The Agricultural Research Initiative, Inc. is the brainchild of Tracie Kingsford of Vernal, Utah. He has a passion for growing strawberries and is frustrated that the growing season was so short.
He is growing strawberries that his friends and family were purchasing. They love buying from someone they know, who grows strawberries in a pesticide-free environment. Year after year he is losing 10-20 pounds of produce because of the early and late frosts in the area. He found a better, innovative, and earth-friendly solution. He wants to share his knowledge with the community and teach others what he has learned.
The Agricuture Research Initiative, Inc. is committed to building relationships with local business owners, farmers, and community members to educate about new ways of farming.
Eventually, the Agricultural Research Initiative, Inc. will be a place to come for education, internships, and purchasing from our co-op of farmers. Right now, we are looking to fundraise at least $250,000 to be qualified for a USDA Grant. The grant will fund The Innovation Center and begin the building of eight greenhouses, each with a different crop. We will only grow (pun intended) from there!
Tracie is passionate about identifying and implementing new ways to grow produce. His big dream is to have a network of greenhouses, farmers, and customers who appreciate pesticide-free fruits and vegetables as much as he and his family and friends do. He knows he can grow strawberries so he is looking to expand the growing season, along with growing seven other crops in the initial phase of the project.
As we developed this project, we found that water was a big concern, especially for the drought-ridden West Coast states. These include California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, and Colorado who each share water from the Colorado River. The drought means there is less water in the river and thus a bigger fight by the states for water distribution and consumption. The fight won’t be ending anytime soon.
With Tracie’s proprietary system, water is reclaimed and reused in the growing process. Water is also captured in the Agam dehumidifier and is reused. The greenhouse is built with eco-friendly products itself.
The entire greenhouse ecosystem will allow longer growing seasons and eliminates the need for constant new sources of water. It is revolutionary and can change how we farm in the United States.