An agro-industrial process with minimal environmental impact, of the type having a step of cultivating vegetable and/or mushroom products, includes a step of harvesting the products, at least one step of thermo-mechanical treatment of the products in order to obtain intermediate products, and a step of packaging of a final stage of the intermediate products. The thermo-mechanical treatment step provides for a mechanical process of removing the unnecessary parts from the products so as to define waste. The waste, constituted exclusively by vegetable substances, is separated from the intermediate products, intended for the subsequent treatment and packaging steps, and sent into a biogas production unit. The digestate, constituted by the waste of the biogas production unit, is used as a fertilizer on the respective cultivation soil in a new step of cultivation of vegetable products.

An agro-industrial process with minimal environmental impact, of the type having a step of cultivating vegetable and/or mushroom products, includes a step of harvesting the products, at least one step of thermo-mechanical treatment of the products in order to obtain intermediate products, and a step of packaging of a final stage of the intermediate products. The thermo-mechanical treatment step provides for a mechanical process of removing the unnecessary parts from the products so as to define waste. The waste, constituted exclusively by vegetable substances, is separated from the intermediate products, intended for the subsequent treatment and packaging steps, and sent into a biogas production unit. The digestate, constituted by the waste of the biogas production unit, is used as a fertilizer on the respective cultivation soil in a new step of cultivation of vegetable products.

A method for commercially growing mushrooms includes the steps of: placing a layer of compost in a bed; laying a polymer sheet over the layer of compost; placing a layer of peat over the sheet; growing a crop of mushrooms in the first layer of peat; harvesting the crop of mushrooms; removing the polymer sheet and the layer of peat from the sheet; placing a replacement polymer sheet and layer of peat over the sheet; and growing a replacement crop of mushrooms. Mushrooms grown according to the method are also disclosed.

A method for commercially growing mushrooms includes the steps of: placing a layer of compost in a bed; laying a polymer sheet over the layer of compost; placing a layer of peat over the sheet; growing a crop of mushrooms in the first layer of peat; harvesting the crop of mushrooms; removing the polymer sheet and the layer of peat from the sheet; placing a replacement polymer sheet and layer of peat over the sheet; and growing a replacement crop of mushrooms. Mushrooms grown according to the method are also disclosed.

A planting method for morels is disclosed, including the following steps of: (1) preparing spawns; (2) flipping the spawns; (3) managing the humidity; and (4) fruiting for harvesting. The planting method is simple, is easy to learn and promote, has a high yield, and requires few spawns, thereby reducing planting costs and product costs.

A planting method for morels is disclosed, including the following steps of: (1) preparing spawns; (2) flipping the spawns; (3) managing the humidity; and (4) fruiting for harvesting. The planting method is simple, is easy to learn and promote, has a high yield, and requires few spawns, thereby reducing planting costs and product costs.

An automated mushroom harvesting system for mounting to a vertical mushroom rack comprises a robot having a frame mounted to a vertical carriage assembly. A SCARA arm is slidably mounted to the vertical carriage assembly by a vertical stage, operable to move the SCARA arm along a vertical mast. The SCARA arm moves the end effector in a horizontal plane for harvesting mushrooms, above the surface of the mushroom bed and into and out of the confines of the mushroom rack, and the vertical stage moves the SCARA arm in a vertical direction so as to access the mushrooms in a bed and to access mushroom beds on different levels of the vertical mushroom rack. An end effector having a helically reinforced neck and a graduated elasticity modulus, with a lower elasticity modulus in the neck and a higher elasticity in the cup, is also provided.

An automated mushroom harvesting system for mounting to a vertical mushroom rack comprises a robot having a frame mounted to a vertical carriage assembly. A SCARA arm is slidably mounted to the vertical carriage assembly by a vertical stage, operable to move the SCARA arm along a vertical mast. The SCARA arm moves the end effector in a horizontal plane for harvesting mushrooms, above the surface of the mushroom bed and into and out of the confines of the mushroom rack, and the vertical stage moves the SCARA arm in a vertical direction so as to access the mushrooms in a bed and to access mushroom beds on different levels of the vertical mushroom rack. An end effector having a helically reinforced neck and a graduated elasticity modulus, with a lower elasticity modulus in the neck and a higher elasticity in the cup, is also provided.

Provided are a system, method(s), and apparatus for automatically harvesting mushrooms from a mushroom bed. The system, in one implementation, may be referred to herein as an automated harvester, having at least an apparatus/frame/body/structure for supporting and positioning the harvester on a mushroom bed, a vision system for scanning and identifying mushrooms in the mushroom bed, a picking system for harvesting the mushrooms from the bed, and a control system for directing the picking system according to data acquired by the vision system. Various other components, sub-systems, and connected systems may also be integrated into or coupled to the automated harvester.

Provided are a system, method(s), and apparatus for automatically harvesting mushrooms from a mushroom bed. The system, in one implementation, may be referred to herein as an automated harvester, having at least an apparatus/frame/body/structure for supporting and positioning the harvester on a mushroom bed, a vision system for scanning and identifying mushrooms in the mushroom bed, a picking system for harvesting the mushrooms from the bed, and a control system for directing the picking system according to data acquired by the vision system. Various other components, sub-systems, and connected systems may also be integrated into or coupled to the automated harvester.