming

Systems such as urban farming systems use about 90% less water and 4 times less space when compared to traditional farming. Urban farming forces farmers to grow crops in an even more controlled and conscious manner, which leads to more possibilities to grow organic food without extra investment.

The main reason something isn’t organic is because the farmer is forced to use chemical pesticides to ensure a good yield when the environmental factors are not crop-friendly. Environmental factors are reduced to a minimum in urban farming, so there is no actual need for using chemical growth regulators. All it takes is a good quality soil that contains nutrients, excellent lighting systems and good quality nutrient rich water.

The more we switch our everyday food production to CEA urban farms rather than regular farms, the more we decrease the development of drought, soil erosion and similar problems. CREDITS https://growboxco.com/blog/urban-agriculture-future-of-farming/

Cannabis growers are happy with the fact that the cultivation of cannabis is quickly picking up pace and has given birth to an active cannabis community. It is a lucrative business that can generate thousands of dollars in profits. In 2016, the sale of cannabis via legal means brought $5.4 billion in revenue. Further, it is estimated that by 2026 the sale of cannabis would sky-rocket, resulting in the establishment of a $50 billion marijuana industry.

Cannabis cultivation requires substantial growing space. However, these days cannabis is often cultivated in closed environments due to weather limitations and to alleviate pests. As a result, sale of warehouses, greenhouses and shipping containers has also increased. But, it is not always easy to buy the right solution, however shipping container which are corrosion-free and not vulnerable to any environmental damage is the lowest cost alternative that will give you the highest returns per sq ft.

What things to consider when buying shipping container to grow cannabis?

The quality of cannabis is directly related to the quality of shipping containers. It determines important factors such as how often the plant should be watered, how much heat reaches the plant and how it affects them. For instance, shipping containers that are made up of composite materials are resistant to attacks by mould, mildew, pests and/or rot that can greatly damage your marijuana operation.

Once you choose a suitable shipping container, install grow lights, fans and air conditioners to keep it temperature controlled. Indoor cannabis equipment such as hygro-thermometers, pH test kits, and dehumidifiers are also necessary in maintaining a perfect environment to grow cannabis.
Growing cannabis indoors is no less than a challenge. Managing the environment indoors is difficult and can affect your yields. Since shipping containers are tightly sealed, a balanced environment is created for the growth of high-quality cannabis.

What are the advantages of growing cannabis in a converted shipping container?

Shipping containers give you the freedom to cultivate cannabis with ease and without being judged. As discussed earlier, growing cannabis requires substantial space and strict legal restrictions has made it even more difficult to find a suitable place to cultivate cannabis.
Shipping containers provide you freedom to choose the location of your choice. They are handy and can be easily re-located or stacked if you need more space for growing cannabis without the need for more land.
Shipping containers are more enclosed, and better-controlled with an engineered environment, this is the reason why they are resistant to pests, powdery mildew, and mould. Shipping containers also increase the potency and quality of the end products.

Where can you buy a shipping container from?

With worsening climatic conditions, the demand for growing cannabis in shipping containers has increased. GrowBoxco provides state-of-the-art shipping containers that can be customized as per customers’ requirements. The company builds 10’, 20’ and 40′ shipping containers to make sure that the yields are productive and pesticide free, whist giving you the options to scale your business.
We make state-of-the-art shipping containers that ensure sufficient insulation, lighting, dehumidification, air filtration and temperature control, and can be placed either on private property or within an existing warehouse. In addition, growing cannabis indoors means that you have better control over your cultivation environment. CREDIT https://growboxco.com/blog/grow-high-quality-cannabis-in-a-converted-shipping-container/

We customize our GrowBoxes to suit growers of all sizes – large scale, medium sized grows, quick start projects, and R&D (research and development) farms. Our GrowBoxes are a highly engineered modular and mobile production environment, custom built for a wide variety of crops and business models. We work closely with our customers to design the optimal mobile environment for individual growing needs.

We offer a solution that is tailored to the needs of growers who require a flexible operation that is rapid to deploy. Whether you want to grow leafy greens, microgreens, herbs or cannabis, our GrowBoxes can get you producing quickly with a “time-to-value” measured in weeks rather than months or years.See GrowBoxes CREDIT https://growboxco.com/about/

OFF-GRID TOOLKIT FOR A TECH-POWERED COMMUNITY FARM

• 

WORK & LIFESTYLE

This converted shipping container contains all the tools, tech and training communities need to take control of their local food supply.

Providing an off-grid toolkit for communities everywhere, Farm from a Box delivers shipping containers containing everything needed for a two acre farm. Once at the destination, the containers double in size to provide the physical and technological base for managing the plot. Designed to erase the problem of food deserts, each farm could produce enough food to feed up to 150 people or earn significant income for owners choosing to grow cash crops.

Inside each box is an irrigation system, a pumping system, basic farm tools, a solar power kit and an Internet of Things management system. Each order is customized to the buyer’s climate and purpose, and additional or different modules can be supplied. Farm from a Box is currently raising funds on Republic and is already fully funded. The company’s prototype farm has proved a success, and the funding will be used to improve manufacturing and supply chains for commercial production.

Shipping containers are proving a particularly useful and adaptable resource. In Copenhagen, they are being used as affordable student apartments, and a Dutch company has created a modular playing field and community center that is available for shipping worldwide. What other unexpected projects or products could be scaled up by using a shipping container as packaging and infrastructure?

9th December 2016

Email: info@farmfromabox.com

Website: www.farmfromabox.com

Upskill Training

Technology & farm training for job creation

Farm from a Box is an ideal system to train and develop the next generation of farmers to produce nutritious food with clean technology. Our system encourages entrepreneurship by providing a platform for youth, women, veterans, and other underserved groups to gain the skill set and experience needed for a career in agriculture.

Commercial Production

Revitalize local food hubs & supply chains

We help increase production along the entire agricultural value chain with an independent infrastructure that can revitalize and modernize local food production. Stronger local food economies fuel new businesses and create greater access to healthy, locally grown food.

Farm to Table

On-site fresh food production

Our system can provide locally grown farm-fresh ingredients for a variety of consumers, like restaurants, corporate offices, hospitals, health facilities, or retreat centers. The eye-catching toolkit offers easy on-site crop production with modern technology. The high-quality fresh food grown right on location is an experience customers and employees will love sinking their teeth into.

School Programs

Improve nutrition & education

Increase healthy food access while improving students’ focus on learning and their health. Bring the classroom outdoors and educate students on nutrition, STEM learning (science, technology, engineering, and math), and vocational skills.

Urban Farming

All-in-one kit for community farming

Turn unproductive land into an urban oasis of freshly grown food. Our complete farm system is an easy way to jumpstart a community farm and integrate healthy food access into the tapestry of a local community, housing development, or urban center. Powered by renewable energy, it operates independently of the grid—making it easier to run and manage.

Livelihoods & Resilience

Increase healthy food access, rebuild & recover

Our turnkey infrastructure can be quickly deployed to jumpstart food production after a disaster or increase healthy food access to underserved populations. It can reduce ongoing costs of food distribution, increase nutrition and livelihood opportunities, and help rebuild self-reliance after crises.

An empowering solution to a global need.

Small-scale, rural farmers are the backbone of our global food supply and are vulnerable to the effects of climate change and drought. Many rural areas struggle with limited access to infrastructure or necessary farming technology that could strengthen and stabilize their local food production.

Farm from a Box is a powerful tool for global food security and economic empowerment. https://farmfromabox.com/

Displaced People and Refugees

Cultivate Self-Reliance, Entrepreneurship, & Dignity

Farm from a Box provides technology, vocational training, and entrepreneurship opportunities to people who have been displaced by conflict, political instability, and climate change. With their new skills and access to low-cost technology, displaced people and refugees are able to contribute to local food systems. This reduces dependency on traditional food assistance while also decreasing the costs of food distribution through the production of healthy, nutrient-rich food that contributes to local economic growth.

Economic empowerment can also provide a way to accelerate healing and rebuild a sense of dignity and purpose.

Post-Disaster Recovery and Resilience

Infrastructure for Rebuilding & Stabilizing

With off-grid power, cold storage, irrigation, pumping, internet connectivity, and tools, Farm from a Box provides a turnkey solution to increase local food production rapidly and support a return to stability after a disaster. Our system gets a farm up and running quickly so the people affected can get back on their feet and working again, while also supporting relief efforts and building a more resilient infrastructure.

School Feeding Programs

Provide Improved Nutrition & Educational Opportunities

Farm from a Box integrates with school feeding programs by supplementing the food and nutrition available to students through a local and sustainable source, supported by the community. Our system increases the availability of fresh, organic, healthy food to school feeding programs, which improves students’ health and nutrition, increases their focus on study and school attendance, while also helping to alleviate their families’ budgetary concerns.

Global Applications

Farm from a Box, in partnership with well-known development and humanitarian agencies like CARE International and the United Nations World Food Programme, provides a powerful tool to nutritionally and economically uplift smallholder farmers and communities around the world.

https://farmfromabox.com/FAQ

Your farm. Built for your needs.

Your farm is as unique as the local ecosystem it lives in and the crops you choose to grow. That’s why we designed Farm from a Box as a dynamic system. The interchangeable components allow us to tailor your unit to meet the needs of different climates, users, water access points, and crop plans. Our turnkey system is pre-installed with technology that makes each unit easy to deploy, operate, and maintain.

1. 3kw Solar Power System

An off-grid solar array provides clean energy for the entire farm. Our super high efficiency poly modules from Canadian Solar have industry-leading cell technology to support all your power needs —the pump, cold storage, data system, and auxiliary concerns.

2. Energy Storage

Trojan® Deep-Cycle Solar AGM Batteries deliver reliability, long life, and maintenance-free energy. Every Farm from a Box unit contains a battery package that provides 36 kWh of power.

3. Interior/Exterior Power Plugs

Internal 3-prong, 115-volt electrical plug power plugs provide electrical access inside the container and a recessed, weatherproof, lockable plug provides power outside the Box for your external needs.

4. OutBack Power™ Inverter/Charger System

OutBack Power’s inverter system is the industry standard for efficiency and reliability in off-grid power systems. The fully integrated inverter/charger is engineered for comprehensive off-grid applications, with multi-mode operational flexibility, unparalleled surge capability, and peak operating efficiency of 96%.

Our remote monitoring and control system lets you check and adjust your farm’s performance from any web-enabled device. You can quickly browse critical data flowing from sensors in your field for a precise and dynamic analysis of your farm. Our data monitoring system helps you grow more efficiently while improving yields, conserving resources, and limiting waste.

The system allows you to:

• Monitor total water usage.
• Ensure appropriate water pressure to safeguard irrigation lines.
• Guarantee constant and even water flow throughout the field.
• Track quantity of water pumped per minute for better control and irrigation efficiency.
• Monitor the state of your water filter and alert you when it needs to be flushed.
• Check soil humidity levels.
• Measure the total power voltage of the system.
• Monitor the temperature levels of your cold storage shelves, inside the container, and outside.

4G LTE Wi-Fi

4G wireless broadband connection delivered via Wi-Fi provides internet connectivity inside and outside the Box within a 200 ft. radius.

Remote control:

• Turn water pump on and off.
• Increase and decrease cold storage temperature.
• Irrigate selected fields at different times.

Real-time Alerts:

• Cold storage temperature drops or rises unexpectedly.
• Water filter needs to be flushed.
• Soil levels have significant variances.
• Pumping and water efficiency alerts.

1. Grundfos® solar pump

2HP Grundfos solar pump provides low cost and highly-efficient pumping while being virtually maintenance-free and adaptable to different water access points.

2. Netafim™ Typhoon dripline

Seamless construction of the dripline provides long term durability and performance, keeping your crops efficiently watered.

3. Netafim™ water filtration

Netafim’s disc filtration system is engineered for long-term efficient operation with practically no maintenance. It collects debris along the depth of the disc filters which helps prevent clogging, reduces calcium buildup, and extends the life of your irrigation lines.

Wash Station

A three compartment sink stainless steel wash station can be added to the exterior wall of the unit and connected to your water supply.

Custom Colors and Branding

Farm from a Box comes with 3 standard color options, but we’re happy to add your branding and custom colors for an additional fee.

Financing options

Because Farm from a Box qualifies as new farming equipment, financing options are available:

• Bank Loan. Financing can be provided directly by many banks. In some cases, guaranteed loans can be provided by a third party like Small Business Administration or the Farm Service Agency.
• Government Loan. The USDA’s Farm Service Agency can provide direct and guaranteed loans to qualifying beginning farmers, often on favorable terms.

Build Your Own Box Questionaire:

Each Farm from a Box system is unique and designed for your needs. Let’s start by learning a bit more about where you plan to farm and what you want to grow. Please answer a few quick questions and we’ll be in touch!What’s your name?

*Are you working with a particular organization?Do you currently have an operating farm? *yes, I do!not yet, I’m new to farmingin the process of launching now

How much land are you planning to farm? *1-3 acres3-6 acres6+ acres

What’s the main purpose of your farm? *commercial productionnutrition & consumptiontraining & educationfarm-to-tablehumanitarian

What country are you in?

*What city and state are you planning to farm in?

*Speaking of location, what kind of farm will it be? *rural farmurban farmremote farm … we are way out thereand, do you have a budget in mind?

What’s your email address? (rest assured, this will not be shared) *and finally, if you’d be willing to provide your phone number, that helps ensure that we can follow up with you. (spam filters can be tough to get through these days!) *Submit

We use regenerative farming practices to grow seasonal, regionally appropriate food.

As a turnkey farm kit, Farm from a Box is ideal for a variety of uses:

• Community Sustained Agriculture initiatives (CSAs)
• Food and science education in schools
• Addressing the nutritional needs of urban food deserts
• Farm-to-table food for employees, restaurants, and businesses
• Support not-for-profit organizations
• Turn unproductive land into a farming enterprise

Community Farming Reinvented. 

Farm from a Box provides communities with the tools required to grow their own food and earn an income. Built from a modified shipping container, each unit contains a complete ecosystem of smart farm technologies to enhance agricultural productivity; from renewable power and micro-drip irrigation, to Information and Communications Technology.

The need to provide a sustainable…

food supply both domestically and globally is significant and riddled with challenges.  From dwindling natural resources, to a lack of infrastructure that can support reliable crop growth, we need to provide communities with the tools to grow their own food locally and earn a livelihood.

In response, we developed a comprehensive solution that acts as the “Swiss-Army knife” of sustainable farming; a single, deliverable unit that contains all of the core components needed for a 2-acre farm. Powered by renewable energy, Farm from a Box is ideal for any application that requires a comprehensive system that enables sustained local food production, without need for an existing grid.