Countertop smart farm promises fresh greens in as little as 8 days

Folks living in inner-city apartments probably won't have access to an outdoor garden. So growing your own greens can be challenging. Technology can liberate your scrappy plants from overcrowded window boxes, and put a micro-farm in your kitchen.

Home Harvest is the latest contender in this indoor smart garden space, with two appliances designed to turn microgreens, herbs, and salads into something halfway between a countertop convenience and a gardening project.

The UK-based startup has launched the Harvest One and Harvest Three on Kickstarter, with the project team calling the system "the world’s smartest farm in your kitchen."

The idea is a lot simpler than it sounds. You automate most of the growing, then harvest small amounts of fresh produce just before you eat it. And according to the company, some crops can be ready in as little as eight days.

The system is designed to be fairly hands-off to use. Drop in one of the soil-free pre-seeded mats, fill the water tank, scan or select the crop in the app, then close the door and let the system do the rest. Full-spectrum LED lighting, watering, temperature, humidity, and airflow are all taken care of automatically, with a HD camera, circulation fan, and onboard sensors keeping tabs on conditions.

The app provides real-time monitoring, harvest reminders, and recipe ideas, plus a Holiday Mode to slow down growth while you’re away. If you prefer, you can use your own seeds and growing media, too, so you’re not locked into Home Harvest’s own mats.

The smaller Harvest One uses a single tray and is aimed at one or two people. It measures 36.4 x 31.3 x 42 cm (14.3 x 12.3 x 16.5 in) and draws around 25 W of power. The larger Harvest Three has the same base footprint, but is more than twice as tall at 81.3 cm (32 in), adds three trays and a 3.5 L water tank, and is pitched at households of three to five people. Both products use the same underlying setup and will be available in six different colors.

Whether Home Harvest is genuinely the "world’s smartest" kitchen farm is debatable, given existing options like AGWA’s camera-based climate control or LG's Tiiun smart garden. This system, on the other hand, distinguishes itself with a fully enclosed, climate-controlled cabinet and a launch catalog featuring over 38 crop varieties and eight curated mixes.

Its Health Companion can also suggest crops and recipes based on wellness goals you choose (though it’s important not to treat these recommendations as medical guidance).

The project also has some unusual engineering history behind it. A specially adapted solar-powered prototype traveled more than 8,000 nautical miles, over nearly six months, across the Pacific with rowers Jess Rowe and Miriam Payne, providing them with fresh greens throughout their journey. The company makes it clear this was separate from the consumer models – though it seems to have played a part in the product’s evolution.

Kickstarter pledge levels currently start at £249 (about US$330) for the single-tray model and £299 (around US$400) for the three-tray version, with first deliveries estimated for February 2027. Home Harvest’s pre-seeded mats will be an ongoing consumable cost, although you can avoid that ecosystem by sourcing your own seeds and growing media.

All crowdfunding campaigns carry an element of risk, and backing a well-developed Kickstarter isn’t the same as buying a finished product off the shelf. This is also Home Harvest's first Kickstarter, with the startup saying that the concept has been proven with more than a year of testing in homes, restaurants and schools. The design is locked in, but such things as tooling, certifications and volume manufacture need backer cash. If all goes to plan, manufacturing is scheduled to begin in December.

Source: Kickstarter

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