IN THE NEWS
Leaftech Ag An Innovative Field Purdue Polytechnic Anderson Making Rural Indiana Cool ‘Unique’ Coworking Space Leaftech AgQUICK AND EFFICIENT: Leaftech Ag scanners are designed to help farmers become better stewards of their crops
GREENFIELD – March 17, 2022 – A Greenfield company is transforming the way farmers assess and treat their fields, drastically cutting the amount of time and money needed to create the best possible yields.
John Mascoe and his family are the faces behind Leaftech Ag, which has enhanced a handheld leaf scanner that can quickly assess the nutritional content of plants in multiple areas of a field, and generate a map showing farmers exactly how to treat and fertilize individual sections.
The technology, Integrated Handheld Digital Lab Solutions, is designed to enhance crop management and performance.
“We will never replace a lab, but we are within 80 to 95 percent of the values that we get from the lab. We’re very accurate,” said Mascoe, from his offices within the NineStar Connect’s Idea Co-op north of Greenfield.
The scanners are being marketed to crop advisors who help farmers determine the best way treat, fertilize and irrigate their crops.
“We’re enhancing the crop consultants’ ability and efficiency in the field, so they can deliver solutions more quickly. Then the producer is able to apply and implement the recommendations immediately,” Mascoe said.
“In doing that, we are able to reduce the amount of pesticides being applied and reduce and target the timing of irrigation events. We’re helping (farmers) become better stewards as they manage the nutrition of their crops.”
Mascoe first learned of the crop assessment technology while working with Purdue Polytechnic, an ongoing partner of his, and has since enhanced it to the point where his scanners can deliver results within minutes.
In May 2020, Leaftech Ag received a Purdue Ventures grant which Mascoe used to start commercializing the handheld scanner.
Mascoe said crop advisors typically send multiple leaf samples to a lab, which takes three to five days to generate one composite reading. Leaftech Ag’s digital scanners drastically reduce the wait time and pinpoint the crop assessment like never before.
“In three to five days you can have weather events which will alter the plan,” said Mascoe.
“What we’ve been able to do is speed up the time to execute that plan, from three to five days to three to five minutes, at three percent of the cost of the composite sample.”
Leaftech Ag’s scanners can also compile 30 times more data points compared to traditional readers, he said. The scanning software generates an application map which the farmer can program into a tractor to automatically alter the rates of pesticides, irrigation or fertilizer being applied section-by-section throughout the field.
“We also have the ability to (treat the fields) below the surface with subsurface irrigation systems, where you can turn a valve on and off automatically in different areas as the farmer irrigates the field,” said Mascoe.
The end result is faster results and quicker reactionary time for farmers.
“The targeted application of nutrients help achieve a crop’s production potential,” said Mascoe, adding that the technology has helped farmers both nationally and internationally double yields and reduce input cost by about 60 percent.
Mascoe feels the technology has the ability to change the face of agriculture by allowing a more efficient delivery of treatment to target areas of crops.
“Overall, we’re going to have a more sustainable production practice at a very low introductory cost,” he said.
Family Affair
Mascoe is passionate about the work he does and thankful to be doing it alongside his family.
He and his wife, Shirley, both attended Purdue University, where Mascoe studied animal science and agronomy.
The couple raised their four children in a fifth-generation farm in Greenfield, just down the road from where they now work at the Idea Co-op.
Mascoe serves as CEO while Shirley serves as COO. Their son, Gage Mascoe, is field technician; their daughter, Shelby Mascoe, is an agronomy assistant.
John Mascoe said his children have grown up around agricultural technology since the family traveled with him as he did agricultural tech work around the world.
“I was extremely fortunate to be able to have them travel with me to different parts of the world and to interact (with ag-technology) from a very young age, so they have an appreciation and an understanding of how a lot of things work,” he said.
“Today (Leaftech Ag is) fortunate to have both national and international relationships, because agriculture is about relationships,” said Mascoe, who works with partners in Israel, Europe and Australia.
“We have an international footprint and have been working culturally across those lines,” he said.
Mascoe said it’s those worldwide partnerships that helped him gain the knowledge to create the digital scanners he feels will change the future of agriculture.
Mascoe is thrilled to be doing a job he loves alongside his wife and kids.
“I’d say we have a high mutual respect for our capabilities. We know what our strengths and weaknesses are, and we work together to leverage those strengths,” he said.
“It comes down to mutual respect and understanding. They are growing into the business and have come up with fresh ideas, which is a great benefit of generational businesses. You anticipate and hope that the younger generation will give a fresh eye to what you’re doing, which I think is crucial with any successful business.”
Mascoe is as passionate about the family business as he is about working in Hancock County, which he believes can be an ideal hub for agriculture technology.
NineStar Connect Idea Co-op is a perfect palace for companies that don’t need a lot of operating space, but who have the need to collaborate and test their products in an ag-centric part of the United States, he said.
“Hancock County is a gem in terms of doing low-cost training and research in this area. That’s what our goal is, to be that catalyst to help bring more ag-technology companies into the area,” he said.
“I know there’s a need for an I-9 (State Road 9) ag-tech corridor, and we’re going to try to support and push that as much as we can.”
Leaftech Ag is partnering with Purdue Polytechnic and NineStar Connect to eventually create an IoT Smart Farm, which is used to demonstrate technology enhanced production and regenerative practices. The farm will be located on the west side of the Idea Co-op, at 2331 East 600 North in Greenfield.
“The smart farm will also be used as a community outreach tool to educate the public about agriculture,” said Mascoe, “because we need to get people more in touch with where our food comes from.”
By Shelley Swift
An Innovative FieldAN INNOVATIVE FIELD: NineStar, Purdue team up on ag engagement, education
HANCOCK COUNTY – August 6, 2021 – In a field north of Maxwell, tractors and farming implements aren’t the only kinds of equipment being used. You’ll also find sensors measuring soil parameters and students wielding laptop computers.
It’s all part of a new partnership between a Greenfield-based utility provider and a Purdue University satellite that sets out to foster agricultural community engagement and education.
The collaboration is between NineStar Connect, a cooperative offering fiber optic, electricity, water and sewer services; and Purdue Polytechnic Anderson, part of the university’s statewide network that offers the same technology degrees available at its main campus in West Lafayette.
NineStar Connect owns a 23-acre farm field south of County Road 600N and east of State Road 9, near its campus that also includes its Idea Co-op co-working space. Corn and ancient grains – a classification that includes grains like wheat, barley and oats – were planted there this spring.
The project consists of setting up new farming technologies in the field serving as a lab for local students and area farmers. Through visits, workshops and demonstrations, Purdue Polytechnic Anderson plans to use the field to engage its students and the local farm community about new agricultural innovations.
Corey Sharp, director of Purdue Polytechnic Anderson, said the institute connected with Idea Co-op through Pete Bitar, the institute’s entrepreneur in residence. That led to conversations with John Mascoe, president and founder of Leaftech Ag, which is has headquarters at Idea Co-op. The company offers a handheld “digital lab” that analyzes plants for nutrient and chemical composition, delivering results far faster and less expensively than current practices, according to its website.
Purdue Polytechnic Anderson also connected with Jill Snyder, director of business development at NineStar Connect’s north campus, on how to collaborate. The institute supported Mascoe on a few projects that led to the “Digital Smart Farm.”
“NineStar is critical to this partnership,” Sharp told the Daily Reporter in an email. “It is not only their land but their technology backbone that will drive some of the lab experiments in the field. This will be a true test and engagement opportunity for local farmers who want to enhance their operations by using sensing devices and other technologies in the field. We also appreciate NineStar’s commitment to help support youth who are interested in agriculture and technology. These students will be future farmers, engineers and technologists.”
Rashmi Deodeshmukh, an electrical engineering technology professor and assistant professor of practice at Purdue Polytechnic Anderson, is the lead faculty member on the project. She said the endeavor incorporates sensors, automation and networking along with gathering, interpreting and developing insight from data.
“This partnership will make it possible for the students to think about innovative applications in the farming sector primarily for crop management,” Deodeshmukh told the Daily Reporter in an email.
She added the initiative sets out to develop a test plot that will have a higher degree of automation compared to traditional farms. Students in collaboration with NineStar Connect and Leaftech Ag will develop that automation.
“The hope is that a student can think of a solution related to a challenge in the field and be able to take the solution from a concept to a design that can be tested and implemented,” she said.
Students will evaluate the best electronics based on environmental conditions, Deodeshmukh continued. They’ll also implement sensor networks on the test plot and evaluate the power requirements of the sensor nodes along with the best way to power those nodes. The sensors measure parameters like environmental humidity and soil moisture, temperature and content.
“This partnership has a great potential to encourage students to apply their knowledge to bring creative and innovative solutions to practical problems,” she said. “The students will test devices that we use in the lab, and my hope is that the program will make them think about the applications of sensing and digital technology in the agriculture sector.”
Michael Burrow, president and CEO of NineStar Connect, said in a news release that the cooperative is committed to supporting the community and its members through innovative projects like one it’s involved in with Purdue Polytechnic Anderson.
“We believe initiatives like this make the communities we serve places that thrive,” he said.
By Mitchell Kirk
Purdue Polytechnic AndersonPurdue Polytechnic Anderson and NineStar Connect Partner on Innovative Agriculture Project
GREENFIELD, Ind. – July 19, 2021 – Purdue Polytechnic Anderson, and NineStar Connect recently entered into a partnership to foster agriculture community engagement and education. The project will consist of utilizing NineStar’s farm field on SR9 north of Greenfield, Indiana by setting up new innovative farming technologies that will serve as a lab for local students and area farmers.
Purdue’s satellite location in Anderson, Indiana, plans to use the field to engage their students and the local farm community about new ag innovations. This engagement will include field visits, workshops and demonstrations. The 23 acre field will become a vast laboratory that will offer learning opportunities for new technology ag applications. These applications can be transferable to the classroom and local farm practices. Crops planted this spring will include corn, and ancient grains.
“NineStar is thrilled to be working with Purdue University on this community engagement project. Our cooperative is committed to supporting the community and our members through innovative projects. We believe initiatives like this make the communities we serve places that thrive.” Said Michael Burrow, President and CEO of NineStar Connect.
“This partnership has a great potential to encourage students to apply their knowledge to bring creative and innovative solutions to practical problems. The students will test devices that we use in the lab and my hope is that program will make them think about the applications of sensing and digital technology in the agriculture sector.,” said Dr. Rashmi Deodeshmukh, assistant professor of practice at Purdue Polytechnic
About Purdue Polytechnic Institute
The Purdue Polytechnic Institute at Anderson is part of a statewide network that offers the same technology degrees available in West Lafayette. Its smaller size allows for dedicated, one-on-one attention while you earn your degree from Purdue University. Purdue Polytechnic Anderson offers five bachelor of science (BS) degree programs. Graduates of these programs find employment in business and industry in Anderson and the surrounding communities.
About NineStar Connect
NineStar Connect is a smart utility located in Hancock County, Ind. The only rural co-op in the United States to offer fiber optic, electricity, water and sewer services, NineStar Connect’s mission is to deliver the utility infrastructure needed to drive economic development and growth for rural communities. More information is available at NineStarConnect.com.
Making Rural Indiana CoolNineStar Connect’s Idea Co-op Is Making Rural Indiana Cool
GREENFIELD Ind. – March 21, 2019 – Jill Snyder could convince anyone to move to Greenfield, Ind. As director of business and economic development for NineStar Connect (Greenfield, Ind.), Snyder has spearheaded initiatives to promote broadband access and cultivate high-tech talent in the areas surrounding Indianapolis. She is a passionate advocate for her community, and although she previously worked in marketing for startups in the nearby city, she knows “there’s no reason you can’t have a very successful tech career in [NineStar’s territory], as long as you have broadband.”
NineStar’s latest project is the repurposing of an existing building to create a massive, 18,000 square-foot co-working space that the company has dubbed the Idea Co-op. The co-op, located on 36 acres in Greenfield, includes 26 tillable acres for agritech uses; podcast and video recording rooms; a fitness center; a café; a 3-D printing lab; and both individual offices and group education rooms. The Idea Co-op is funded entirely by NineStar-while most co-working spaces aren’t profitable ventures, Snyder admitted, “We just want to cover our operating expenses. We hope it will spawn new businesses … In our service territory.”
NineStar has already made significant efforts to improve quality of life in rural Hancock County. The company-which is the result of a merger between Hancock Telecom and Central Indiana Power-claims to be the “only rural co-op in the United States to offer fiber optic, electricity, water and sewer services.” Its mission, the company said, “is to deliver the utility infrastructure needed to drive economic development and growth for rural communities.” Before the Idea Co-op came to be, NineStar invested in fiber-to-the-home technology for all of its electric customers. Now, the service territory has access to robust broadband connections that can support a wide variety of applications-including teleworking and building a business at the Idea Co-op.
In addition to the potential economic development, NineStar hopes the Idea Co-op will foster innovation and a sense of community. Facilitating a telework culture goes beyond laying fiber, Snyder explained. “People like to be around like-minded individuals, and they need that social interaction,” Snyder said. Furthermore, despite NineStar’s valiant efforts, “Not every single home in Hancock County is connected,” she explained. Some Hancock County residents want or need to access the internet, but still can’t do so from their homes. Anchor institutions such as libraries, schools and now, the Idea Co-op, help solve this problem.
Snyder has firsthand evidence that building a strong, economically productive community by leveraging broadband can work: Her oldest son and his wife just moved back to Indiana from Silicon Valley, she said, and “they bought a house in NineStar territory, they have our broadband, and they’re both staying tethered to their Silicon Valley companies. They’re also members of the Idea Co-op, for when they want some social interaction.” Helping people access good-paying, remote jobs, Snyder said, “lifts the whole community.”
Snyder said a gap in the commercial leasing market prevents startups from gaining a foothold in rural and suburban areas. “Commercial office space requires a 2-3 year lease, and when you’re first starting out, you can’t expose yourself that way,” Snyder said. But often, self-employed people and new business owners can’t work from home, either. “I know an insurance agent who has four kids under the age of four,” Snyder said. “She can’t get any work done from home.”
The goal, Snyder explained, is to encourage startups and small businesses to join the Idea Co-op, then support their work until they can “graduate” to a larger space. “The rule of thumb is [that] when they get to 6-8 employees, they have to graduate from these types of spaces and find their own home, we hope in our service territory.” If new businesses can put down roots in Hancock County, Snyder said, “Then they become [NineStar] customers. They hire more people for good-paying jobs. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy.”
Outsourcing to a Rural Tech Hub
Indianapolis, Snyder said, is “exploding with software companies”-such as Salesforce, which just opened its second headquarters in the city. “There are 1,000 open programming jobs in Indianapolis that can’t be filled,” said Snyder. “I’ve got a mission for the co-op. … There’s a thing I like to call ‘rural outsourcing.'” Instead of outsourcing these programming jobs internationally, Snyder wants them to stay in Indiana and go to rural residents with broadband connections.
To make this happen, part of the Idea Co-op’s role in Hancock County is going to be sparking an interest in tech for local residents.
To that end, the co-op regularly conducts “Coder Dojo” courses for local youth-the registrations for which, Snyder said, are always full. NineStar Connect partnered with TechPoint, a nonprofit in Indianapolis, to bring 10 Chromebooks into the co-op, as well as instructors to teach the coding classes. “We do these classes for free, first-come, first-served. It’s just incredible how these kids get hooked, and I want to do more of that,” Snyder said.
The true testament of the co-op’s success in Hancock County, though, is how its current members talk about the space. John Mascoe is the founder and chief executive officer of VanCoe Ag Technologies, which has been renting space at the Idea Co-op and utilizing its tillable land to develop and demonstrate new agriculture technologies, such as satellite imagery and monitoring for crop nutrient-delivery systems. This space, Mascoe said, “Enables small startups and entrepreneurial people to come in and solve a problem.”
“What I see happening is that we’re a hub for collision,” he continued. The Idea Co-op is a place where agritech inventors and investors can see how new and varied technology can be integrated together. Furthermore, he said, “If we have access to these resources, we can bring in people who wouldn’t normally come to the area. … That’s the cool thing about what NineStar has done. With access to broadband, you can create small businesses in these small towns to revitalize them.”
By Ashley Spinks
‘Unique’ Coworking Space‘Unique’ Coworking Space Opens in Greenfield
GREENFIELD, Ind. – January 16, 2019 – A new coworking space in Hancock County aims to fill an underserved need in east central Indiana. Idea Co-op features a traditional indoor coworking area, along with 36 acres of outdoor space that can be used by members. The coworking space is operated by Greenfield-based NineStar Connect and director of business and economic development Jill Snyder says the outdoor aspect makes it a unique concept for the region.
In an interview with Inside INdiana Business, Snyder says 26 acres of the property are tillable and plans are already in place for them. VanCoe Ag Technologies LLC is an agronomy and animal agtech integrator that moved into Idea Co-op in September. The company plans to use the tillable land to “demonstrate and end-to-end integrated approach with next generation technologies for agronomy and animal production.”
Snyder says the outdoor innovation space could have a variety of benefits for businesses.
“I think there’s a lot of opportunities for people who have business ideas and they need a space where whatever their equipment or technology is requires space, maybe something exposed to the elements, maybe they need large warehouse space,” said Snyder. “It also makes it very conducive for training. (It’s) not just office space. We have a lot of other types of space that’s very attractive as well.”
The property is located on State Road 9 a few miles north of I-70 in Greenfield. The indoor portion of Idea Co-op features 18,000-square feet of space that includes private and open offices, a 50-person education center and conference rooms. Other amenities include an open collision space, virtual reality facility, 3D printing lab, and podcast and video rooms.
Snyder says the goal of Idea Co-op is to spawn new economic development in east central Indiana. “If businesses start up here in Idea Co-op and they have to graduate to the next space, we hope that people continue to look at this area of the state and will choose to start their businesses in Hancock County and (the) east central Indiana area.”
By Alex Brown
