4 ms·

Imagining if robots can pick raspberries at leak ripeness, in the near future one machine can do the same for all crops, plus weeding. This seems more economic

by jlj 7y ago

Imagining if robots can pick raspberries at leak ripeness, in the near future one machine can do the same for all crops, plus weeding. This seems more economically viable than the current monoculture and chemical based approaches. And if one field can support a wider array of crops, they can produce more for local consumption, and lower transportation distances and costs.

aequitas 7y ago
The future is already here: https://farm.bot/ https://farm.bot/
vogre 7y ago
This kind of robot would take million gallons of water to build a piece.
stefan_ 7y ago
You can not mix a bunch of random crops in one field. This is such a HN comment.
- inawarminister 7y ago
  Well you can, permaculture advocates do that but it's not viable for industrial agriculture yet, if ever. Of course, by random I mean specific crops chosen for their compability to each other... [0] https://deepgreenpermaculture.com/permaculture/permaculture-design-principles/9-diversity/ https://deepgreenpermaculture.com/permaculture/permaculture-... (I really like that image of corns, beans, and squash together from traditional Mesoamerican farming)
- squish78 7y ago
  You absolutely can, they just can't be serviced with tractors or combines. Huge monoculture fields are a recent invention, and an unsustainable one.
- jlj 7y ago
  Replace "random" with "local" and "seasonal." Biodiversity and crop rotation are not whimsical HN topics. They have been around for a while. It works in my backyard garden and neighborhood urban CSA. The CSA could increase their production significantly if/when technology like this matures. Most of my local, seasonal produce needs can already be supported within a few block radius of my home. I too appreciate the diversity of thought on HN... lots of experts to share their knowledge.
- inflatableDodo 7y ago
  I dunno, seems like a good way of hedging ;) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_cropping https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_cropping https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyculture https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyculture https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nurse_crop https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nurse_crop https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Companion_planting https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Companion_planting
- benj111 7y ago
  Why not? Theres no reason why you couldn't do a 4 field crop rotation in one field. Market gardens quite often have rows of different crops right next to each other. If you're talking properly mixed up, 3 sisters planting did OK for Native North Americans. And many gardeners will sowing a row of radishes in with your parsnip rows because they germinate so slowly. And that's without getting into forest gardening and permaculture.

by jlj 7y ago

aequitas 7y ago

The future is already here: https://farm.bot/ https://farm.bot/

vogre 7y ago

This kind of robot would take million gallons of water to build a piece.

stefan_ 7y ago

You can not mix a bunch of random crops in one field. This is such a HN comment.

inawarminister 7y ago
Well you can, permaculture advocates do that but it's not viable for industrial agriculture yet, if ever. Of course, by random I mean specific crops chosen for their compability to each other... [0] https://deepgreenpermaculture.com/permaculture/permaculture-design-principles/9-diversity/ https://deepgreenpermaculture.com/permaculture/permaculture-... (I really like that image of corns, beans, and squash together from traditional Mesoamerican farming)
squish78 7y ago
You absolutely can, they just can't be serviced with tractors or combines. Huge monoculture fields are a recent invention, and an unsustainable one.
jlj 7y ago
Replace "random" with "local" and "seasonal." Biodiversity and crop rotation are not whimsical HN topics. They have been around for a while. It works in my backyard garden and neighborhood urban CSA. The CSA could increase their production significantly if/when technology like this matures. Most of my local, seasonal produce needs can already be supported within a few block radius of my home. I too appreciate the diversity of thought on HN... lots of experts to share their knowledge.
inflatableDodo 7y ago
I dunno, seems like a good way of hedging ;) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_cropping https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_cropping https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyculture https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyculture https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nurse_crop https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nurse_crop https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Companion_planting https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Companion_planting
benj111 7y ago
Why not? Theres no reason why you couldn't do a 4 field crop rotation in one field. Market gardens quite often have rows of different crops right next to each other. If you're talking properly mixed up, 3 sisters planting did OK for Native North Americans. And many gardeners will sowing a row of radishes in with your parsnip rows because they germinate so slowly. And that's without getting into forest gardening and permaculture.