FarmBot is an Open-Source CNC Farming Machine

Developed by Rory Aronson, the FarmBot Genesis is an open source CNC farming machine that will reinvent the way food is grown. In essence, it’s like a giant robot that works in an X, Y, and Z axis and uses interchangeable tools to precisely seed, weed, and water for various crops.

FarmBot is controlled by an Arduino Mega/RAMPS stack, along with an Internet-connected Raspberry Pi 3, NEMA 17 motors and rotary encoders. The open-source device can cultivate a variety of plants all in same area at the same time, and can impressively care for each one in an optimized, automated manner.

According to Aronson, the unit can be constructed to fit each owner’s individual needs — it can scale from a garden as small as one square meter to as large as a farm that’s 20 square meters. Designed to withstand outdoor elements, the FarmBot Genesis is comprised of corrosion-resistant aluminum, stainless steel, and 3D-printed plastic components.

Growers can control and configure their Genesis by smartphone, tablet or PC, and use its drag-and-drop, game-like interface to graphically design their garden. With its sequence builder and scheduler, FarmBot combines the most basic operations in custom parameters for seeding and watering, and even enables you to build complete regimens for the plant throughout its lifetime.

Additional features include storing and manipulating data maps, accessing an open plant data repository, and real-time logging. An integrated decision support system can also automatically adjust water, fertilizer and pesticide regimens, as well as handle seed spacing and timing based on soil and weather conditions, sensor data, location and the time of year.

Ready for one of your own? FarmBot is currently available for pre-order at a price tag of $2,900. Don’t want to spend the money? Aronson has made the CNC machine 100% open source, so anyone can download its software, hardware plans, and documentation. It can also be modified and augmented to suit one’s own unique growing styles and needs.