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  • From: "Sharon and Steve" <shopkins AT tdstelme.net>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [Market-farming] Fw: beam flickers
  • Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2008 07:38:31 -0500

I think they would like to grow some tomatoes in the winter and are interested in how much light is needed and if the "beam flickers" would be worth the investment. Thanks

Joyce
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I have never heard that name and a web search, so far , has only come up with an old reference to a "600 watt Beam Flicker from Hydrofarm"
Hydrofarm is a wholesaler of hydroponic equipment and the term beam flicker does not come up on their web site this morning. Sounds sort of like a light that they are no longer making.

I have sent your question to some other folks in the industry, maybe there is something out there.

..............
When we did a study on winter tomatoes here on the 45th paralell the light requirement for a 30 x 100 greenhouse was 35 1000 watt lights which would require a special contract with our power company, for them to have that much supply available for me I would have to agree to pay for 85% of that much load; year round. We did not agree!!

We then looked at diesel generators and making out own electricity, which would have cost about the same as the power company when operating and also having the waste heat to use in another house.(that many lights will pretty much heat the house they are in) Even that, on $1.00 fuel, did not make a bottom line that would work.

Last year a new 24 acre glass tomato house went into production 20 miles from here, they chose the town they are in because it has its own power company with generators running in the Kennebec River making the lowest electric price in New England. Even with that many of us are wondering how they can make tomatoes for so long on the fire sale prices we saw in the stores all spring and summer. Earthwork is in progress there for another 20 acres and they are talking of a eventual expansion to 2 - 300 acres. We shall see. At least I staid out and dont have 3000 sq feet to pay off, on $3.70 fuel, when up against something like that.

\
MAsteveINE






  • [Market-farming] Fw: beam flickers, Sharon and Steve, 01/17/2008

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