An Indoor Farm In Kutchan Station Had Its First Harvest

A 129sqm produce farm in Kutchan Station has just produced its first batch of green leaf lettuce, mizuna and basil.

The project, called LEAFRU FARM, was launch in December 2023 as a joint collaboration between Tokyo-based Plants Laboratory and Hokkaido Electric Power Company (HEPCO).

The goal of the partnership is to promote food, tourism and sustainable farming in Hokkaido and the LEAFRU FARM installation in Kutchan Station is its first project.

LEAFRU FARM uses a novel indoor farming system developed by Plants Laboratory and University of Tokyo called PUTFARM which has minimal water inputs and allows low-cost environmental control through the use of inexpensive materials like agricultural vinyl.

PUTFARM installations can also be ready in about a month, according to Plant Laboratory, allowing a shorter return on investment than most indoor farms.

Images:
Plants Laboratory

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