Last week I attended a meeting where the keynote speaker was Peter G. Hall, Vice-President and Chief Economist for The Economic Development Corporation.
Many growers are concerned about maximizing greenhouse ventilation. In some maximum ventilation designs, condensation control is sacrificed and dripping becomes an issue. This was the case for Hendriks Greenhouses, until they approached GGS Structures Inc. to help solve the problem. Hendriks Greenhouses, located in Beamsville Ontario, wanted a design that balanced both ventilation and condensation control, and GGS responded with the Open Roof Greenhouse design.
Heating costs account for one of the largest operational expenses in a greenhouse. The more efficient your heating system, the more money is in your pocket at the end of the year.
Greenhouse growers can take advantage of the REAP program, which offers grants, guaranteed loans, and combination grant/guaranteed loans to help in the purchasing and installation of renewable energy systems. This is a great opportunity to upgrade your system, as the grant can cover a significant portion of your project costs.
A limited amount of Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program (CAAP) funding is now available for projects requesting up to $20,000 from the Agriculture and Food Council of Alberta (AFC).
In order to place the remainder of uncommitted CAAP funds, AFC will be accepting project Letters of Intent until 12:00 p.m. MST on April 8. Funding available under CAAP is intended to help Alberta’s agriculture industry respond and adapt to emerging challenges.
During every busy shipping season you invariably run into issues that would have been eliminated had a little spring cleaning taken place. The spring cleaning referred to here encompasses more than just a “cleaning” perspective, it also involves planning ahead and taking care of business concerns so they don’t interfere with the busy season. Here are a few points you may want to consider before spring shipping rolls around:
There are many pitfalls to avoid when planning an expansion of your greenhouse. Your business relies on many factors such as crop deadlines and financing – make sure you are planning your new builds accordingly and make the proper considerations. Here are some common mistakes:
Rooftop greenhouses are becoming a more popular option for commercial growers interested in tapping into the “buy local” market for urban centers. They take up no additional land and are ideal for urban areas or small lots where a traditional greenhouse is not possible or practical. Roofs can be considered as wasted surfaces, and represent an important area of potential growth for urban agriculture. The green roof movement can also be incorporated into greenhouse roofs.
There is a current trend that has caused more and more commercial greenhouse growers to switch their oil and propane powered boilers to biomass systems.
Last week I attended a meeting where the keynote speaker was Peter G. Hall, Vice-President and Chief Economist for The Economic Development Corporation.
Many growers are concerned about maximizing greenhouse ventilation. In some maximum ventilation designs, condensation control is sacrificed and dripping becomes an issue. This was the case for Hendriks Greenhouses, until they approached GGS Structures Inc. to help solve the problem. Hendriks Greenhouses, located in Beamsville Ontario, wanted a design that balanced both ventilation and condensation control, and GGS responded with the Open Roof Greenhouse design.
During every busy shipping season you invariably run into issues that would have been eliminated had a little spring cleaning taken place. The spring cleaning referred to here encompasses more than just a “cleaning” perspective, it also involves planning ahead and taking care of business concerns so they don’t interfere with the busy season. Here are a few points you may want to consider before spring shipping rolls around:
There are many pitfalls to avoid when planning an expansion of your greenhouse. Your business relies on many factors such as crop deadlines and financing – make sure you are planning your new builds accordingly and make the proper considerations. Here are some common mistakes:
How well do you know your Greenhouse Operating Costs?
Rooftop greenhouses are becoming a more popular option for commercial growers interested in tapping into the “buy local” market for urban centers. They take up no additional land and are ideal for urban areas or small lots where a traditional greenhouse is not possible or practical. Roofs can be considered as wasted surfaces, and represent an important area of potential growth for urban agriculture. The green roof movement can also be incorporated into greenhouse roofs.
There is a current trend that has caused more and more commercial greenhouse growers to switch their oil and propane powered boilers to biomass systems.
