Disclosed is a harvesting device for harvesting vegetable crops from the ground, which vegetable crops have a stem and a crown supported by the stem and leaves attached to the stem, said device comprising a frame, a first drive for moving the frame onward over the ground, a cutter for severing the stem, a second drive for the cutter, a stripper for stripping the leaves from the stem, and a third drive for moving the stripper vertically along the stem for in the stripper's strip position stripping the leaves from the stem.

Disclosed is a harvesting device for harvesting vegetable crops from the ground, which vegetable crops have a stem and a crown supported by the stem and leaves attached to the stem, said device comprising a frame, a first drive for moving the frame onward over the ground, a cutter for severing the stem, a second drive for the cutter, a stripper for stripping the leaves from the stem, and a third drive for moving the stripper vertically along the stem for in the stripper's strip position stripping the leaves from the stem.

A method of inspecting plants for contamination includes generating a first series of images of a plant using a camera mounted to a frame being moved along a planting bed by a harvester, identifying a region of interest displayed in the first series of images as a region of contamination on the plant based on a color criterion and a morphological criterion applied to the region of interest, and transmitting data including an instruction to increase a vertical distance between the plant and a cutter of the harvester to avoid harvesting the plant in response to identifying the region of interest as the region of contamination. The method further includes generating a second series of images of an additional plant as the frame continues to be moved along the planting bed by the harvester while the vertical distance between the plant and the cutter is being increased.

A harvesting system for harvesting stemmed plants having elongated stems and including bulbous growth disposed at the top of the stems. The harvesting system includes a harvesting unit having a plurality of gripping elements; a cutter for harvesting the plants; and a divergent zone defined by gripping elements for vertically aligning the harvested plants. The harvesting unit further includes a transfer zone defined by gripping elements having another cutter for cutting the harvested plants to selected size, and includes a rotating brush for removing unwanted foliage from the harvested plants, a pair of belts disposed aft of the transfer zone for receiving selectably sized, harvested plants from the transfer zone and a belt-like table disposed aft of the pair of belts for receiving the selectably sized harvested plants from the pair of belts for packing and shipping the plants from the field.

A harvesting system for harvesting stemmed plants having elongated stems and including bulbous growth disposed at the top of the stems. The harvesting system includes a harvesting unit having a plurality of gripping elements; a cutter for harvesting the plants; and a divergent zone defined by gripping elements for vertically aligning the harvested plants. The harvesting unit further includes a transfer zone defined by gripping elements having another cutter for cutting the harvested plants to selected size, and includes a rotating brush for removing unwanted foliage from the harvested plants, a pair of belts disposed aft of the transfer zone for receiving selectably sized, harvested plants from the transfer zone and a belt-like table disposed aft of the pair of belts for receiving the selectably sized harvested plants from the pair of belts for packing and shipping the plants from the field.

A method is disclosed that includes growing romaine lettuce in a greenhouse using a hydroponic technique and using purified water. The romaine lettuce has a heart and outer leaves. The heart is separated from the outer leaves of the romaine lettuce. The outer leaves are packaged in a first container and the heart is packaged in a second container. The first container and the second container are separate from one another. The first container and the second container are transferred to a storage device of approximately 32 to 41 degrees F. The packaging the outer leaves and the heart, and the transferring the first container and the second container, occur in an environment of less than or equal to 41 degrees F. The method occurs in a single, environmentally-controlled facility.

The invention concerns a cutting and/or carrying unit for a harvester, the cutting and/or carrying unit having: a series of cutting and/or carrying segments, each segment in the series being adapted to cause cutting of a crop and/or carrying of the crop; a cutting and/or carrying unit circuit around which the series of segments travel; and a driving mechanism to drive movement of the series of segments around the circuit; wherein the driving mechanism drives movement of the series of cutting and/or carrying segments around the circuit to cut the crop and/or to carry harvested crop, as the series of segments travels around the circuit. The invention also concerns harvesters incorporating said cutting and/or carrying units.

The invention concerns a cutting and/or carrying unit for a harvester, the cutting and/or carrying unit having: a series of cutting and/or carrying segments, each segment in the series being adapted to cause cutting of a crop and/or carrying of the crop; a cutting and/or carrying unit circuit around which the series of segments travel; and a driving mechanism to drive movement of the series of segments around the circuit; wherein the driving mechanism drives movement of the series of cutting and/or carrying segments around the circuit to cut the crop and/or to carry harvested crop, as the series of segments travels around the circuit. The invention also concerns harvesters incorporating said cutting and/or carrying units.

A harvesting system for harvesting stemmed plants having elongated stems and including bulbous growth disposed at the top of the stems. The harvesting system includes a harvesting unit having a plurality of gripping elements; a cutter for harvesting the plants; and a divergent zone defined by gripping elements for vertically aligning the harvested plants. The harvesting unit further includes a transfer zone defined by gripping elements having another cutter for cutting the harvested plants to selected size, and includes a rotating brush for removing unwanted foliage from the harvested plants, a pair of belts disposed aft of the transfer zone for receiving selectably sized, harvested plants from the transfer zone and a belt-like table disposed aft of the pair of belts for receiving the selectably sized harvested plants from the pair of belts for packing and shipping the plants from the field.

A harvesting system for harvesting stemmed plants having elongated stems and including bulbous growth disposed at the top of the stems. The harvesting system includes a harvesting unit having a plurality of gripping elements; a cutter for harvesting the plants; and a divergent zone defined by gripping elements for vertically aligning the harvested plants. The harvesting unit further includes a transfer zone defined by gripping elements having another cutter for cutting the harvested plants to selected size, and includes a rotating brush for removing unwanted foliage from the harvested plants, a pair of belts disposed aft of the transfer zone for receiving selectably sized, harvested plants from the transfer zone and a belt-like table disposed aft of the pair of belts for receiving the selectably sized harvested plants from the pair of belts for packing and shipping the plants from the field.