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Our most recent blog posts

How To Start Growing With The Kratky Method
Farmer Brandon Youst from Veg2Bowl (a farm-to-food truck operation) is joining us on the Upstart U blog! Brandon uses the Kratky method (using a stationary solution with no pump) to grow greens for his food truck. In this post, Brandon is going to explain the...

How To Choose Fluorescent Grow Lights For Your Farm
Fluorescent lights can be an inexpensive lighting option for a small farm operation, but not every fluorescent light is the same. If you’re not using the right kind, you won’t have enough light to grow. When Should You Use Fluorescent Grow Lights? Most large-scale and...

Why Choosing Automated Dosing Systems is a Profitable Investment
Automated dosing systems can be expensive, which means they’re often an intimidating investment for small farmers. However, many growers note that their upfront investment pays off once they start saving on time and labor costs, especially if they’re beginning to...

How to be Effective at Plumbing Flexible Tubing
Hello everybody! We are back with the plumbing series led by Sean, this time for plumbing flexible tubing. Previously, we’ve shown you how to join pipes that are made from PVC. This time we’ll show you a solution for when you need something a little bit more...

Hydroponic Drip Emitters: What You Need to Know
If you’ve read the previous plumbing blogs, you know how to get your PVC pipes all joined together and how to install valves for controlling and restricting water flow. You also know how to get the water from the tank to the pipes with a bulkhead fitting. These are...

How to be Successful at Plumbing Bulkheads
Sean is back once again to advance your plumbing knowledge; this time about plumbing bulkheads. If you haven’t seen them already, go ahead and check out the other plumbing posts introducing you to joining pipes and how to use valves. In this video and article, Sean...

Plumbing in Hydroponics: What You Need to Know About Valves
Welcome to the second post for the Plumbing Series! Our plumbing expert Sean Schaub is back to talk about hydroponic valves. There are a ton of types of valves out there, but today we will focus on the valves used most in hydroponic systems and why they are important....

Plumbing in Hydroponics: How to Join Pipes
If you're building a farm, you'll need to understand plumbing. Plumbing can seem hard to beginners, but so long as you can follow instructions and have the proper tools, anyone can learn basics such as how to join pipes. Our goal is to teach you how to get your...

How to Decipher Heat Loss and Greenhouse R-Value
Hundreds of new small farmers are entering the industry every year, each serving a unique community and solving unique problems. Many of those problems are related to energy - the lack of it, the need for more sustainable sources, and the need for more...

What to Look For in Produce Packaging
It’s 10 pm on a weeknight, and you’ve just wrangled a pump into your new system. Exhausted, you lose your boots at the door and fall into bed. As the world fades away, your eyes fly open and you realize: You’re going to market in six weeks, and you don’t have any...