Welcome to Rootcamp.
Many of you have been asking for an opportunity to see the farm up close and get your hands wet - Rootcamp is for you. Join an in-person experience that gives you a foundation for hydroponic farming and demystifies life in a Growcer farm to save you time and money down the road.
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You want to feel confident about growing hydroponically and launching your Growcer project.
You want to get your hands wet with hands-on experience in a Growcer farm.
You will be a farm operator in the near future.
You currently work in a Growcer farm and want to level up your expertise.
You want to understand what it takes to run a modular farm project beyond plant health (site prep, marketing your product).
You are considering modular farming but want more information about what it is like.
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Hands-on training in a Growcer farm.
Solid foundational knowledge with in-class instruction.
Access to knowledgeable instructors.
Preparedness for site prep, finances, and distribution.
A leg up on starting your business.
Access to take-home resources and worksheets.
Like-minded people to soundboard ideas with who have launched Growcer projects from coast to coast.
Future opportunities for discounts on your Growcer farm.
Confidence in your next steps modular farming.
What To Expect
Bootcamp
16+ hours of in-class and hands-on training.
Networking
Small cohort size, personalized instruction, and training.
Meals
Breakfasts and lunches provided by local vendors.
Did you know? Rootcamp fees can be applied to the full cost of a Growcer farm purchased in the same calendar year.
Come to Rootcamp and get a discount on your first Growcer farm.
A glimpse of what to expect . . .
What Participants Are Saying
To date, we’ve trained over a hundred growers to grow hydroponically year-round and add over 10 million servings of nutritious vegetables from coast to coast to coast.
At Growcer, we take our training seriously. We’re proud to offer Rootcamp as an expansion of our existing industry-leading training program.
But don’t take our word for it - hear what past Rootcamp participants have to say!
“For me, I’m more of a hands-on learner…being able to touch, see, and smell, that’s the important part for me. You can read it in a book but it’s always good to do it yourself.”
- Robert Hoeppner
“The biggest goal for us is how we take a modernized agriculture component and blending that with a traditional land based knowledge, so that’s why we’re here. There’s so many added values and spinoffs from this project so we’re so excited.”
-Kylee Tarbell, Mohawk Council of Akwesasne
“The highlight was how simple yet technical the farm is. We’re very excited [because of] the whole concept to bring safe vegetables to our community, trying to get our youth to get into science, technology, engineering, we’re doing this for our future and our sustainability.”
-Mark Martin, Mohawk Council of Akwesasne
“I really enjoyed seeing the farm today. It has tons of possibilities for our community. Food sovereignty has become more important and I think it’s going to provide affordable healthy options for people. The fact that the leafy greens are getting all the nutrients they need inside, I just never thought that was possible, the technology is pretty incredible.”
-Troy Thompson, Mohawk Council of Akwesasne
“I’ve gone to several workshops, they’ve been larger, this one is probably the correct size . . . the interaction between people attending is unbelievable.”
- Stewart Winter, Legacy Co-op
“An experience like Rootcamp is really valuable to me because you get to network with other people that are really interested in starting a [Growcer] project as well and hopefully keeping those connections.”
- Colleen Crunican, Crunican Orchard
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“A highlight is getting to see inside of the farm and be actually able to smell it. It smells amazing in there.”
-Sarah Glen, Sharkcuterie
“When we first started the project I had so much questions that I wanted to ask and being here I’ve been able to ask all my questions straight to the team. That’s been very great for us [and] having that option to be able to grow year-round, it addresses food security and sovereignty in our community.”
-Jennifer McIvor, Sioux Valley Dakota Nation
“It’s encouraged more understanding of what our goals are and that there’s a lot of support that Growcer provides for every project. And the fact that there is such an amazing team of people here that have so many different areas of expertise that you can reach out to. You feel the support when you’re here and you’re talking to everybody . . . you come in with questions and they’re all answered.”
-Michelle Roesler, Cape Breton Island
“It's been really nice to be here [at Rootcamp] because we're able to connect with other people in the region and across Canada who are having similar projects and get to collaborate with them.”
-Marley Sansom, Community Connections Society
“Why now? Because there is a shortage of food, food prices have gone up dramatically, and we need to make a difference in our own community and support our own community in our own ways. This is a great opportunity and I’m glad to be here. I’ve learned so much and I would like to continue this on and share it with my own community.”
-Ashley O’Neil, Aq'am First Nation
Meet Your Instructors
Molly Neave
Horticulture Lead
Molly will be co-leading modules 1 and 2 where she’ll be teaching the basics of hydroponics and showing how to run a Growcer Osiris farm. She’s most excited to show people how all the pieces come together in the farm and watch as people see everything click. Molly has been with Growcer for almost 4 years and chose to specialize in indoor vertical hydroponics after completing a degree in plant physiology.
Favourite crop: Red-veined sorrel
Adam Fry
Product Manager
Adam will lead the site prep module of Rootcamp to get you acquainted with the requirements and expectations around the site preparation for a modular farm. Adam designs and then helps deploy Growcer farms and has spent the past year helping Growcer customers complete their site preparation and installation from coast to coast.
Favourite crop: Basil
Michael Thaler
Horticulture Lead
Alongside Molly, Michael will lay down the foundations you need to operate one of Growcer’s modular farms. Michael is excited to explain controlled environment agriculture (CEA) to people from different backgrounds and make something that’s seems complicated, more accessible. Before Growcer, Michael came from a background in academia where he dove deep into plant physiology and cell biology.
Favourite crop: Basil
Florent Schmahl
Chief of Staff
Florent will lead the business modules of Rootcamp, covering everything from business models to marketing your project. He’s excited to be working with a fresh group of community-driven entrepreneurs and exploring how you can bring local, sustainable farming to your region. Florent helped Growcer launch dozens of customer projects from coast to coast.
Favourite crop: Spinach
FAQ
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$1,450 CAD (+hst) per person
Did you know? Rootcamp fees can be applied to the full cost of a Growcer farm purchased in the same calendar year.
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Rootcamp takes place at Growcer’s R&D headquarters at 7 Bayview Station Road in Ottawa, Ontario.
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Rootcamp is two full days running from 9:00am to approximately 5:00pm. We invite you to make the most of your Rootcamp by joining the optional social on the first night from 5:00pm to 7:30pm.
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Your breakfast, lunch, and snacks will be covered by us. Plus, there is a Rootcamp social on the first night with drinks and light appetizers provided.
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Nope! We will provide all the necessary PPE to work in the farm and all you need to bring is your curiousity to learn.
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Refunds are currently managed on a case-by-case basis. Simply message us at info@thegrowcer.ca with the subject line “Rootcamp Refund/Change.”
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Yes! We recommend staying at Homewood Suites or Hilton Garden Inn Ottawa Downtown because they are a 5-minute drive or 12-minute transit away from Rootcamp.
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Check your inbox for a confirmation email containing more information regarding accommodations, planning, and directions. Your access to The Pod, an exclusive repository of resources, will be sent to you two weeks before the Rootcamp starts.
Rootcamp takes place at the Growcer research facility in Ottawa, ON.
Have any questions before registering? Reach out to us. We’re happy to help.