foodcloudsbeta
foodclouds is a movement and global network of automated garden systems that enable absolutely anyone to grow fresh & healthy food at a price much lower than going to the grocery store. The cost to the environment is also lower because of less transportation and packaging, along with the use of safe and/or upcycled materials. Using foodclouds removes human error from the equation, consequently producing the best crops possible. foodclouds turns every thumb, young and old, into a green thumb!
Harnessing several cutting-edge technologies and inventing a few new ones, foodclouds is an elegant & affordable hardware & software solution, complete with a fully-featured mobile experience for managing your garden(s)
The new technologies we are currently developing will allow us to produce foodclouds at a much lower cost than any existing automated system, at the same time adding infinitely more effectiveness and practicality. This renders any question of affordability moot... How can you afford not to grow with us?
We believe that no one should go hungry.
We believe in self-reliance.
We believe in community.
We believe in choice.
We believe the current model of food production has its problems, and we have the solution: foodclouds.
Volunteer:
Interns:
Don't have much free time? Haven't started a garden yet?
Thanks for visiting!
foodclouds newsletter #1: 2012/10/18
Hello and thank you for taking an interest in foodclouds .
Hello and thank you for taking an interest in foodclouds! Not all of our newsletters will be this long but there is much to say!
It has been a tremendously busy few months since the inception of this project! foodclouds began after a conversation between founders Rex Pechler and James Hauk regarding the automation of aquaponics systems. foodclouds, as we now envision it, is not just a rather-groundbreaking set of products, but also a social movement with the purpose of empowering people to live more sustainable, healthy, and frugal lifestyles.
Aside from providing the required physical tools, we intend to accomplish our mission through education, community outreach, and building infrastructure to revolutionize the food industry. We believe that spreading a new consciousness of where our food comes from, about what truly goes into the things we buy in stores, and of the importance of accessible, fresh, and healthy foods in our diet, is all essential to improving the health, wealth, and spirits of great masses of people!
So, our first task is to arm the masses with foolproof food-growing machines!
When we ask people about the prospect of growing most of their own food, they have one of two reactions: they already grow some things but couldn’t take care of enough plants to feed themselves very well, or they have an aversion to growing anything because of ill-fated previous experiences.
foodclouds aims to solve these problems through complete automation and remote control of the entire growing process, more capable and elegant than any similar devices, yet it will still be available at an affordable price. Any type of garden will now have the power to water, feed, illuminate & aerate (if indoors) itself while optimizing all conditions specifically for the crops being grown.
We are actively developing a number of products, but will focus on one single product at a time as soon as the best candidate emerges from the first rounds of prototype validation. As to that, we are still seeking testers for any of our conceivable products.
If you have (or want) a soil garden, a hydroponics rig, or are interested in a complete & ready-to-grow system, we would love to talk with you about installing a garden-monitoring and control prototype at your place! We are currently bootstrapping this project and therefore must ask you to pay for most of materials costs but assembly and installation labor and consultations are on us!

Morning dew drops on some baby red Russian kale, which is growing under foodclouds power

Here's some proof: a primary leaf is now present on this cucumber seedling and is leaning tenaciously towards the light!
Last week was a fantastic week here at foodclouds HQ! The hanging garden prototype testbed is exceeding expectations - kale, basil, and cucumber babies are all thriving in their new homes, and the fish are still happy as well.

Hardware engineer, James Hauk, laser-cutting some sensor enclosures out of acrylic sheet.

After making some final connections, our first fully wireless prototype is all set to be installed in its enclosure! Live data from all of this device's sensors will be streaming online very soon!
This first newsletter, and all the following update emails will be archived at foodclouds.net/news
