CLEANER, FRESHER and HEALTHIER; words that encapsulate Artisan Green, a homegrown indoor modern farm in Kallang that harvests the cleanest, freshest, as well as 100% pesticide-free baby spinach in the market.
Constantly innovating and finding new ways to sustainably grow produce, Artisan Green is proud to launch its very first range of fresh herbs!
Image source: Artisan Green
Sprouting on 27 August 2021, this NEW line of herbs will feature Lemon Basil, Dill and Coriander – all available at Ryan’s Grocery, Eccellente by HAO Mart, HAO Megamart, Everyday Vegan Grocer, Fairprice Online, Pantry Selects and Red Mart. The freshest baby spinach in town is also sold in the aforementioned retail partners as well as Little Farms, Yes Natural and The Food Cellar.
Founded by Ray Poh in 2018, Artisan Green is known for modern farming using hydroponics; a technology that allows plants to be grown indoors in controlled conditions without soil, and requiring up to 90% less water than traditional soil-based farms.
A ‘green’ first-timer to the agriculture industry at that time, Ray – a former casino gaming company Director in Macau turned urban farmer – made it his mission to sustainably grow ultra-fresh, pesticide-free greens that are easily accessible to the local community.
Image source: Artisan Green
“Artisan Green was a passion project of mine for about a year before turning into the full-scale farm we have today. It all started when I came across the hydroponics method of indoor farming.
This substantially decreased the size of farming land needed, while promoting sustainability and supplying cleaner produce grown with less water and without pesticides.
That was enough impetus for me to go wholeheartedly into this business and ‘grow’ it further.” elaborated Ray Poh.
Hydroponics Using Controlled Environment Agriculture
A combination of two Latin words ‘hydro’ and ‘ponics’ (meaning ‘working water’), hydroponics is the art of farming without soil.
In the absence of soil, the plant’s roots are submerged in water that provides nutrients to the crops. This method of farming coupled with a closely monitored and controlled indoor environment produces higher yields compared to traditional farming, allowing a higher density of plant growth within the same area, and the ability to grow crops throughout the year regardless of external climate conditions.
Artisan Green: Growing the cleanest produce in Singapore
“Agriculture is something that’s evergreen. People will always need to eat.” – Ray Poh
Using state-of-the-art hydroponics technology, Artisan Green is able to achieve consistent flavour, freshness and quality of its crops all year-round. The farm is monitored round-the clock in a controlled indoor growing environment. An environment created by carefully calibrated LED lights and climate management systems.
This results in delectable vegetables that are sustainably grown, high in quality, as well as 100% pesticide-free. Customers are assured of the freshest locally grown vegetables and herbs that are harvested in Singapore, ensuring reduced food miles.
Aside from its staple production of high-quality baby spinach, Artisan Greens latest harvest features these incredibly fresh herbs:
- Lemon Basil – A cultivar of sweet basil that boasts a distinct lemon aroma. Commonly used in South Asian cuisines as part of stews or salads. It works particularly well with seafood and chicken but its versatility also makes it well suited for brewing teas.
- Dill – Used by chefs for centuries as a versatile aromatic that enhances the flavour, colour and texture to dishes. If used fresh, its subtle flavour works beautifully with potatoes and fish or as an addition to soups, stews, and cream-based sauces.
- Coriander – One of the most popular herbs worldwide, coriander is also known as cilantro or Chinese parsley. It has a unique lively flavour with strong citrus undertones that is best enjoyed fresh as a garnish or in salsa, salads and guacamole.
Championing Sustainability
Image source: Artisan Green
With hydroponics, Artisan Green is able to sustainably cultivate its greens in an urban environment. In addition, the 3,200 square feet modern farm uses vertical systems that can be stacked, ensuring minimal land usage and maximum output; a sensible and practical approach in land-scarce Singapore.
With 20 growing racks and six layers of crops each, Artisan Green can produce more than 100kg of baby spinach per week – using up to 90% less water and pesticides than traditional soil farms, thus not impacting critical fauna with pesticides and decreasing food miles by growing locally.
Image source: Artisan Green
Although Artisan Green was founded a year before the Singapore Food Agency announced its ’30 by 30’ goal to produce 30% of Singapore’s nutritional needs locally by 2030 (up from less than 10% today), Ray hopes that his humble farm in Kallang will help in Singapore’s mission for sustainable locally grown produce.
By end 2022, Artisan Green is looking to scale up its total production of greens to about 250kg to 300kg per week.
In the long term, Ray is also looking to build a second farm that is not only 60 times bigger in size but is also fully automated and will incorporate the newest in crop monitoring and growing technology. This will enable Artisan Green to grow a wider variety of vegetables and at higher production volumes; in a step closer to the ’30 by 30’ vision.