Method and apparatus for the scheduled production of plant extracts

A method for the scheduled production of at least one plant compound from harvested plant material grown in a genetically-isolated growing environment, said method comprising:

• a. Selecting at least one plant compound to be produced from a selected crop;
• b. Selecting a predetermined growth profile for growth of the selected crop in a genetically-isolated underground growth chamber, said predetermined growth profile comprising:
• i. The type of starting plant material to be planted to grow the crop;
• ii. at least one controlled growing condition under which the crop is to be grown;
• and
• iii. the period of time required from the time of planting the starting crop material to the point of the crop being ready for harvest, this period of time being the growth period;
• c. Selecting a downstream processing method to be used to recover said at least one plant compound from the harvested plant material, wherein the amount of time required to conduct the downstream processing method in respect of each plant compound, being the downstream processing period, is known;
• d. Selecting the scheduled delivery time for at least one said plant compound;
• e. Calculating the planting time for the crop in accordance with the predetermined growth profile and known downstream processing period, by subtracting the growth period and the downstream processing period from the scheduled delivery time;
• f. In a genetically-isolated underground growth chamber, at the calculated planting time, planting the starting crop material specified in the predetermined growth profile and growing the crop in accordance with said at least one controlled growing condition specified in the predetermined growth profile;
• g. At the conclusion of the growth period, harvesting the crop to obtain the desired harvested plant material;
• h. Obtaining each desired plant compound from the harvested plant material in accordance with the previously selected downstream processing method, within the known downstream processing period for that compound;
• wherein by control of the growing conditions of the crop in the genetically-isolated underground growth chamber in accordance with the selected predetermined growth profile, and by conducting the downstream processing of the plant compounds from the harvested plant material in accordance with the selected downstream processing method and the known downstream processing periods for each compound, the conclusion of the downstream processing period will approximately coincide with the scheduled delivery time;
• and wherein by virtue of the genetically-isolated nature of the growth chamber, the crop and resulting harvested plant material are substantially protected from exposure to any genetic material from outside of the growth chamber during the growth or harvest of the crop;
• and wherein by virtue of the genetically-isolated nature of the growth chamber, the environment outside of the growth chamber is substantially protected from exposure or spreading of any plant genetic material or byproducts from inside of the growth chamber during the growth or harvest of the crop.