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  • From: "James H. Corey" <1corey AT bellsouth.net>
  • To: avalonfarmshomegrown AT earthlink.net, Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Are Organic Hydroponic Greenhouses Environmentally Sustainable
  • Date: Tue, 13 Dec 2005 21:33:05 -0500

We got 7 years out of our plastic, and now finishing our 8th year going in to
our 9th, I am noticing that some of the tubing is getting a bit brittle and
is starting to break. On of our pumps in acting up a bit, but luckily my
father is very mechanical and is going to take it apart an rebuild it.

I agree, start up costs are definitely greater in a hydroponic greenhouse,
and ongoing costs, mostly natural gas are as well. We grow strawberries in
our greenhouse, and will begin picking in about a month. We charge $1.75 a
pint $3.00 a quart, and $10 a gallon. My customers come back year after year
and tell me that they can no longer eat other strawberries because ours are
so superior. We do not use any pesticides or fungicides at all, and manage
problems with beneficials, and OMRI products that fit the bill. We do
however use chemical fertilizer since I completely clogged up our system one
year trying to climb on the 100% organic bandwagon - the experts told me I
was crazy to every try using organic fertilizer in an organic drip system -
oh well, I had to try!

Anyway, there are pro's and con's to any growing method, and each one of us
has to decide what works for us. We also grow crops outside in the summer -
the strawberries are just our niche, people will come from 2 hours away to
pick fresh strawberries in the winter - so I think we will definitely keep
growing them, and my customers want me to grow tomatoes and basil in the
winter, so as soon as I can get my other greenhouse up - we will start those
as well. I do appreciate the discussion, as it helps me to continue to
learn!

Pam
Rose Hill Plantation

Brigette Leach wrote:

> Allan,
> Start up costs can be very high for commercial hydroponic production,
> but that doesn't have to be the case and there are many ways to approach
> it, high cost isn't the only way to go. I know a grower in northern
> lower Michigan who does everything on the cheap because he is very
> creative, innovative and is willing to put in his time rather than his
> money. I on the other hand am more able to invest a few more dollars and
> less able to add any more to my aready over loaded day. Aspects such as
> access to capital, access to labor, geographical location and hours of
> sunlilght, availablility of fuel sources all come into play. By the way,
> I know a greenhouse grower who uses peach pits from Gerber in Fremont to
> heat his houses. I can only speak for our operation, but the plastic
> buckets, tanks, pipes and hoses we use are not replaced every year. I
> don't know how long they will last, but this is our sixth season and we
> haven't found the need yet. Adrianna might have better input on this
> since she's been at it a little longer, but she may use a bag system
> rather than buckets. We replace plastic roof covers as needed, and so
> far have gotten 4 years out of the first batch.
>
> Brigette
> Avalon Farms Homegrown
> Zone 5
>
> Allan Balliett wrote:
>
> >>The backyard garden seems most sustainable. A hoop house or high tunnel
> >>might come next. Where would hydroponics fit in? Would productivity and
> >>low transportation costs make it worth while?
> >>
> >>
> >
> >I'd love to be corrected on this assumption: hydroponic operations
> >are not sustainable in any sense of the word and, to be effective,
> >require never ending purchased inputs. Ecologically, the plastic of
> >a hoop house can be rationalized by the savings in petroleum local
> >food achieves. With hydro, you add substantial overhead (and costs)
> >with all the additional plastic pots, troughs, pipes and hose that
> >must be purchased in. To what benefit over from-the-Earth raised beds?
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> >
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