After the fair, we returned to the hotel.
Jang-Woo Lee was silent at the fair. It was only when I got back to the hotel that I started pouring out words.
“What did you talk to Mark Lester?”
“I asked about the Dubai project.”
I told Jang-woo Lee that the Plant Factory failed to participate in the Dubai project.
“After all, vertical cultivation is a problem.”
“I don’t think the Plant Factory has found an answer either.”
“Then, if we succeed, will we be the first in the world?”
Instead of answering, I smiled.
Lee Jang-woo asked in a clear voice like a child.
“Let’s eat something delicious tonight. Tomorrow is the day I go back to Korea.”
Through this business trip, I learned new facts about Lee Jang-woo.
He was more obsessed with eating than he thought.
“I also invited Jeon Hae-ri.”
While talking to Mark Lester separately, the two seemed to have made an appointment.
Thanks to her, I was able to meet Mark Lester naturally.
I wanted to treat you to dinner.
As Lee Jang-woo said, it was the day before leaving San Francisco.
A long, long business trip was running towards the end.
The place for dinner was chosen by Lee Jang-woo.
El Mariachi is a Mexican restaurant specializing in Mexican cuisine.
He said the restaurant was recommended by Carlos, the chef at the Chilean base.
“I heard the tacos here are better than the tacos you get in Mexico.”
Lee Jang-woo said in a triumphant voice.
Just in time, the harp arrived.
she said with a cheerful face.
“I said I would come on time, but it was just right.”
“Is this your first time here, Harry?”
Jang-Woo Lee pointed to the El Mariachi sign and asked.
“It’s the first time. I didn’t even know there was a Mexican restaurant here.”
“You can look forward to it. Carlos recommended this place.”
“Carlos?”
Lee Jang-woo talked about Carlos, the chef at the Chilean base.
Jeon Hae-ri, who was listening quietly, said with a smirk.
“I think the Chilean chef knows Mexican food well!”
At her words, Jang-Woo Lee scratched his head.
We ordered the main menu, tacos.
Simultaneously with the order, a group of men approached us.
This is a special event at the restaurant.
A band dressed in traditional Mexican clothes sang and played guitar.
The band leader put a big hat on Lee Jang-woo.
“It goes really well.”
Jeon Hae-ri clapped her hands and clapped.
As she said, there was a corner that strangely suited her.
Finally, the main menu, tacos, came out.
It is a generous prize.
The tortillas baked with a thin layer of flour dough and roasted beef with a special sauce looked delicious.
The side ingredients to put in the tacos were also plentiful.
Lettuce, tomato, cheese, lime, cilantro, and salsa sauce fill the table.
Lee Jang-woo opened his eyes and said.
“Wow, I feel like I’m at a ssambap restaurant.”
At the word ssambap, Hae-ri burst out laughing.
“Then I will eat well.”
read at https://noblemtl.com
Our last night in San Francisco was enjoyable.
Lee Jang-woo ate tacos greedily.
I remembered him eating pork belly like crazy.
“Why don’t you eat Deokmyeong and just laugh?”
Hae-ri asked, “What’s so funny?”
I told her what happened at the Antarctic base.
When Lee Jang-woo said that he ate pork belly like a monster, Jeon-ri grabbed her belly button and laughed.
It was time to drink tea after dinner.
she asked me
“Mr. Deokmyeong, what do you plan to do after the Antarctic Project?”
“The idea is to create a large-scale hydroponics facility.”
“Are you dreaming of a plant factory?”
“It’s the same but a different dream.”
“Is it the same but different?”
Hae-ri tilted her head.
“Because the plant factory dreams of full automation.”
“It’s also Mark’s dream.”
I remembered what Min Yo-han said.
to let u know that i been through a lot then i been going non stop with this practice for nothing
Min Yo-han was a founding member of Plant Factory.
He left the company because he disagreed with Mark Lester.
to let u know that i been through a lot then i been going non stop with this practice for nothing
Mark Lester dreamed of farming without humans.
He dreamed of full automation of agriculture.
“What is Deokmyung’s dream?”
“I am also introducing cutting-edge technology to agriculture. That is also the trend of the times. But relying on the power of machines for everything is the opposite. I think it takes human strength to take care of crops.”
“Do you believe in the power of people, Mr. Deokmyeong?”
“I believe in the power of farmers.”
When she said that she was a farmer, she smiled faintly.
“Technology creates a good environment for growing. Being able to grow crops in Antarctica is also the power of technology. But it is up to the people to take care of and manage the crops.”
“If you create a large-scale hydroponic cultivation facility, will it work with many farmers?”
“That is my dream.”
So the night in San Francisco passed.
* * *
Arrived at Incheon Airport.
It’s the day I come back from a business trip that I went on for three months.
It took longer than planned due to the addition of an American schedule.
I passed through the arrival hall with Lee Jang-woo.
There was someone who came to meet us.
Lee Dong-chun, Lee Jang-woo’s father.
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
Lee Dong-chun asked, stroking his son’s shoulder.
“It hurts. I am healthier.”
“I’m happy.”
It seems that Lee Dong-chun was very worried about his son. I didn’t even care.
“Father, I have been well.”
“Oh, the representative was there too.”
There were more welcome guests. My mother and father were also at the airport.
The two of them approached me quickly.
I also retraced my steps.
The mother checked the condition of her face and body.
“You look a little dry. Did you eat properly?”
“I ate well and had a good time.”
to let u know that i been through a lot then i been going non stop with this practice for nothing
My father, who was next to me, also helped.
“It seems to me that eating was poor. I made a potion for you to eat. Starting tomorrow, take it for breakfast and lunch.”
“A medicine?”
When I first said that I was going on a business trip to Antarctica, my parents just told me to have a good trip. I didn’t even think it would have been built.
“Mom and Dad, I will take good care of them. But wasn’t it hard to get here?”
“Thanks to the donation, I came here comfortably.”
“Are you Han Ki-tak?”
“Did you just stay together?”
Dad looked around.
Then Han Ki-tak appeared like a ghost.
“CEO, you worked hard to go on a business trip to Antarctica!”
“thanks. Thank you for bringing your parents all the way here.”
“This is the standard for our representative to come.”
Han Ki-tak said with a bright smile.
Lee Jang-woo and Lee Dong-chun also joined the ranks.
We all went down to Hadong together.
* * *
Hadong still had winter vibes.
Still, it was warmer than summer in Antarctica.
When I saw the familiar scenery, I felt like I had returned home.
“Let’s rest today and have a welcome party tomorrow.”
Han Gi-tak said as he unloaded his luggage.
“As the senior said, we have a welcome party tomorrow. I have some work today.”
“What happened?”
“I decided to meet Min Yo-han.”
“Are you going to work as soon as you arrive?”
“I have something to check, not work.”
“That’s what you call work, work!”
At Han Ki-tak’s words, his father smiled quietly.
“I heard about Min Yo-han about it. Our representative gave us homework.”
“It’s very important homework.”
“I am going to check my homework now. I have to take you that way.”
Han Ki-tak opened the car door.
I headed straight to the Agricultural Support Center.
to let u know that i been through a lot then i been going non stop with this practice for nothing
Min Yo-han usually worked in salad containers.
Today, I was greeted in a different place than usual.
It is used as a warehouse at the Agricultural Support Center.
It is small in size, but it is quite tall.
to let u know that i been through a lot then i been going non stop with this practice for nothing
Min Yo-han built a hydroponic cultivation facility there.
It was not a sophisticated facility. It is a simple facility.
to let u know that i been through a lot then i been going non stop with this practice for nothing
Min Yo-han waved his hand as he entered the warehouse.
“Congratulations on your safe return.”
“Thanks, it went well. Is the verification work going well?”
“Once I have completed the verification to the best of my ability.”
“Is it that fast?”
“It’s not even an elaborate verification. We made sure that vertical cultivation was possible though.”
“What about the verification result?”
“I think the method you discovered will be the answer to vertical cultivation!”
A twinkle flashed in Min Yo-han’s eyes.
“It takes more time to verify with more certainty. I think the space will have to be moved to another place.”
to let u know that i been through a lot then i been going non stop with this practice for nothing
Min Yohan said while looking at the simple hydroponic cultivation facility.
It is a planting facility with a different shape than before.
Unlike the hydroponic plant in the salad container, the height was quite high.
Although it was a simple facility, it seemed to be quite structured.
It was like a cultivation facility that had been built since the Chilean base asked for verification.
“I will start working from tomorrow.”
After verification, we plan to issue a patent.
It is an international patent that cannot be stolen even by a plant factory.
Preparation for Patent Application
A welcome party was held at the farms of Jirisan Mountain.
It is a place to celebrate the safe return from Antarctica.
“It was hard. go that far away.”
Seol Kang-in, the head of Jirisan Ranch, patted me on the back and said.
“Seol also worked hard.”
“What have I done? I just kept the cows on the ranch.”
During a business trip to Antarctica, many changes were made to the farmers of Mt. Jirisan.
First of all, one more robot milking machine has been added to the farmer’s farm in Jirisan.
The number of stores supplying dairy products from the ranch continued to increase.
The shopping malls of farmers in Jirisan also sold out dried persimmons this holiday season. Not only dried persimmons, but also honey, green tea, and sesame oil and walnut oil made by Bang Hyun-sik were also popular.
It was the salad container business that showed rapid growth.
After the sprouted ginseng side appeared on the broadcast, people inquiring about the salad container rushed.
Han Ki-tak requested a subsidy from the Rural Development Administration, and farmers were able to receive salad containers at an affordable price.
This is the moment when the things that have been piled up step by step, starting with small things, shine.
The only thing left to do now is to take a leap forward based on the foundation we have built so far.
* * *
It’s time to verify vertical cultivation.
There was a lot of work to be done prior to verification.
With Min Yo-han and Lee Jang-woo as the main actors, a group of experts was formed first.
The first thing I did was to hire a place.
The height of the interior of the place where the facility was made was important. It had to be possible to raise the hydroponic plant to at least eight tiers.
The space wasn’t too big either. If you have a large space, there are many things to consider. Quick verification is difficult.
There was a suitable building near the Hwagae Market.
The building was used as a refrigeration warehouse. It was now abandoned.
“I like this place.”
to let u know that i been through a lot then i been going non stop with this practice for nothing
Min Yohan looked around the freezer and said.
Jang-woo Lee also nodded as if in agreement.
I had no intention of renting out a refrigerated warehouse. That’s because we’re going to build a facility there.
When I said that I was going to buy a frozen warehouse, the store owner’s face turned red.
It was an item that had been left unattended like a treasure trove.
The owner said he would sign a contract right away if the price was right.
We had enough spare money. There was even money received from completing the Antarctic project.
The contract was signed immediately and work began in earnest.
The best manpower gathered to build the facility.
Jang-woo Lee, Lee Dong-chun, Min Yo-han, and the engineer Lee Jang-woo had also joined.
Engineers are the people who worked closely with the youth farmer support project.