Market Farming

["maury sheets" <maurysheets AT verizon.net>]

Brigette

 

I do agree with you about Crop King.  I also attended a Florida conference about 10 years ago.  I could not afford to buy 1000’s of feet of channel for a hydroponics system, so I developed my own system of tables with EPDM liners for ebb and flow.  I know their system will work, I just could not afford that and a 30z96 foot greenhouse at the same time. 

I am careful with info I receive when they are in business to sell you something however.  Everything I saw on line about the micros did not show performance data or any history with satisfied customers.  In conclusion,  I am not making Crop King out to be a monster, just a business out to make money.

 

Maury

 

 Sustainable agriculture in southern New Jersey

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From: market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Brigette Leach
Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2008 11:36 AM
To: Market Farming
Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Fw: Cropking

 

Maury and Jolly,

While I don't know any specifics about Crop King's micro-greens system, I can tell you that we have attended their prospective grower conference (1998 or 99, don't remember) held at their facility in Ohio, and three of the conferences they typically hold in Florida in November. We learned from them when we needed to and have now found more expertise closer to home. There wasn't much expertise readily available when we started. We followed Crop King's advice when we set our houses up. Some of it worked and some of it we refined to better suit our situation and how we like to work. We did not purchase everything from them, and we had a local source for the houses.

There are hundreds of greenhouses in our county raising bedding plants, potted geraniums and lilies, poinsettias, etc., and the expertise that goes along with a fully matured, and very successful, industry. But no one else was raising anything hydroponically. We did get some advice from the older greenhouse guys who used to grow "hothouse" tomatoes, who evolved to bedding plants, etc. We also made a day trip to Lemington, Ontario and spent time with an established hydroponic grower there. He had been growing hydroponically produced tomatoes and peppers for more than 20 years. Since we just found his contact information and called him out of the blue, we thought he was very generous to share his knowledge and time. There are hundreds of hydroponic greenhouse operations in Lemington.

When we were at Crop King's facility in Ohio, they were experimenting with strawberry production, which wasn't working out too well, but they were honest about it. They do focus on selling turn key set-ups, but I don't hold that against them. It's their business plan and that's their right.

We purchased some of our equipment for our tomato and salad green operation from them, and still purchase some supplies from them because they have what we need and are relatively close to us geographically. Like many small, family owned and operated businesses they have had their challenges.

I understand what they mean about seasons, simply because even with shade cloths, our lettuce house gets way too hot during the summer months and plants like to bolt way too quickly. We don't grow micro-greens, but I'll bet that outdoor temps at 80 degrees and more, such as we get here, would not be conducive to micro-green production.

Too bad Jamaica is so far from their Ohio facility or Jolly could just make a visit, gather information and impressions first hand and then make a decision. Jolly, have you grown any micro greens before?

My two cents worth,
Brigette Leach
Avalon Farms Homegrown
Share of the Farm
www.avalonfarmshomegrown.net