{"href":"http://player.captivate.fm/services/oembed?url=http%3A%2F%2Fplayer.captivate.fm%2Fepisode%2F94907a86-e07d-40b8-b785-6076b0592c1b","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Captivate.FM","provider_url":"https://www.captivate.fm","width":600,"height":200,"type":"rich","html":"","title":"S4E49: Dandridge Melton - Solving Worldwide Agricultral Challenges through Hydroponic Technology & Shipping Containers","description":"Episode Summary:\r\n\r\nJoin Harry Duran, host of Vertical Farming Podcast, as he welcomes to the show Dandridge Melton, founder of Vertical Growth Farming Systems, an organization that\u2019s seeking to change the way that the world approaches hunger, malnutrition, natural disasters and the effects traditional farming has on our environment through their unique container farms.\r\n\r\nToday, Harry and Dandridge discuss the vertical farming landscape, competitors to Vertical Growth Farming Systems and how Dandridge\u2019s entrepreneurial spirit has contributed to his success in this immensely important field. They talk about the future of farming and why education is critical if we as a planet are going to be able to adapt to agricultural challenges we soon may face. Dandridge shares his profound belief in this project and talks more about his mission to change the way the world feeds itself.\r\n\r\nEpisodes Sponsor:\r\n\r\nGlobal Vertical Farming Show \u2013 https://verticalfarmingshow.com/ \r\n\r\nCultivatd \u2013 https://www.cultivatd.com/\r\n\r\nWhat We Covered:\r\n\r\n03:41 \u2013 Harry welcomes to the show Dandridge Melton who shares his fascinating journey as a serial entrepreneur and what inspired him to launch Vertical Growth Farming Systems\r\n\r\n21:31 \u2013 Dandridge recalls the first time vertical farming came on his radar\r\n\r\n26:52 \u2013 Competitors in the vertical farming landscape and the work Dandridge is doing at VGFS\r\n\r\n34:18 \u2013 The importance of educating the youth on vertical farming\r\n\r\n45:32 \u2013 A tough question Dandridge has had to ask himself recently and an ask Dandridge has for the audience\r\n\r\n51:30 \u2013 Harry thanks Dandridge for joining the show and reiterates where listeners can go to learn more about VGFS and connect with Dandridge \r\n\r\nTweetable Quotes:\r\n\r\n\u201cI have learned this from playing hoops in the pickup gym. Every genre of occupation is represented. You\u2019ve got your brain surgeon, your HVHC guy, your lawyer, your plumber, your restaurant owner, your barber. So, over time, you just never know when those relationships are gonna manifest into something you never even thought about.\u201d (17:43) (Dandrige)\r\n\r\n\u201cSo, I think that we are gonna be a gamechanger in the vertical farming space. And I say that for a couple of reasons. So yes you\u2019ve got your industrial-sized guys in vertical farming, the venture capitalist money, where they\u2019re putting it in vertical farming. It\u2019s all these behemoth implementations.\u201d (27:32) (Dandrige)\r\n\r\n\u201cWe have a grow room in our shipping containers, so we can go from seed to seedling, and we have a walk-in cooler. And it\u2019s all driven by solar, so we\u2019re completely off the grid.\u201d (31:40) (Dandrige)\r\n\r\n\u201cThe population continues to grow. We are losing farmable land. So those are diametrically opposed to each other. So, what\u2019s a viable solution? You\u2019re running out of space. You\u2019re running out of good soil. Vertical farming is just going to continue. Whatever it is today, it\u2019s gonna be more important tomorrow. I firmly believe that.\u201d (35:01) (Dandrige)\r\n\r\nLinks Mentioned:\r\n\r\nDandridge\u2019s LinkedIn \r\n\r\nVertical Growth Farming Systems Website \r\n\r\nVertical Farming Show\r\n\r\nSponsor Info:\r\n\r\nCultivatd Website\r\n\r\nCultivatd Instagram\r\n\r\nCultivatd\u2019s Twitter\r\n\r\nCultivatd\u2019s Facebook\r\n\r\n\ud83c\udf99\ufe0f\ud83c\udf99\ufe0f\ud83c\udf99\ufe0f\r\n\r\nPodcast Production & Marketing by FullCast\r\n\r\nSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300,"thumbnail_url":"https://artwork.captivate.fm/b4b96e3b-cad1-431f-8215-7100af24f0c0/image.jpg"}