Ben Ang, the founder of Natsuki's Garden, also known as “Farmer Ben”, had his first experience as a farmer when he designed his own greenhouse in an old school yard. Open spaces in Singapore can be used as small plots of land for people to try growing their own crops.
Stating that many practices and rules developed in terms of agricultural production in the world were developed for temperate climate zones such as Europe and the USA, Ang states that these rules do not apply to tropical climate regions such as Singapore. Saying that he adjusts his cultivation methods in the tropical climate zone by adapting them to the environment, Ang designs the roof of his greenhouse in a V shape for this reason, allowing the hot air inside to come out from the sides.
Stating that most of the greenhouses in temperate climate regions such as Europe and the USA are circle-shaped, Ang says that these structures are suitable for the aforementioned climates. It is necessary to keep the greenhouse warm in winter and cool in summer. While this circular greenhouse is suitable for temperate regions in terms of temperature, it is not suitable for a tropical climate like Singapore, so he optimizes the temperature in his greenhouse with a V -shaped roof, says Mr. Ang.
Expressing that the high air circulation in his greenhouse also increases the production efficiency, Ang says that he can get a crop of 60-80 kg per m2. Stating that the V-shaped roof allows him to work in the greenhouse during the day, Ang also points out that under normal conditions, in a typical greenhouse in a tropical climate, it is not possible to stay indoors for more than 10 minutes.
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He grows tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, watermelons and leafy greens on the lines inside Ang's greenhouse, while testing new plants inside special potting mixes. Ang aims to produce enough for 30-50 people a week with this production.
Benefits of an urban farm close to the city center
In this greenhouse located in the city center, orders are placed online and delivery is made from inside the greenhouse. In a production model that is so close to the consumer, the products are delivered to the consumers in the freshest and highest quality form. Ang also says that the products will be sold at a cheaper price than those found in supermarkets and grocery stores, and even this price leaves a high profit margin for him.