Algaenite: Nitrogen Fixing Micro Algae

Lior Hessel is the CEO of Algaenite, a Growponics company revolutionizing sustainable agriculture through a patented bio-fertilizer made from nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria. Addressing a major challenge in organic farming—reduced yields and high costs—Hessel leads the development of a novel “Bio Ammonia” solution that delivers 25–40% higher yields than traditional organic fertilizers, at competitive costs and with zero harmful emissions. Algaenite’s fertilizer is pathogen-free, water-soluble, and supports organic certification, offering a scalable, eco-friendly alternative to chemical fertilizers. Under Hessel’s leadership, the company has raised €2.5M from the EU and is poised for market launch within six months. DeliveryRank features an exclusive interview.

Click Here for the full Article 

Watch the C8 article on our farm in Guilford, Connecticut to see how we grow the best quality lettuce.

As of the recent weeks, the largest E.Coli outburst since 2006.  While some of the incidents were connected to Romaine lettuce from a farm in Yuma, Arizona, consumers are concerned about eating lettuce in general or Romaine in particular.

Growing lettuce in a closed greenhouse using hydroponics, like we do, helps prevent contact with E.Coli coming from animal feces or the use of manure. It is the best method to control the produce safety and minimize health risks.

For the written article click here.

If you ever wondered how it looks like inside our hydroponic farm at Connecticut, now you can see for yourself: watch this 2 minutes video by News8 to see how we grow the most beautiful lettuce in the midst of winter.

More reasons to prefer whole heads of lettuce over pre-cut salad leaves and mixes: the cut and broken leaves in packed salad mixes raise the risk of salmonella contamination by as much as 2400.

A new study published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology by researchers at Leicester University, UK, is highlighting an overlooked aspect of food safety in salad mixes. Packed salad offer many advantages to the consumer: they are convenient and easy to use, there is a huge selection to choose from, and they help raise the consumption of healthy leafy greens. But most consumers are unaware of the fact that such pre-cut salads are more sensitive to contamination, and possess a much larger risk for potential microbial outbreaks.

The researchers explained that juices oozing from the damaged leaves promote salmonella growth, and also increase its virulence (its ability to thrive and cause disease in the unlucky consumer). Even tiny amounts of liquids were enough for the salmonella to grow. The growing salmonella could thrive also in refrigeration (at below 4 degrees), whereas until now it was believed that salmonella cannot grow below 5.2 degrees. The researchers found that the salmonella somehow used the juices to attach itself so strongly to the leaves and even to the bag, that no washing could remove it.

So what can we do in order to enjoy the benefits of leafy greens, and keep ourselves safe and healthy?

• Always prefer whole heads of salads over pre-cut leaves. Cutting and preparation should be done as close to meal time as possible.
• Avoid bags with liquids in them – it shows the produce is not fresh.
• When choosing between whole heads of salads, prefer hydroponically grown salads, which are cleaner and safer to consume to begin with.