Indoor chocolate and coffee growing

Smoker's Lounge
#1

I am interested in indoor farming. The recent advances in the past decades of blue leds and solar panels and their costs going down all the time make farming tropical things in America seem feasible.

I’m thinking it’d be cool to use geothermal hvac and collect rain water or something. With indoor farms you can recycle water and use less fertilizer and pesticides and such making me think it’d be a great idea for more traditionally tricky crops or out of hardiness zone etc. like coffee, chocolate and tea that we pay to have shipped from all over the world.

Any comments or experiences OG?

Edit: I forgot to add it would be more a hobby than a business unless everything was sold at non slave labor prices lol…. $30/lb for coffee or something like that.

6 Likes
#2

I think tea might be the best move

3 Likes
#3

I know some crazy maniacs were trying to start a tea plantation in New England a few years ago, Vermont or New Hampshire. I don’t know how they made out, but it might be worth looking into if you’re that interested. I have seen an indoor coffee plant, it seemed unhappy haha.

1 Like
#4

coffee is one of the things i plan on working on at the farm this year. it grows well in the shade and higher elevations, just can’t tolerate the cold. i’ve got an idea that may work out for that. wv grown coffee may end up a tad more expensive, but jumping on the locally grown bandwagon should allow it to work out. if not, it will be a learning experience for sure. good luck with it.

2 Likes
#5

as a hobby its a cool idea but not really market feasible IMO

3 Likes
#6

I agree it’d be expensive compared to the third world countries we exploit but there’s def plenty of hippie kids out there who might just want a fun and safe and “green” environment to live by, plus all the free coffee and stuff never hurts. Obviously it would be known as a small batch type brand for its premium quality and transparency.

I’ve worked plenty of near minimum wage jobs, just nothing nearly as cool as growing indoor chocolate.

Also it could be a co-op type setup where there are dorms and a kitchen so people save on travel and utilities that way!

… just some stoned thoughts I’ve been having…

2 Likes
#7

Make sure you share your experience with us and good luck to you too!

1 Like
#8

I’ve tried growing coffee plants many times. Once, I kept a plant alive for a couple years but it never thrived. It takes a mature coffee plant and a number of years before it will produce but they are really cool and the leaves are shiny.

Now that I’m a better gardener I would love to try it again. I’ve seen potted coffee plants at the nursery and I’m sure they can make cool house plants.

2 Likes
#9

five years from what i’ve read. they can produce coffee indoors.

2 Likes
#10

Yep. Kava kava takes 4-5 years too. (Add that to the list)! :cowboy_hat_face:

1 Like