🚜🌿​The Tractor of the Sea 🌿​🚜​
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This harvest season GreenWave was able to test our kelp harvester on the Thimble Island Ocean Farm. Below you can see the image of the kelp harvester.Â
The growline is placed into the harvester and the boat slowly motors along the line. The anchors and growline under tension will keep the boat in place on the farm. The growline runs up the ramp, and the kelp is cut over the hopper where the harvested kelp falls into a net that can hold up to 500lbs. The full harvested kelp nets can be kept in the water, not only to preserve the kelp but also to save precious deck space on the boat. A new net can be loaded into the hopper and harvesting can continue down the line.
Farmers are becoming more efficient at growing kelp in small footprints, and they need to be able to harvest at a larger scale. As our farms evolve so must the equipment that we use. Can you imagine a future where tractors float?
@jill_pegnataro - Thanks, this is very cool. Two questions: (i) would you be able to automate the cutting part so as to run at higher speeds? (ii) what sort of throughput (e.g. lbs) can you harvest per hour? Thanks!Â
@matthew_perkins - Thanks for your interest Matthew. We are working on a blade that is automated and attaches to the davit. We are hopeful we will be able to use it next season.Â
As for harvesting, I think it would depend on how much kelp is produced on the farm and length of the lines. A 10 acre kelp farm, like Thimble Island Ocean Farm, can be harvest in 1-2 days. This season it took about 30/40 minutes per 400' line.Â
Farmers may sell all of their crop to a wholesaler and do one large harvest. Normally, farmers will harvest by the size of the order and leave the rest of the kelp to grow and harvest another time. This allows the farmer to space out their harvest and lets the rest of the kelp continue to grow.Â
What's nice about this harvesting technique is that the kelp in the nets can remain in the water and stay fresh. Farmers can harvest over multiple days, and the processor will be able to pick up the kelp without needing to make multiple trips.Â
I hope that answers your question. Let me know if I left anything out.Â
@matthew_perkins - Thanks for your interest Matthew. We are working on a blade that is automated and attaches to the davit. We are hopeful we will be able to use it next season.Â
As for harvesting, I think it would depend on how much kelp is produced on the farm and length of the lines. A 10 acre kelp farm, like Thimble Island Ocean Farm, can be harvest in 1-2 days. This season it took about 30/40 minutes per 400' line.Â
Farmers may sell all of their crop to a wholesaler and do one large harvest. Normally, farmers will harvest by the size of the order and leave the rest of the kelp to grow and harvest another time. This allows the farmer to space out their harvest and lets the rest of the kelp continue to grow.Â
What's nice about this harvesting technique is that the kelp in the nets can remain in the water and stay fresh. Farmers can harvest over multiple days, and the processor will be able to pick up the kelp without needing to make multiple trips.Â
I hope that answers your question. Let me know if I left anything out.Â