Who wants to sip on a cold glass of raspberry mint mojito? We sure do. That’s why in this edition of our monthly grower’s guide, we are highlighting our newest harvests from our Toronto towers: Spearmint
and Killarney Raspberries!
Spearmint
The Toronto team has been harvesting trays full of Spearmint the past few months as we’re raking more cultivars into our herb mix. Spearmint is extremely aromatic and often valued for its culinary, medicinal
and cosmetic use. Commonly mistaken for peppermint, this refreshing plant boast brighter, pointed leaves. This herb also carries many different health benefits including respiratory, hygiene, digestion and heart health/blood pressure. To reap the most nutrients, it’s best to chew it directly or steep it in a hot cup of tea. Spearmint is also popular in cocktails and fresh beverages like iced tea, mint julep and mojitos.
In our Modular Farms, it typically takes nine weeks to go from seedling to table, generating an average yield of 9 grams per site and 315 grams per tower yield. Spearmint is an invasive and wide-spreading
species. Our towers ensure growth is controlled and focused where we want it to be without interfering our other cultivars, as would be the case in a traditional garden, farm or greenhouse. Since it thrives in
warm environments, we make sure to keep our farm settings aligned with our LED lights and climate controls. Being able to control our environmental and nutritional values goes a long way toward maximizing our yields to produce the healthiest and best tasting herbs.
Killarney Raspberries
Raspberries are a part of the rose family and are known to have many metabolic, skincare, antioxidant and immune system benefits. Its flavour profile is tart, yet, delicately sweet with a soft texture. They are
typically cultivated as fresh fruits for consumption or processed as juice, fruit puree, frozen fruit and dried fruit.
As one of Modular Farms’ key R&D cultivars, our raspberries were sourced from a greenhouse in Edmonton, Canada and planted into our Toronto ZipGrow towers to grow hydroponically in rhizome
units. Since “out of season” is not in our vocabulary, we worked with our indoor parameters to speed up the fruiting period! We keep the environment cool and breezy for optimal growth and health. Tailoring
our nutrients and environmental factors in the farm also means we can create different taste profiles. Although berries are now in season in Australia, Modular Farms enable consistent and effective growth
year-round. By controlling the environment, we are able to push the cultivars through dormant growth stages resulting in year-round yields. Additionally, the fan systems in our farms assist greatly in the
pollination of the raspberries, supplementing the manual or insect pollination traditionally used. It typically takes 16 weeks to go from its rhizome/bare root to its first harvest with an average berry
weighing approximately 4.25 grams. As we’re still experimenting with our food trials, we do not have a definite yield yet, but be sure to follow our social media channels to follow its different growth stages
and see how our next harvest comes out!
Follow the recipe below and cool down with a glass of Raspberry Mint Mojito using both of the cultivars from this month’s growers guide!
RASPBERRY MINT MOJITO
Ingredients
- ½ pt. raspberries
- ¼ c. fresh mint leaves
- 2 limes cut in eights
- ½ c. sugar + ½ c. water (for making simple syrup)
- 8 oz. sparkling water
- 8 oz. Rum
Directions
- Mix ½ cup sugar and ½ cup water into a small saucepan to create a simple syrup. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar just melts. Approx. 2-3 minutes.
- Place raspberries and mint leaves into a large pitcher. Muddle the two together. Add 8 oz. rum, ice, simple syrup and 8 oz. sparkling water. Stir to combine.
- Garnish with a fresh mint sprig and serve.
Learn more about Autodesk and the space at MaRS at www.autodesk.com/toronto
Have a question? Contact us at sales@modularfarms.co or read our FAQ section.