Farm Survives Pandemic, now Plans to Expand

Article by: Hari Yellina

“We’re putting together a prospectus to attract investors right now.” This will enable us to construct more farms, both in Australia and internationally. April Sun Farms co-founder Tyrone Dickson claims, “Our stats prove that we can build, develop, and operate more efficiently than any greenhouse.” In 2018, the April Sun Farm concept was born. The goal of Darren Nichol and Tyrone Dickson was to build the most sustainable farm possible. They identified a need in the market and devised strategies to fill it. April Sun Farms is housed in a 700 square metre warehouse in Melbourne’s inner suburbs. The farm features 200 square metres of growing beds and an additional 5 square metres of R&D bench space. Room 1 is currently 67% complete, with the goal of having it completed by the end of the year. The agricultural irrigation plant was designed, engineered, and built with the ability to power the second chamber in mind. The installation of Room 2 will be more cost-effective and time-efficient as a result of this.

A New 1000-Square-Metre Farm

Furthermore, April Sun Farms is in the process of designing a double density superblock in the remaining space of Room 1, as well as maybe the entirety of Room 2. The farm would be between 600 and 1000 square metres in size this manner. If the double density super block proves to be a success, the farm’s size will be increased to 1000m2.

April Sun Farms is currently developing microgreens for both the catering and retail industries. They prepare mixed salads for restaurants and retail salads. Individual types of broccoli and red cabbage are available for purchase. The farm produces and sells about 20 kg of microgreen salads and micro herb pots per square metre each month. They also grow basil on top of that. “This item is in high demand.” Tyrone continues, “We can cultivate and market roughly 108 basil units per m2 every month.” “Our mission is to provide food security to people and locations that cannot afford or ensure food security.” This will be accomplished through research and development, developing innovative solutions, systems, and components, as well as the construction and operation of these farms.

Obstacles on the way

However, getting here hasn’t exactly been a stroll in the park. Tyrone recalls, “Our entrepreneurial journey began in 2018.” “In July 2019, we rented our warehouse and spent the next four months developing and engineering our new facility, which included components that were not available on the market,” says the company. A global epidemic broke out within a few of weeks after the corporation began selling the product. April Sun Farms attempted to operate in the most frequently locked-down city without any aid from the federal or state governments because their business was labelled a pre-revenue startup. April Sun Farms’ cultivation and sales were initially erratic as a result of this, but the team persevered, fully conscious of the situation.