By Morris Bryan, Inventor of the Tower Garden In 1974, I graduated from The Georgia Institute of Technology like the majority of the men in my family – my grandfather, father, two uncles, and three brothers – with a diploma I thought would change my life, but it wasn’t until that summer when I visited […]
Continue Reading
Now that it is legal to grow hemp in the U.S., greenhouse vegetable and ornamental plant growers are considering whether it makes sense to switch crops. The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, commonly referred to as the 2018 Farm Bill, has legalized the production of hemp. The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is the lead USDA […]
Continue Reading
Whether or not hydroponic growers are using organic practices to produce edible crops, consumers are more likely to be interested in whether the produce is locally grown. There has been much discussion over whether controlled environment hydroponic food production should be allowed to be certified organic. Regardless of where you stand on the topic, Michigan […]
Continue Reading
Although vertical farms producing leafy greens are receiving most of the press coverage, there are a variety of other crops being being grown and innovative growers are finding these crops to be profitable. When you think about a vertical farm what picture comes to mind? Ricardo Hernandez, horticulture professor at North Carolina State University, said […]
Continue Reading
A research team at Purdue University invites you to participate in a survey of specialty crops growers to better understand your production and marketing challenges. This survey will help us identify future production and marketing research to help support growers like you. The survey takes approx. 10-15 minutes. Take the survey: http://bit.ly/purduesurvey Your responses are […]
Continue Reading
Regardless of whether specialty crops are grown in hoop houses, greenhouses or indoor vertical farms, growers are incorporating technology to improve production and profitability. When it comes to technology, most controlled environment growers are looking for ways to produce their crops as efficiently and as economically as possible. Purdue University horticulture and agricultural economics professor […]
Continue Reading
mGardens is growing hydroponic leafy greens in rural Kansas and marketing them to local grocery stores, restaurants and a farmers market. While much of the country’s indoor hydroponic food production is being done by growers located near large urban areas, mGardens in Gorham, Kan., is bucking the trend. Tom Murphy, who is the company’s operator, […]
Continue Reading
“Voluntary U.S. grade standards are issued under the authority of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, which provides for the development of official U.S. grades to designate different levels of quality. These grade standards are available for use by producers, suppliers, buyers, and consumers. As in the case of other standards for grades of fresh […]
Continue Reading
Ohio State University professor Chieri Kubota is focused on helping to resolve the production and training challenges facing controlled environment growers. Trying to produce vegetables in hot, humid conditions can be difficult for controlled environment growers whether growing in a greenhouse or a warehouse. “The challenges of greenhouse growing in Ohio and the Midwest are […]
Continue Reading
Originally published in Issue 16 Lucayan Tropical Produce has been growing greenhouse vegetables in The Bahamas for 12 years, but it has taken some adjustments to find the best crops to grow on an island in paradise. Since Lucayan Tropical Produce Ltd. began producing greenhouse vegetables in 2004, the company has experienced three major hurricanes, […]
Continue Reading
Originally published in Issue 16 Although MightyVine has only been growing greenhouse tomatoes for a year, its sister companies have enabled its product to be sold to a variety of clients in multiple states. MightyVine has been producing greenhouse tomatoes in Rochelle, Ill., for just over a year. But company chairman Jim Murphy became involved […]
Continue Reading
Originally published in Issue 15 Canadian researchers at the Harrow Research and Development Centre are working with growers to determine which horticultural lights are the most effective and efficient for producing tall greenhouse vegetable crops. When it comes to the collecting data on using LEDs on tall greenhouse vegetable crops, there isn’t a clear picture […]
Continue Reading
Originally published in Issue 15, October 2016 Researchers at Wageningen University in the Netherlands are studying the effects of LED lights on the growth, flowering and fruiting of vegetable and ornamental plants in controlled environments. Dutch growers who are building new greenhouses or adding new grow lights to their existing operations are comparing high pressure […]
Continue Reading
Kimbal Musk, co-founder of The Kitchen restaurants and The Kitchen Community, a non-profit organization that has established nearly 300 school Learning Gardens, is working to spread his philosophy of the power of good food and good drink to connect people as family, friends and community. While Elon Musk has made a name for himself in […]
Continue Reading