[pepsionice]

I saw something like this two years ago with a German intervator. Greenhouse operation, hydroponics, some heat in the winter....you could grow 90-percent of your needs for vegetables and fruit.

The problem I saw was that you needed to devote man-hours to this each week. It wasn’t something you could just turn on and harvest four months later.

[sphinx]

The problem I saw was that you needed to devote man-hours to this each week.

Exactly. It would compete with the time I can devote to tanning my own hides, catching and smoking my own fish, sewing my own clothes, and working in my home foundry to make my own car. When you rebel against the corporate machine and decide to go local, time management does become an issue. Sometimes I think it might be better to just get a day job and do my shopping at a store, but a couple of hours at the drum circle usually gets my head straight again.

[buffyt]

I would have loved this back in college, for growing our pot plants! (1960s)

[Sgt_Schultze]

A company called Juice Plus has offered a product like this called Tower Garden for years. I don’t believe the acquisition cost is anywhere near $7,000 and the consumables cost is not near $100 per month. These are things individuals can sell and receive an income stream from ongoing sales. FWIW this is not a new idea, just a new presentation.