Nothing is thrown away from the coffee. For many i coffee grounds they are waste to be trashed in the wet, for others a resource with a thousand potential. This is the case with the farm Circular farm, based in Scandicci, which produces healthy and quality food by regenerating resources and limiting the production of waste as much as possible. The idea comes from Antonio Di Giovanni, a graduate in Agriculture from the University of Florence who developed the Mushroom Espresso method, for the production of mushrooms from coffee grounds. The project then grew into a company that produces more products. And now the salad too.
Coffee grounds have excellent properties and contain useful substances, a residue that would end up straight in the trash: it is a recycling that combines economic savings and ecology, provided you do it in the right way.
The idea was nominated for Business Spring 2022, regional competition promoted by Crisis and dedicated to micro, small and medium enterprises.
Salad and mushrooms from coffee grounds: the production cycle
The cycle starts from coffee grounds, very rich in nutrients, which are collected from local bars. These form the substrate for the cultivation of mushrooms of the genus Pleurotus and Shiitake which are then sold. The exhausted substrate is regenerated through the worm-composting process, from which earthworm humus is obtained, which is then used as an amendment for the synergistic vegetable garden. In turn, the earthworms are integrated into the aquaponic circuit, for the nourishment of Koi carp and largemouth bass: the organic waste of the fish constitute natural fertilizers that can be used in the cultivation of vegetables such as salad and black cabbage with the hydroponic method, or with a soilless cultivation. A part of the earthworms is also fed to the hens that produce eggs, and the manure goes back to composting to produce excellent compost for the garden.
It does not end here. The heat generated by the fermentation of the compost is recovered thanks to a thermo-composting plant to heat the greenhouses during the winter.
In addition to the production of vegetables and mushrooms (fresh, dried, in chips, in the form of meat sauce or "tripe"), the company organizes educational courses for schools, themed events, workshops and training courses. Also available is a DIY kit, to recycle the coffee grounds produced at home and replicate the entire Mushroom Espresso production process at home.
