Sep 20, 2016

Will You Be Attending the NE Greenhouse Conference & Expo?

Have you marked Nov. 9-10 on your calendar? The biennial Northeast Greenhouse Conference & Expo will be taking place at the Holiday Inn, Boxborough, Massachusetts. The event is a great opportunity to learn, share and connect with other industry professionals.

While the conference highlights include educational sessions, a trade show and networking opportunities in all areas of greenhouse production, one area that is receiving a lot of attention is hydroponics.

With the increased interest in growing greenhouse and hydroponic vegetables, four educational sessions will be offered on Thursday, Nov. 10. They are:

• Yield Response to Carbon Dioxide Enrichment — Tom Manning, Rutgers University
• Yield Response to Supplemental Lighting — Celina Gomez, University of Florida
• Growing Basil from Start to Finish — Chris Currey, Iowa State University
• Managing Nutrient Solutions for Hydroponic Leafy Greens and Herbs — Neil Mattson, Cornell University

Space is limited. So if you haven’t registered yet, go to www.negreenhouse.org where you can learn more about the show and check out the detailed schedule.

— Jasmina

Hydroponic Grower Releases Digital Greenhouse Tour

Local Roots Farms, a Los Angeles-based builder of hydroponic vertical farms, recently unveiled a digital tour of one of its greenhouses. Since last September, Local Roots has been converting 40-foot shipping containers into hydroponic farms; each container produces the equivalent of 4 acres of outdoor production. In the digital tour, available on Local Roots’ website, users can navigate through one of the containers where lettuce is being grown.

Gonzaga Hydroponic Greenhouse Celebrates First Year of Success

Sodexo, a leader in quality of life services, recently celebrated the one-year anniversary of the John J. Hemmingson Center Greenhouse at Gonzaga University. The 1,000-square-foot hydroponic facility harvests a variety of produce and herbs. When it first launched, the greenhouse was expected to grow 150 heads of lettuce, but during the past year, Sodexo staff optimized and expanded it to grow even more. The facility now yields 120 heads of lettuce, 30 pounds of tomatoes and a small harvest of peppers and herbs each week. The dining sustainability team at Gonzaga University has a greenhouse education program that provides hands-on experience for students and volunteers.

Aquaponics Market Expected to Reach $906 Million by 2021

According to a recent market research report, conducted by IndustryARC, the global aquaponics market is estimated to reach $906.9 million by 2021. Driven by benefits such as year-round crop production, nutritional value of fish waste, reduced operation time and transport/storage costs, investments for establishing medium- to large-scale projects as well as funds to upgrade the existing systems is increasing over time. The global aquaponics market report provides detailed analysis of the different components, produce type, equipment and end users of aquaponics systems. To request the full report, click here.