Please help me with input
7:07 am in Education, questions, Uncategorized by Kasper Wielandt
Hallo windowfarmers!
My name is Kasper, and I am studying for my master’s degree at the IT University of Copenhagen (digital design and communication). I am currently working on a design project, where I am designing an interactive artifact with the purpose of supporting urban gardening (ideally the artifact would enable people to interact with the plant (talk to it/touch it) and it would “tell” you what it needed to grow even better) . The project’s framing is as follows; I must design an interactive artifact, that supports people living in an urban environment in a society, where electrical energy is extremely expensive.
In such a society, groceries would also be very expensive due to production costs, and it is therefore reasonable to assume, that people would start growing their own crops.
Naturally you guys in here have insights about windowfarming (the joys and difficulties connected to the activity). Down below is a couple of questions, that I would be very grateful if you could find the time to answer and post in a comment.
1/Why do you window farm?
2/What makes a good windowfarmer?
3/What is the best about windowfarming?
4/What is the most frustrating and problematic about windowfarming?
5/What could make your farming experience even better?
6/Name some aspect that are vital for successful windowfarming?
7/How do you choose crops to grow?
8/Where do you seek information to become a better windowfarmer?
Thats it!
Thank you for your time
Kasper 
Hi Kasper! Great project idea you have. I haven’t actually built a windowfarm yet, but I can tell you why I have built other hydroponic systems. First though, two links. This botanicus interacticus technology may provide the seeds of research that your digital plant needs project requires, http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=EcRSKEIucjk&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DEcRSKEIucjk%26feature%3Dplayer_embedded.
And this social scientific study may help show why windowfarmers participate, http://www.websci11.org/fileadmin/websci/Papers/38_paper.pdf.
Now, I build hydroponic systems because I know that it is a growing technology that could make agriculture sustainable, and because it is fresher. A good hydroponic farmer is analytical, creative, and diligent. The best thing about window farming is connecting you to your food and making it sustainable. More premised kits would make hydroponics easier (I hope the feedback is good on windowfarms kits). Frustration can be the lack of comprehensive info around, which is why collaboration on hydroponic projects is great. I choose the tastiest and most useful plants, specifically greens and tomatoes. I find plenty of info online, usually through written guides but forums can help answer specific questions or problems I have.