Launchbox hosted their bi-annual Industry Challenge with the Acadia Computer Society on March 15th and 16th. This semester’s theme was challenges facing the apple growing industry, provided by Industry Partner Scotian Gold. Over a 24-hour period, students solved challenges faced by the Annapolis Valley’s apple growers and showcased their creative ideas to a panel of judges for an opportunity to win from $3,000 in prizes. Sponsored by Springboard Atlantic and Chartwells, the Orchard Innovation Challenge was a great success!

The event kicked off on the morning of March 15th with opening remarks by Dr. Suzie Currie, interim Associate Vice-President of Research, Innovation, and Graduate Studies at Acadia. She welcomed students, staff, judges, and guests to the event and wished participants well as they commenced the challenge. Suzie then handed the stage over to Danny Davison, Tree Fruit Horticulturalist at Scotian Gold to provide context and details for the challenge.

Danny introduced the overarching challenge local apple growers are facing: How can we increase efficiency and improve profitability in apple production? He then proposed a few challenge prompts to spark ideas among students. These ideas included increasing orchard efficiency, improving mechanization, enhancing local labour availability, optimizing yield, and adapting to weather challenges.  

Joan Hebb, President of the Nova Scotia Fruit Growers Association, gave a keynote speech on the state and future direction of fruit growing in Nova Scotia, and how it compares to the rest of the world. Her presentation gave participants a deeper understanding of the logistics of the growing process and history of apple types in Nova Scotia.  

After the morning presentations, participants were welcomed to join a hands-on tour of the Scotian Gold facility in Coldbrook. Scotian Gold has been in the apple business since 1912 and is the largest apple packing and storage operation in Eastern Canada. Marketing 65% of Atlantic Canada’s apples, Scotian Gold supports approximately 55 family-operated orchards that bring their fruit to Scotian Gold to store, pack and sell. They employ approximately 140 people and have 3 retail outlets in Coldbrook, Brooklyn, and New Glasgow. Scotian Gold itself produces 21 different varieties of apples, 6 varieties of pears, and other stone fruits on approximately 3,500 acres of fruit trees. While many of the apples grown end up on store shelves and are sold fresh, a portion of the apples are used for juice, or baked products such as pies.  

Joan, Danny, and other Scotian Gold team members gave a walkthrough of the process that apples in the valley undergo before reaching grocery store shelves. The Scotian Gold facility is equipped with 65 industry-leading storage rooms featuring controlled and dynamically controlled atmospheres, ensuring fresh fruit year-round. Their packing house uses near-infrared technology to size and grade the fruit for both external and internal imperfections, allowing for sorting into the appropriate categories.  

Following the tour of the facility, the journey continued to Ravenswood Farm, where participants had the opportunity to ask questions to Peter Sanford, the owner and operator who works in collaboration with Scotian Gold. He delved into the details of measures he has taken to protect his trees from weather, diseases, and pests while showing participants his orchard.  

Upon returning from the tour, the clock started for the 24-hour challenge. The four participating teams worked into the evening, checking in with mentors along the way. After another mentor check-in on Saturday morning and finishing up their presentations, students began their presentations to the panel of judges.

Judges from a variety of backgrounds attended the Orchard Innovation Challenge: Stephen Shaw from CBDC Hants-Kings, Linda Best from FarmWorks, Dr. Amir Eamon from Acadia University's Jodrey School of Computer Science, Rachel Brighton from the Department of Agriculture, and Danny Davison from Scotian Gold. The judges listened to each team's five-minute presentation and asked questions while evaluating based on specific criteria. Teams were judged on how their idea would benefit Nova Scotian orchards, the explanation of the steps needed to develop and implement the potential solution, and a demonstration of their solution.

All teams came up with unique innovative ideas to meet the goal of increasing efficiency and improving profitability in apple production. Firstly, Shadid Hassan (BCS), Rahat Al Shehab (BCS), and Amartya Karmakar (BCS) presented their drone innovation idea. They explained how efficient resource management, precision agriculture, enhanced crop monitoring, and informed decision-making would be easily accessible when using drones in orchards.

Next up, Patrick Stanbrook (BSc) and Tyler Kennedy (BCS), previous Industry Challenge winners, adapted their current business idea to win the Orchard Innovation Challenge. To improve the efficiency and profitability of orchards, they proposed integrating farmscaping practices in the valley. "Farmscaping is a whole farm ecological approach to increasing and managing biodiversity with the goal of increasing the presence of beneficial organisms," Tyler explained in their presentation. By improving soil health and pollination, while reducing the number of local pests, the team believes they could enhance orchard efficiency in the province.

Luke Mainwaring (BCS) and Alex Glenn (BASc) proposed the idea of advanced hurricane forecasting using neural networks (a type of Artificial Intelligence) to combat the issue of climate change in the apple industry. The pair witnessed the effects of hurricanes firsthand during the tour of Scotian Gold and Ravenswood Farm and researched the increasing number of hurricanes affecting Nova Scotia. The team suggests taking a proactive approach in the orchards when preparing for hurricanes.

Lastly, Luke Wagner (BSc) and Vini Francoeur (BKin) came up with the idea of creating a new apple type by crossing Sweet Tango and Honeycrisp, which they named the Nova Royal. From their research and Joan’s presentation, they found that these two apple variations are the most liked in the region, so they decided to create 'the perfect apple.' They expect that this apple would be a premium product, selling at a higher price and increasing local profitability.

After the presentations, the judges deliberated diligently, carefully considering each team's innovative solutions. Tyler and Patrick were awarded their well-deserved prize. Congratulations to them and to all the teams who participated in making this semester’s Industry Challenge a success!  

Thank you to Danny Davison and the rest of the Scotian Gold team, Joan Hebb, our judges, sponsors and everyone else who came out to support the Orchard Innovation Challenge. Launchbox is proud to connect the bright minds of Acadia students with local businesses to solve relevant matters in our community and is excited to continue to do so in the future!

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