Category: Blog

Workshop focuses on how to market locally-grown food

Hort Americas attended the “MarketReady Training Program
for Local Farmers, Ranchers and Food Producers” workshop in April in Fort
Worth, Texas. The program was presented by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension agricultural
economists Francisco Abello and Marco Palma. The MarketReady workshop discussed practices that small-scale growers and other food producers could
effectively use to approach and market to restaurants, caterers, grocery stores,
food distributors and chains. Topics covered included communications and
relationships, packaging, labeling, pricing, supply, delivery, quality
assurance, storage, invoicing, insurance and marketing.

The MarketReady training program was developed for the MarketMaker network
 of states to provide growers with the information and tools to engage the various
markets and develop supplier relationships.

The morning portion of the program focused on selling to
restaurants and was presented by Abello. He discussed how producers and their
customers can use the Texas MarketMaker website
to promote and find food products. Texas MarketMaker is an all-in-one resource
providing information on locally-grown Texas farm products, seafood, wineries,
farmers markets and agritourism.

“This is a free tool to help connect farmers with
buyers,” Palma said. “It also provides important marketing tools for farmers.
We will be providing information on a wide range of produce, including, fruits
and vegetables, livestock and dairy, seafood, etc.”
 
 
The MarketMaker National Network,
which currently has 20 states using the website, is maintained by the
University of Illinois. The MarketReady training program
was developed for the MarketMaker network of states to provide growers
with the information and tools to engage the various markets and develop
supplier relationships.
The MarketMaker National Network currently has 20 states using the website.
Abello said the Internet enables producers to reach many
more potential customers than traditional advertising. He urged producers who
develop their own websites to maintain and update them so that they are
interactive and current since customers have 24/7 access to businesses’ websites.
He also suggested that producers promote themselves on Facebook.
Producers who want to sell to restaurants must be
receptive to the chefs’ needs and to the feedback they have to offer. Abello
said producers need to build an open line of communication and be accessible to
chefs by phone and email.

Producers should also know what is happening with their
customers’ businesses to show they are interested and know what they are doing.
Abello said producers have to understand what their customers’ needs are before
crops are planted.

Marketing fruits
and vegetables

Ag economist Marco Palma discussed several aspects of
marketing related to the production and marketing of produce. He said there are
a number of negative and positive issues currently affecting the horticulture
industry.

Negative aspects:

* Stronger competition from less expensive imports and
the increased dependence of the United States on food imports.

* Increased concern by consumer over food safety.

* Increasing fuel/energy costs.

* Labor costs and availability.

Positive aspects:

* Increased demand for healthy foods, organic,
environmental-friendly and local produce. Consumers have an increased interest
in food origin.

* Trade opportunities for food exports.

* Positive health dimensions (functional foods that
improve health).

* Dietary guidelines for Americans.

* Specialty Crop Research Initiative ($2.1 billion in
Farm Bill to promote fruits and vegetables).

Grocery, wholesale
and foodservice sales

Abello discussed selling to grocery stores, food
distribution companies and large chain stores. These companies have been the
primary customers of large farms that produce large volumes and can ship
tractor trailer loads long distances.

Abello said the changes in market dynamics are making
these outlets more available to smaller growers. The increasing interest by
consumers to buy more locally-grown produce, consumer concern with where their
food is coming from and its safety along with the increase in long distance
shipping costs, are giving smaller producers an opportunity to look at
wholesale marketing channels. He said communication and relationship building
are critical to conducting business with wholesale customers. He said the
business relationship with these customers is more professional and that
negotiations are a part of the everyday process of doing business with this
market segment.

For more: Marco
Palma, mapalma@ag.tamu.edu.

Francisco Abello, a former doctoral student in the
Department of Agricultural Economics at Texas A&M University, has returned
to Argentina to farm and ranch.

Visit our corporate website at https://hortamericas.com

Collaboration is not a four-letter word

As funding is cut, academics, extension personnel and
commercial companies have an increased incentive to cooperate to ensure the floriculture
industry continues to thrive.

By David Kuack

With all of the divisiveness going on between Congressional
members and President Obama lately, it’s not surprising that there isn’t a lot being
accomplished in Washington. What has been especially disconcerting is the lack
of willingness on the part of many legislators to work together to come up with
policy decisions that reflect the beliefs of the majority of Americans who
elected them.

Maybe those politicians should have attended this year’s
National Floriculture Forum where a topic of discussion was how university
researchers, extension and commercial companies can work together to ensure the
continued viability of the floriculture industry. Just like in Washington, public
and private funding is being cut or eliminated, which is causing some university
researchers to work more closely with commercial companies to conduct the
research and train the students needed to keep the industry growing.

More than research

During the National Floriculture Forum Syngenta technical
specialist Jamie Gibson discussed the academic and industry perspectives on
research. Gibson, who received his doctorate from North Carolina State
University, was an assistant horticulture professor at the University of
Florida before taking a position with Syngenta.

Jamie Gibson, Syngenta technical specialist, told attendees at this
year’s National Floriculture Forum that the reduction in research
funding has had a major impact on horticultural researchers. 

“Sometimes a grant or a big project isn’t the biggest win
for a university researcher when working with the industry,” Gibson said. “Sometimes
it’s producing an outstanding undergraduate, or training a graduate student how
to properly problem solve an issue or to have a PhD student working on an
industry challenge that can really help growers to improve their profits. The
university still has a great niche for producing talented students to be
managers, researchers or specialists in the industry. Also, the university can
produce sales and marketing people who understand plant science, but also who
have a passion for working in the industry.”

Gibson said the reduction in research funding has had a
major impact on horticultural researchers.

“Today university researchers have to show their
administrators and deans that they are capable of landing the large grants,” he
said. “They are receiving increased pressure to bring in the large grants that
drive overhead costs and maybe support the administrative side of the
university. Researchers need to market themselves well. They not only have to
do good science work, but sometimes they have to partner with industry to do
projects that drive their programs.

“Academics should have a few projects that the industry
is sponsoring whether it is PGR work or nutrition or culture. These are the
projects that challenge and really improve the skill set of undergraduate and
graduate students. The funding for these industry-sponsored projects supports
the researcher’s technician, undergraduate researchers and it pays the bills.
The larger grants enable master’s students and PhD students to focus on the
bigger picture, making sure scholarly work is being done.

“There has to be a balance. The so-called “spray-and-pray”
research projects offer academics the opportunities to engage with the industry
very well. They do have relevancy.”

Going where the money
is

Peter Konjoian, president of consulting and research company
Konjoian’s Floriculture Education Services, told the National Floriculture Forum
attendees that there is much more cooperation and collaboration today between university
researchers than there was back in the 1970s and ’80s. Konjoian received his
PhD from Ohio State University and was an assistant horticulture professor at
the University of Maryland for two years before returning to his family’s
greenhouse business.

“When I was a graduate student and then a university
researcher, it was Ohio State vs. Michigan State and OFA vs. BPI. At that time there
was enough money available that you didn’t have to think about collaborating
with another university. Research funding flowed much more freely back then.
Today research money is tough to find and everything revolves around money,
whether we’re talking about one company or an entire industry.
Peter Konjoian, president of Konjoian’s Floriculture Education
Services, told National Floriculture Forum attendees that there is
much more cooperation and collaboration today between university
researchers than there was back in the 1970s and ’80s.

“During the ’70s and ’80s, there was profit margin in
every segment of the supply chain. Today those margins have eroded to the point
where they are razor thin.”

Konjoian said another reality is there are only a
fraction of the university horticulture positions today that there were in the
past.

“As horticulture professors retire their positions are
going away and other positions are being blended into the broader discipline of
plant science,” he said. “There are very few traditional horticultural programs
left in the U.S. If there were more university horticultural positions
available, many of the grad students would be looking there first for
employment opportunities.”

Konjoian said an increasing number of university
researchers are working together on projects enabling them to play to each
other’s personal and program strengths.

“The Young Plant Research Center, the Floriculture
Research Alliance, the Floriculture Sustainability Research Coalition, the
Water Education Alliance for Horticulture and e-GRO are just a few examples of
how university researchers are pulling together and collaborating among
themselves and industry,” Konjoian said. “Twenty or 30 years ago there is no
way the universities and industry are going to collaborate on research. Today
and in the future I can see research projects that include certain parts being
done at a university greenhouse and other parts at a commercial greenhouse. How
can the public and private sectors collaborate to improve efficiency and better
serve our growers? What can I do best in my private setting and what can a
university researcher do that I’m not equipped to do.”

Konjoian said when he was in graduate school in the late
’70s and early ‘80s there was often a negative connotation placed on applied
research.

“Back then applied research didn’t have the prestige,” he
said. “Now university researchers are looking for money wherever they can find
it. If they are going to attract money for research on PGRs or growing media or
crop nutrition, then they are going to include applied projects in their
programs.

“Many researchers, especially the younger ones,
understand they need industry more because there is less money coming in, less
state and federal funding is available. If that means doing applied research,
then so be it”

Privatizing
extension

Konjoian said another change that has occurred is the
loss of extension services and personnel dedicated to the horticulture
industry.

“When I was in graduate school it seemed like every state
extension service and state grower association published its own grower
newsletter,” he said. “We are going to continue to see privatization of
extension work because the public tax dollars are not available any more. Those
tax dollars are going to serve more people in the public sector.

“Over my career I have seen some level of privatization
occurring in teaching, research and extension. This is justifiable because more
tax dollars are being spent on programs that assist a larger number of
taxpayers and not just our small industry. If the taxpayers are not going to
pay for these extension services, then industry participants, including the
growers are going to have to pay for them. Either that or the services will go
away completely.”
Peter Konjoian, who does research and consulting work for
industry companies, would like to see increased collaboration
between the commercial side and universities.
Konjoian is quick to point out that there are still
plenty of good extension specialists at the universities. He said the private
sector has picked up the slack on some services that extension hasn’t been able
to continue to offer.

“This is an excellent example of the collaborative
efforts our industry needs to make,” he said. “How are we going to work
together? Could there be a national extension group that is supported by
private companies? Extension specialists have been told by their administrators
that they need to be more efficient and touch more growers via the web or in
other ways. That being the reality, just because specialists now find it more
difficult to justify one-on-one service doesn’t mean growers don’t still need
one-on-one attention. The difference today is that growers need to understand
that they have to pay for such service because public tax dollars no longer
will.”

For more:
Jamie Gibson, Syngenta Flowers, Home and Garden, Syngenta Flowers Inc., james.gibson@syngenta.com;
http://www.syngentaflowers.com. Peter Konjoian, Konjoian’s Floriculture Education Services,
peterkfes@comcast.net.

David Kuack is a freelance technical writer in Fort
Worth, Texas; dkuack@gmail.com.

Visit our corporate website at https://hortamericas.com

Workshop focuses on starting an urban farm

Hort Americas attended the “Starting Your Urban Farm”
workshop in April in Fort Worth, Texas. Presented by Texas A&M AgriLife
Extension, the workshop started with a webinar by Texas A&M University
extension vegetable specialist Joseph Masabni. He discussed the basic requirements needed to start an urban farm including a plentiful water supply,
adequate soil type and desirable environment.

Masabni said one of the major pitfalls to operating a
successful urban farm is the lack of a marketing strategy. Since most produce
is perishable, it is critical that a grower have a marketing plan developed before
a crop is planted. He said development of markets and market plans are the
first steps necessary for profitable production. Because market windows are
narrow and precise, Masabni said growers need more options to sell their
products. Market-related questions that need to be answered include:

Where is the produce going to be sold?

How is the produce going to be sold?

What is the volume that will be sold?

What are the market windows for the produce?

What are the packaging requirements?

Urban farm tour

The second part of the workshop was a tour of Gnismer
Farms in Dalworthington Gardens, Texas. Owned by Lynn and Cynthia Remsing, the husband
and wife team farm 6 acres producing a variety of crops including asparagus, strawberries,
lettuce, cantaloupes, onions, rhubarb, kohlrabi, cabbage, potatoes, watermelons
and pumpkins.

Lynn Remsing, owner of Gnismer Farms,  uses
plant compost to grow his crops. He doesn’t use
any animal manures. 

Lynn Remsing said having the right soil is critical. He
composts wood chips he receives free from the local power company along with
grass clippings. He doesn’t use any animal manure.
Not wanting to be dependent on inconsistent and limited rainfall,
Remsing uses Netafim irrigation tape and black plastic mulch. During the hot
Texas summers when temperatures can easily exceed 100ºF, Remsing said using the mulch allows him to water
every 14 days. Remsing said he is working with Texas A&M to trial a double
layer of plastic mulch to determine its effect on production.

Gnismer Farms in cooperation with Texas A&M
University researchers is trialing a double layer
of plastic mulch to determine its impact on crop
production, including strawberries and lettuce.

Remsing is setting up another 360-acre farm in Waco,
Texas. To ensure that he has enough water for irrigation, he is installing a
couple of 40,000 gallon water tanks.
Some of the “tips” that Remsing offered workshop
attendees included: be willing to mechanize when possible, look for ways to
conserve water, don’t try to operate a farm on a shoestring and look for ways
to be able to sell your products before your competitors.
For more:
Gnismer Farms, http://gnismer.com.

Visit our corporate website at https://hortamericas.com

Growing lettuce under LED, T5 hydroponic production system

Katie Phibbs, grower/creator/educator at The Lettuce People, talks about her experience of growing lettuce under a LED, T5 grow lights, NFT hydroponic vertical production system. Phibbs said she lost 250 heads of lettuce to the heat from HID metal halide lights in a vertical production system. Fortunately she had a backup system equipped with LEDs and T5s.


The Lettuce People’s LED, T5 grow lights, NFT hydroponic
 production system

Challenges facing growers in the Netherlands and U.S.

John Pieterse, head grower of orchids at Mid-American
Growers, talks about some of the differences and challenges of growing in the
Netherlands and the United States.

By David Kuack

When John Pieterse left the Netherlands just over two
years ago to become head grower of orchids at Mid-American Growers in Granville, Ill., he knew that he was going to face some challenges. Prior to
the move to the United States, Pieterse had successfully operated his own cut
rose production facility in Moerkapelle, the Netherlands, for 10 years. After
selling his business in 2009, he went to work in February 2010 for a neighboring
company SO Natural Orchideeënkwekerij growing
potted orchids. It was during his time with SO Natural, which assisted
Mid-American Growers and Green Circle Growers in Oberlin, Ohio, in setting up
their orchid production facilities, that Pieterse got his first exposure to
living and growing in the Midwest.

“When I was 18 years old, I worked as a trainee at a
greenhouse operation in Florida for three months,” Pieterse said. “I thought
the U.S. was an amazing country. If ever I had the chance to come over and work
here, I would take the opportunity.”

That opportunity came when Nick van Wingerden, owner of Mid-American
Growers, asked Pieterse, who had visited the operation twice during 2010, if he
would accept the position of head grower.
 
One of the biggest challenges John Pieterse faced when he started
growing orchids in the United States was the drastic weather changes
 that can occur quickly.

“During my visits to Mid-American I was quite impressed
and I thought this was something that I could do,” he said. “My wife was also
in favor of the move. It took about a year for us to complete the paperwork.
During that time I was able to learn more about the orchid business in the
Netherlands.”

Pierterse said since the orchid production methods used
at Mid-American are similar to the ones that he used in the Netherlands the
transition went relatively smoothly. He now oversees 8 acres of phalaenopsis orchid
production.

“I quickly realized the need to be flexible, nothing is
exactly the same, but overall the way the orchids are produced here is the same
way I was growing them in the Netherlands,” he said.

Climate
differences

Pieterse said that the climate in the Netherlands is
influenced by the North Sea. The sea borders the northern and western parts of
the country.

“The sea climate is very stable so there are a lot of
days that are similar in regards to temperatures and light levels,” he said.
“It is a very easy climate to grow in because it is so stable. There are not a
lot of differences in the temperature and it is cloudier.”

One of the first things that Pieterse learned about the
weather in the United States was the major fluctuations in temperature.

“In the Midwest the weather changes can be drastic. The
differences in the weather can occur from week to week, from day to day or even
from the morning to the afternoon,” he said. “It’s not surprising to have the
temperature go from 51ºF
one day to 20ºF the
next. And the light levels here in January can be higher than the light levels
during May in the Netherlands. You have to really pay attention to the climate
and the changes that can occur because they can occur so quickly.”

Increasing public,
government pressures

Pieterse said the overcrowding that has occurred is some
areas of the Netherlands has made the availability of clean water a major
issue. In order for Dutch growers to continue operating they have had to learn
how to minimize the amount of water they use to produce their crops, to recycle
and to capture the rain water off of the greenhouses.

“Since there are so many people now living near the
greenhouses, the growers have no other options but to conserve, collect and
recycle,” Pieterse said. “Also, because of the concern with water quality and
contamination, there are many chemicals no longer available to growers. In the
U.S. there are many more chemicals available that can’t be used by growers in
the Netherlands.”

The restrictions on chemical use in the Netherlands have
forced growers to turn to biological controls. In cases where biologicals have
not been as effective in controlling some pests, growers have eliminated
producing some crops.

“Poinsettia growers in the Netherlands can have issues
with whitefly control,” he said. “The growers have only a couple of chemicals
available to control whitefly. For some growers who feel the current chemicals
and biologicals aren’t effective enough to produce a good poinsettia crop, they
are changing to other crops. That is happening with other crops too. Once a
grower has to throw away part of his crop because he doesn’t have the chemicals
he needs, it’s not difficult to switch crops since he’s not making any money.
The growers feel they don’t have the necessary chemicals available because of
the regulations.”

Pieterse said the increase in regulations is just part of
the overall disinterest the Dutch government has for horticulture and the agriculture
industry in general.

“Many government officials don’t seem to be concerned
about passing regulations that impact horticulture and whether or not growers
are able to continue to grow their crops,” he said. “This probably occurs more
with horticulture, but even those involved with agriculture, are feeling the
pressure and moving to other countries. With all of the regulations, it’s
difficult to raise chickens, cows and sheep and make any money.”

A feel for the
market

Pieterse said the one of the major differences between
the U.S. and the Netherlands is the growers’ knowledge of the market. Dutch
growers don’t have the same direct contact with their customers the way that
most U.S. growers do. A lot of product in the Netherlands is sold through the
auctions and is shipped to surrounding countries.

“Europe is made up of many small countries,” he said.
“For transporting flowers into these countries, there are special distributors
or exporters that buy the products at the auctions and then ship them to
various retailers. There is this middle layer of distributors.

“The Dutch growers aren’t really growing for a particular
customer. A lot of growers specialize in just one crop or even one variety.
This can make it difficult for the growers to know what the market really
wants. Growers don’t necessarily know for sure if they can sell the plants they
are producing. Once the crops are taken to the auctions, the exporters buy
plants from different growers so that they can ship their customers a mix of
products.”

John Pieterse said one of the major differences between the United
States and the Netherlands is the growers’ knowledge of the market.
U.S. growers have much more direct contact with their customers.

 

Pieterse said the meetings between U.S. growers and the
retailers allows growers to know what the market wants.

“Talking directly with a buyer from Aldi, Home Depot or
Walmart, growers know what the retailers want, what the market wants,” he said.
“In the Netherlands there are hundreds of small growers. Here in the U.S. there
are much larger growers who grow a wider assortment of plants. It’s easier for
the retailers to deal with fewer growers who can provide a variety of plants. It
makes it much easier for the retailers.”

Since there are so many smaller growers in the
Netherlands and no industry-wide plant specifications, Pieterse said there can
be a lot of variability in the products that are sold at auction.

“In the Netherlands if you buy mums from four different
growers they may be different in size, variety and flower type. Here in the
U.S. that is not a concern because the growers and retailers discuss what is
going to be produced. Here the growers take care of those details along with
the shipping of the finished plants.”

For more: John
Pieterse, Mid-American Growers, johnp@midamg.com; http://www.midamg.com.

David Kuack is a freelance technical writer in Fort
Worth, Texas; dkuack@gmail.com.

Visit our corporate website at https://hortamericas.com.

Hort Americas attends Greenhouse Vegetable Hydroponic Workshop at U of F

William Fry, Hort Americas
customer service representative

University of Florida IFAS Extension held a Starting a Successful Hydroponic Business workshop in Live Oak, Fla., on Jan. 6-7. The two-day workshop will be repeated in March. William Fry, customer service representative at Hort Americas, attended the event and provides some insight about the audience and topics covered.

Who attended and what were they looking to learn about?
The people who attended the hydroponic workshop were there for a variety of reasons. The predominant reason I heard was a need to bring in new income to their existing business. Attendees included cut flower growers looking to restart their businesses, berry growers and people passionate about gardening who wanted to take it to the next level. There were also some people who are currently involved in hydroponics either as growers or as some type of product developer.

What were some of the topics covered in the workshop?
The basics about what hydroponics is and how it is done were covered first. The attendees learned about various aspects of propagation including how to select the proper growing medium for different applications. Other topics included irrigation systems and the importance of water quality. Multi-county extension agent Bob Hochmuth demonstrated several ways that drip irrigation systems can fail to operate properly and how to correct the problems including choosing the right emitters for specific applications. The first day ended with dinner and a discussion about how to successfully market a business.

The second day was spent learning about integrated pest management (IPM) techniques, scouting crops and nutrient management. Classes were conducted at Vertical Horizon Farm in Hobe Sound, Fla. Co-owner Kevin Osburn demonstrated the step-by-step process of how he prepares fertilizers. He explained how to mix fertilizer recipes in different tanks and how to use injectors to deliver nutrient solutions to crops. The class was a very hands-on learning experience, which was not only fun but also very practical.

What did you learn about hydroponics?
There seems to be quite a bit of interest in hydroponics with current growers looking to take their businesses in a new direction. Many of the workshop attendees look at hydroponics as the wave of the future for crop production. The workshop was geared to Florida growers and their specific circumstances. Staff members at the University of Florida extension office in Live Oak seem to be in tune with the needs of state growers and are working diligently with them to achieve success. For more information: University of Florida IFAS Extension, Suwannee County Extension, Live Oak, Fla.; (386) 362-1725.

Visit our corporate website at https://hortamericas.com

50 shades of boom lighting

Although growers who use boom lighting may not know
exactly how much light they are delivering to their plants, they know it is an
efficient and cost effective way to control photoperiod.

By David Kuack

Growers have been using artificial lighting to control
plant photoperiod for over 50 years. Initially growers installed incandescent
lamps for photoperiod control. The lamps were used to either keep short day plants
from flowering or to hasten flowering of long day plants. Growers started using
constant light for different periods during the night.

“At some point the industry and research zeroed in on a
four hour night break,” said Royal Heins, senior technical specialist at Fides Oro. “Lack of electrical service to provide incandescent lighting to the entire
greenhouse at one time led to the need to determine if plants needed to be
lighted continuously during this time period. Research was done and the
recommendation was made that plants should be lighted 20 percent of the time
with a maximum cycle of 30 minutes.

“What was developed was cyclic lighting where one part (20
percent) of a greenhouse would be lit for six minutes and then the lighting
would cycle to the next 20 percent and so on so that within 30 minutes the
lighting would be back to the area where it had started. This cycling would
occur during four hours during the night. This enabled growers to light five
times the area of greenhouse during the night using the same electrical
service.”

Heins said that research also found that 10 footcandles
of incandescent light was sufficient to prevent flowering of short day plants
like chrysanthemums and poinsettias as well as being able to promote flowering
of long day plants like petunia.

Boom lighting uncertainties

Heins said growers who use stationary cyclic lighting in
their greenhouses to prevent or promote flowering know how much light to
deliver and its duration.

“It is relatively easy using stationary cyclic lighting
regardless of whether a grower is producing short or long day plants,” he said.
“What has complicated the issue is growers are now using moveable booms
equipped with lights to create a photoperiodic response. The question becomes
how do growers know whether enough light is being delivered to their plants?

“Research with boom lighting is difficult to do because a
boom delivers light in a cyclic pattern where the light intensity goes from
zero to a maximum level and then back down to zero. How fast does the boom
travel and how bright is the light when the boom comes over the plants
ultimately determines if sufficient light is delivered to provide the desired
photoperiodic response.”
It is more difficult for growers who are using
boom lighting to determine if they are
delivering a sufficient amount of light to
provide the desired photoperiodic response.
Photos courtesy of Catoctin Mountain Growers. 

Adding to the difficulty of determining the proper light
level and duration with boom lighting is the variable length of greenhouse
bays.

“When the boom goes over the plants in the middle of the
bay and then comes back there is a periodicity that is very regular,” Heins
said. “For example, for plants in the middle of the bay it may take 2½ minutes
to go from one end of the bay and then another 2½ minutes to go back. This
results in the plants receiving light every 5 minutes. However, for plants at
the end of the bay it’s going to take 10 minutes before they receive light
again. Trying to manage light delivery with different periodicities based upon
where a plant is located and trying to conduct research based on plant location
is very difficult to do.”

Heins said another factor that growers must consider if
they are planning to install boom lighting is that there is a qualitative and
quantitative response to photoperiodic lighting.

“The qualitative response is that the plant either
flowers or it doesn’t flower,” he said. “That’s simple and straightforward.
With the quantitative response going from no photoperiodic lighting to a
saturated level of photoperiodic lighting, there is a progressive enhancement
of time to flower. As light is added a threshold is passed where the plant
flowers earlier. As more photoperiodic light is added the plant flowers
progressively earlier.

“Growers who use boom lighting to flower long day plants may
know it works. What they don’t know is if it is working as efficiently as
possible. We don’t know if additional light is provided if the plants would
flower even earlier. The growers just know that the plants flowered earlier than
what they would have flowered under natural light conditions.”

Real world experience

Julie Iferd, head grower at Catoctin Mountain Growers in
Detour, Md., said her company has always used some type of photoperiodic lighting.
Initially the company installed fluorescent lights on its irrigation booms, but
most of those lamps have been replaced with metal halide fixtures. The company
grows primarily annuals, garden mums and poinsettias for big box stores,
grocery stores and landscapers.

“The boom lighting we are using is primarily for
photoperiodic control to either keep plants from flowering or to initiate
flowering,” Iferd said. “It depends on the time of year as to what crops we are
lighting.”
Catoctin Mountain Growers initially attached
fluorescent lights to its irrigation booms. 

In the spring Iferd said short day plants, such as
celosia, are lit to prevent them from flowering so the plants can be bulked up.
Long day plants, like petunia, calibrachoa, verbena and lobelia, are also lit
to initiate flowering.

“We also use the lights on our garden mums, some of which
we start as early as May,” Iferd said. “We light the mums to ensure that they
don’t bud up too early. We also use the lights on poinsettias to prevent early
flower initiation.”

Lighting set up

Iferd said one metal halide light fixture is installed at
the center of each irrigation boom truss to provide a more even light
distribution pattern across the greenhouse bay. She said some growers choose to
install two light fixtures per boom to deliver a higher light intensity and to
ensure plants at the edge of the bays receive as much light as those in the
center. When installing light fixtures on booms, Iferd said growers should be
aware of overhead equipment and plants such as hanging basket irrigation
systems to prevent any collisions.

Catoctin Mountain Growers installed one metal halide light fixture
at the center of each irrigation boom truss to provide a more even
light distribution pattern across each greenhouse bay.

“We have found that one metal halide fixture in the
center of the boom is adequate in our 33-foot wide by 300-foot long bays,”
Iferd said. “We have used a light meter to take measurements at the edge of the
bays with black out curtains closed. Even at the farthest distance from the
fixtures the light is perceivable. Also, we have not seen any difference in the
growth pattern between plants in the center and edge of the bays. What we
expect the lights to do, whether it be to keep the short day plants from
initiating flowers or to initiate flowering of long day plants, the lights do
that uniformly across the bays.”

By using the boom lighting Iferd said there are no
stationary light fixtures that can cast shadows on the plants.

“With the boom lighting there is only one lighting
fixture attached to the boom, which is constantly moving, so there isn’t the
concern of causing a shadow effect,” she said. “We have the flexibility of
being able to move the booms where we want them to be. We can also be selective
in what areas and what plants we light. We don’t have to light an entire
300-foot bay. If we had set up the greenhouses with stationary metal halide
lamps, we would have needed a lot more fixtures. That would have been very costly.”

Lighting different
crops

Iferd said when the lights are operating the booms
usually move at a speed of 20 feet per minute. She said depending on their design,
some of the booms can move at even a slower rate.

“We move the booms as slow as we can without having them
getting caught up on a weld,” she said. “Moving the booms as slowly as possible
enables the plants to receive the most amount of light during each pass.”

The time of day that the lights are operating depends on
the plant species.

“For those plants that we are providing a night
interruption that usually occurs between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m.,” Iferd said. “Because
of the length of the bays we do extend the period that we light our mums. We
run a boom in a 100-foot section for four hours and the then move the boom and
run it in another 100-foot section for four hours and so on. For species like
begonia and dahlia we want to give a day length extension to provide 13-14
hours of light. For these we do the day length extension at the end of the day.”

For more:
Royal Heins, Fides Oro, rheins@fides-oro.com; http://www.fides-oro.com. Julie
Iferd, Catoctin Mountain Growers, julie@catoctinmtngrowers.com; http://www.catoctinmtngrowers.com.

David Kuack is a freelance technical writer in Fort
Worth, Texas;
dkuack@gmail.com.

Visit our corporate website at https://hortamericas.com

Hort Americas introduces New Employee, Maria (Bellrose) Luitjohan

We encourage you to take a couple of minutes and get to know Maria.

The following is directly from her:

Getting to know Maria (Bellrose) Luitjohan

My introduction to the Horticulture industry started when I could walk.  I grew up in a family greenhouse business, in Wildwood, MO.  I always enjoyed working at the greenhouse; seeing what was new and up and coming in the industry, networking with customers, and of course setting out mums on the hottest day of the year in the mum field…well maybe not that mum thing, but its all part of the industry.  I studied horticulture at the University of Missouri – Columbia.  During that time I ventured out with my internships at Ball Horticultural as a trial garden intern, during Ball’s centennial anniversary.  The next summer I spent at Goldsmith Seeds as a Breeder intern, that’s where I learned the value of a newly introduced plant variety.  

For the past five years I worked as a Regional Supply Manager for Ball Horticultural managing young plant supply in the Midwest, Great Lakes, and Eastern Canada.  I learned the value of strong supply chain and quality input products to making greenhouses successful.  

Getting married in June 2012 to a native from St. Louis, MO.  We decided being close to family was important enough to leave our careers in Chicago and seek out new opportunities.   I’m excited to be joining Hort Americas, LLC. I will be focused on Marketing, continuing to improve our website and working in customer service to make sure our customers receive the best customer care!

My reason and passion for this industry revolves around the people I have met and the people I am going to meet. So, I would love to hear and learn from you.  Do you have a question on a product, interest in new horticulture technology or information on an industry topic that you would like to share?  Please let me know. 

Maria and Dale recent wedding photo!


I look forward to working with you and Hort Americas thanks you for your business.

Maria 

Visit our corporate website at https://hortamericas.com

RainFresh Harvests uses solar and wind power to sustainably grow its business

Barry Adler, owner of RainFresh Harvests, started a greenhouse vegetable business with the goal of being as sustainable and environmentally-friendly as possible.

Barry Adler, owner of RainFresh Harvests in Plain City, Ohio, was exposed to the use of solar power as a renewable energy source for greenhouses when he was a graduate student at Virginia Tech. He continued to be involved with the use of greenhouses during the 22 years he worked at the Scotts Co., including conducting fertilizer research. Because of his familiarity with greenhouse production it made sense for Adler to look at it as a business option when he left Scotts in 2002.

Continue reading RainFresh Harvests uses solar and wind power to sustainably grow its business

Hort Americas new Supplemental and Artificial Lighting Education Video

Hort Americas just released its newest video designed to help people interested in using supplemental or artificial lighting in hydroponic, vertical farming, urban ag, tissue culture and greenhouse applications.

Whether you are looking to purchase high pressure sodium lamps, need photo-periodic lighting, learn more about LED Grow Lights or simply have any other lighting questions…this video series will help.


Understanding Light Quantity and Its Effect on Commercial Horticulture from C Higgins on Vimeo.

Visit our corporate website at https://hortamericas.com

Seedstock is bringing agricultural entrepreneurs and investors together

While the tech world has received the majority of
investor attention over the last few years, Seedstock is out to make a case for
entrepreneurs focused on sustainable agriculture as a viable investment choice.
By David Kuack
Seedstock in Los Angeles, Calif., is a young company,
less than two years old. But it is a company that cofounder and managing partner
Robert Puro said has a lot of potential.
“Seedstock was started because we saw that there was a
growing opportunity with respect to sustainable agriculture as a viable
economic opportunity,” Puro said.
The product that Seedstock offers is being a facilitator
between entrepreneurs and investors.
“We looked at the major challenges facing the
agricultural system and the amount of food that will need to be produced in
order to supply a growing population. We looked at the world demand. We looked
at that against the amount of land and water that are available. There are a
lot of challenges, but there are also a lot of opportunities. We have become an
aggregator of all of the startups and farms that are using sustainable
practices to show that there is a groundswell of activity in this country.”
Puro said Seedstock is looking at companies that are
trying to use sustainable practices that are helping those companies make
money.
“We look at it from the perspective that sustainability
is not going to exist unless it can make you money,” he said. “The other
component is we want local economies to improve and we want to see the
environment improve, but unfortunately those things can’t happen if the
solutions that are used aren’t economically viable.”
Seedstock – Bringing Investors to Ag Entrepenuers.
Starting with a website
Seedstock began with a website to provide information for
investors and entrepreneurs.
“A lot of what we have been doing with our website is
building our brand and building trust among our reader base and our audience,”
Puro said.”
He said the Seedstock website is a resource of
information that people can’t find anywhere else.
“We track down the information and put it together and
try to get investors interested in it,” he said. “We provide investors with
information to make them more knowledgeable. Then we try to get the investors
together with entrepreneurs, at an event for example. Our goal is to facilitate
dialog between investors and entrepreneurs.”
Puro said that companies written about on the Seedstock
website can be either large or small.
“We really try to look at a company objectively, not
making any judgments,” he said. “In most cases we are writing business
profiles, including start-ups.
“We might write about the challenges a company is facing
with the LED lights it is using? How have its energy costs been impacted? What
are the company’s profits? How much funding has it received? What
considerations does sustainable agriculture play in the creation of the
company’s product? What are its objectives?
“We try to stay away from the advocacy stuff. If company
officials say that their company is trying to save the world, that’s them
saying it, not us.”
Other information posted on the website includes research
from relevant universities and product-related articles.
“It might be a 3-acre farm that is using an innovative
business application that could be potentially implemented in a bigger
operation,” Puro said.
Educational
opportunities
The educational events sponsored by Seedstock are an
integral part of achieving its goal of bringing entrepreneurs and investors
together. Seedstock’s initial event was held on Nov. 27, 2011 at the University
of California-San Diego Business School. It was a panel discussion on the state
of agricultural entrepreneurship.
The company held its first conference on Sustainable
Agriculture Innovation at the UCLA Anderson School of Management this past
October.
“The goal of the conference was to really focus on the
economic opportunities as well as the environmental and societal benefits of
developing and investing in sustainable agricultural solutions, technology and
practices,” Puro said.
The company is planning to increase the number of
educational events that it sponsors.
Seedstock conference in September featured big to small businesses,
including greenhouse tomato grower Casey Houweling.
Gaining momentum
While starting a new company during a down economy may
not have been the best timing, Puro is very excited about the opportunities for
Seedstock.
“We want to facilitate more interest and get more
investors who may be thinking about high tech and the Internet to think about
the opportunities in farming and agriculture,” he said. “There are so many
challenges that could be addressed. As sustainability continues to play a
bigger role in agriculture there are more companies popping up. We are also
seeing more business school students looking at ag ventures. There is
definitely a feeling of momentum.”
For more:
Seedstock, (424) 229-1460; http://www.seedstock.com.
David Kuack is a freelance technical writer in Fort
Worth, Texas; dkuack@gmail.com.

Visit our corporate website at https://hortamericas.com

Hort Americas visits Plant Factories (Vertical Farms), Tokyo and Chiba University

Hort Americas had the opportunity of the year this past week.  Hort Americas was able to visit commercial horticulture businesses (including but not limited to greenhouses, garden centers, vertical farms and plant factories) in Tokyo and Yokohama and then head to an International Meetings on Plant Factory at Chiba University.

We know pictures are worth a thousand words, so please enjoy.

Small garden centers and poinsettias were everywhere.
Plus we had a chance to visit the Sakata Garden Center.

Japanese consumers are definitely willing to pay for quality.

Vertical farming concepts at Farming Frontier 2012

Plant factory research was one of the many reasons for our trip.

Local farmers market in downtown Tokyo.

We will save the details of this one for later.

Green walls on high-end jewelry stores on Ginza St.

Just one display of some of the amazing orchids we saw.

Chiba University is, in our opinion, providing students with an amazing opportunity to innovate  in the green world.
Dr. Kozai – nothing more needs to be said.

Climate-controlled propagation of tomatoes for the greenhouse.

Chiba University branded tomatoes.

Mirai’s Plant Factory at Chiba University.

“Green-Innovation”

Plant factories in the mall – Mirai.

University of Wageningen and Chiba University working together to innovate the horticulture industry.

A very nice reception at Chiba – International Meeting of Plant Factory 2012.

Chiba University

New technology from Mebiol – Greenhouse-grown tomatoes

One final garden center photo.

Should you have additional questions on any of the images, please email us at infohortamericas@gmail.com.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Visit our corporate website at https://hortamericas.com

Video of Vertical Farm Growing Hydroponic Lettuce

Philips Horti LED Division releases a new video of a commercial farm using vertical growing methods, hydroponics and led grow lights to produce hydroponic lettuce.

Enjoy and let us know if there are any questions.  You can contact Hort Americas at infohortamericas at gmail dot com to learn more.

Visit our corporate website at https://hortamericas.com

Vertical Farming Ideology Takes Hold in South Carolina

Hort Americas is always excited to hear about new ideas surrounding innovation and agriculture.

In this case the story is on Vertical Farming and is coming from WBTW News 13 (a CBS affiliate) out of South Carolina.

Watch this video and let the ideas of Urban Agriculture and Vertical Farming inspire you.

If you are interested in learning more on urban agriculture, vertical farming and commercial greenhouse vegetable production (including the use of hydroponic technologies) please watch out for Urban Ag Products (www.urbanagproducts.com).  Urban Ag Products is a new online community being created to help encourage education, innovation and collaboration in the new worlds of commercial horticulture and agriculture.

Visit our corporate website at https://hortamericas.com

Collaboration and Sharing in Horticulture, Vertical Farming, Urban Agriculture and Commercial Hydroponic Vegetable Production

What is the industries willingness to share information?

Who is willing to collaborate to bring new technology to the commercial horticulture industry?

Will Dutch Growers continue to lead the way in innovation as it regards to the Horticulture Industry?

Peter Klapwijk, founder and co-shareholder of the consulting company GreenQ (http://greenq.nl) in Bleiswijk, the Netherlands, is a strong proponent of sharing production information. Klapwijk, who is a former greenhouse tomato grower, knows the importance of cultivation expertise. Peter started as a tomato grower.
Working with a lighting supplier 10-15 years ago, Klapwijk identified production techniques for using artificial light to increase the yield and quality of greenhouse tomatoes. Klapwijk shared what he learned with other growers leading to further advancements in the application of artificial light in the horticulture industry worldwide.
Speaking with Fresh Plaza (http://www.freshplaza.com/news_detail.asp?id=101877#SlideFrame_1), Klapwijk said there is great demand for Dutch agricultural knowledge worldwide. He said unfortunately, this knowledge is often undervalued. Although growers may sometimes feel threatened by competitors who seek this knowledge, Klapwijk said it is this same knowledge that keeps growers working to improve their own operations. Growers can also use their knowledge to make advancements in new markets, particularly foreign ones.
Klapwijk calls for global cooperation in which the sharing of information will benefit both the provider and recipient.

(Hort Americas also found this article from Fresh Plaza very interesting as it implies that the Dutch Fresh Produce Industry (and maybe the fresh produce industry as a whole) “hate the massive amount of high-tech gadgets…” coming to the market.  And Hort Americas would love to hear from you.  Who has an opinion about this article?  Dutch Greenhouse Growers, any opinions?  Dutch horticultural technology suppliers, any opinions?  We cannot wait to hear from you.  infohortamericas@gmail.com

Visit our corporate website at https://hortamericas.com

Algae Production Using LEDs at the University of Kentucky

Algae production could help reduce greenhouse gases

Researchers at the University of Kentucky are using a greenhouse and LED lights to study the feasibility of growing algae with flue gas from coal-burning power plants to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

By David Kuack

Algae are considered a nuisance by commercial greenhouse growers. The warm, moist conditions that occur in greenhouses provide the ideal environment for algae growth.
Algae can be found anywhere these conditions exist, including floors, walkways, under and on benches, on greenhouse glazings and walls, in irrigation pipes and emitters and misting lines, on the surface of evaporative cooling pads and on the surface of growing media in containers and ground beds. Algae can also be a food source for fungus gnats and shore flies. But algae also hold great potential in the production of value-added products.
Even though algae are a problem for growers, these simple green plants hold great potential in the production of biofuels, fertilizers, cosmetics, fish and animal feed and other value-added products. Members of the algae program at the University of Kentucky in Lexington are looking at the potential of algae production to help lower the emission of greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide, from the burning of fossil fuels, particularly coal.
Andy Placido, an engineer associate with the university’s Center for Applied Energy Research, said the restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions will only increase as environmental issues gain in importance among the public and government and regulatory officials.
“Kentucky’s Department of Energy Development and Independence is always looking for ways to make coal cleaner because it is a big part of the state’s economy,” said Placido. “State officials know that there is eventually going to be some type of restrictions or tax on greenhouse gas emissions. Coal produces more carbon dioxide per energy unit than natural gas and other fuels. So officials are trying to evaluate the technology that is available to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”

Algae Production with LEDs
This culture closet is equipped with LED lights and temperature
control. It is used to grow algae from a few milliliters up to
15-20 liters. The algae is then moved into a greenhouse for further
production under  higher light levels and warmer temperatures.

An ample source of carbon dioxide
While most coal-burning power plants in Kentucky have been equipped with scrubbers to remove sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, Placido said little has been done to restrict the amount of carbon dioxide that is generated in the flue gas.
“We are going to be using post-scrubbed flue gas, which is going to contain about 12 percent carbon dioxide and not a whole lot more,” he said. “There is a minimal amount of sulfur and nitrogen. That is the reason we are looking at using the carbon dioxide because there aren’t any mature technologies for the capture of this gas. Right now, we are basically following the same route that occurred during the 1980s when these power plants were looking for the technology to capture the sulfur and nitrogen.”
If the research is successful in capturing and using the carbon dioxide, there is the potential to use some of the sulfur and nitrogen currently being removed from the flue gas by the scrubbers.
“We know that algae use sulfur and nitrogen in addition to carbon dioxide,” he said. “Algae might eventually allow for the scrubbers to be eliminated altogether.”

LED lights and a greenhouse
Placido said the algae culturing system starts in the laboratory where the algae are allowed to multiply.
“We work with the university’s Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering which maintains the algae strains in beakers,” he said. “The algae are purchased in small vials and then cultured up to a few hundred milliliters.”
Placido said this is when he and the other researchers start to work with the algae in an in-house designed culture closet equipped with Philips LED lights.
“We are growing algae indoors with temperature control,” he said. “We are starting to bubble in 5 percent carbon dioxide to allow the algae to acclimate to a higher percentage of carbon dioxide along with the LED lighting as we prepare to move the algae into the sunlight. When there is enough algae that have acclimated (0.05-0.1 gram of algae per liter of water), they will be taken from the culture closet to the greenhouse. In the greenhouse, it will still be a temperature-controlled environment. We’ll allow the algae to grow in the greenhouse and once they become accustomed to the higher light levels and change in temperature, we will take the algae out to the power plant where it will be exposed to outdoor conditions along with the flue gas. That is our algae process chain.”

Maximizing algae growth
LED lights are being used 24 hours a day in the culture room to provide constant light. Placido said they are also looking at using the LEDs outside as a supplement at night and possibly during winter at the power plant so the algae continue to grow.
“During the night algae start to respire during which they release carbon dioxide and take in oxygen,” he said. “This is the reverse process of what happens during the day. By using the LEDs we can keep the algae growing for 24 hours or at least reduce the respiration process. Because the LEDs are very efficient, we expect more algae will be produced than the energy needed to operate the lights.”
Placido said algae split when they grow so production is judged on doubling time. Under optimum light and temperatures in the lab a doubling time of 12-24 hours is achievable.
“With the outdoor conditions we will have with the flue gas, we are hoping to have a doubling time of two to three days,” he said. “We would like to increase the growth rate, but that is going to take some nutrient work along with optimizing the light and temperature levels. Outside we’re at the mercy of Mother Nature.”
Placido said algae growth is much better with the LEDs in a controlled environment than outside under natural conditions. He said the difference in growth comparing inside and outdoor conditions has not been quantified.
“We have gotten much greater algae growth rates inside in the culture closet equipped with LEDs than outside or in the greenhouse even under the best days in regards to light and temperature,” he said.



Algae Production in Photo Reactors
Algae is produced in photo-reactors that can be placed inside or outside  of a  greenhouse.
 The ultimate goal is to build a large reactor adjacent to a coal-burning  power plant
that  will use the carbon dioxide given off in the plant’s flue gas.

Real world use
Placido said when the system is set up at the power plant, more flue gas will be produced than can be used to grow the algae. The flue gas will be pulled into the photo-reactor, which is a series of glass tubes on a steel frame, as carbon dioxide gas is needed.
“Once the system is saturated with carbon dioxide, the algae will be allowed to grow and then will be harvested. More carbon dioxide will be added as it is needed,” he said. “We know that our reactor isn’t nearly big enough to capture all of the carbon dioxide. The reactor we are using only holds about 2,000 gallons of water. That’s a good size, but nowhere near the size we would need to capture all of the carbon dioxide. We have estimated to capture all of the carbon dioxide from this one power plant would require a reactor that would cover 100 acres and take millions of gallons of water.
Placido said the power plant can provide an unlimited amount of steam to keep the water in the reactor tubes from freezing during the winter.
“During the winter with the sun’s heat during day the water temperature would stay above freezing,” he said. “With the steam from the power plant to heat the water along with keeping the water circulating continuously, that should be enough to keep the system from freezing. Then we would supplement the natural light with the LEDs if it was needed.”

Grower potential
Placido said there are some possibilities for commercial growers to produce algae and use algae in the future.
“That is our goal, to find out how we can improve the process for making fuel and how does that compare with other algae-derived products, such as fertilizers, animal feed, etc.,” he said. “Our end goal is to make biofuel. In the future the ideal situation would be for growers to produce their own energy source.”

For more: Andy Placido is Engineer Associate II, University of Kentucky, Center for Applied Energy Research, (859) 257-0223; andy.placido@uky.edu.
David Kuack is a freelance technical writer in Fort Worth, Texas, dkuack@gmail.com.

Visit our corporate website at https://hortamericas.com

New Video Shows Hydroponic Greenhouse Tomatoes being Grown with LEDs

New Video on Growing Hydroponic Tomatoes in a Greenhouse with LEDs

In this video you will see first hand how a Ukrainian Glass Greenhouse Tomato Grower uses the Philips GreenPower LED Interlighting Module to increase production on their hydroponically grown crops.

Please notice that the Interlighting Module does not replace HPS lighting.  It simply enhances other light sources by allowing the lower canopy of the crop to continue to be photo-synthetically active.

Please send any questions you may have to infohortamericas@gmail.com.

Visit our corporate website at https://hortamericas.com