beginner's corner
“
Viable Alternative?
IT IS estimated that 550 billion liters of water is
wasted annually on crop production, and areas once
rich in resources now have limited supplies.”
To prepare for the long journey from farm to table, produce
is often picked unripe, as ripening produce will rot during
transport. Farmers prevent this by picking tomatoes green
off the vine and utilizing GMO seeds that do not contain
the naturally occurring ripening chemical ethylene. By not
allowing produce to ripen fully on the vine, much of the
nutritional value and flavor is lost. This is the reason why
supermarket tomatoes taste dull in comparison to those
bought locally at farmers’ markets. Once unripe tomatoes
reach storage, they are sprayed with artificial ethylene to
trigger the ripening process, and it is here that they will sit
for two to three weeks in cold storage before being shipped
to supermarkets hundreds of miles away. Sanitizers and
fungicides are also applied liberally during storage, again
to prevent rotting. Taste, texture, and nutritional value
begin to deteriorate, and it is said that canned and frozen
produce (tomatoes, peas, corn, etc.) have more nutritional
value than fresh produce, as they are allowed to naturally
ripen before being processed.
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grow cycle
Many within the agriculture community say they believe that
hydroponics is the key to providing communities with locally
sourced, fresh, and nutritious produce year-round. Although
not a new concept, big agriculture has been reluctant to
adopt hydroponics as a viable production alternative.
But continual advancements of technology has brought
hydroponics back into the discussion as a solution for the
issues currently facing big agriculture.
Controlled environment agriculture (CEA) can be a viable
alternative that can change the way we currently source our
produce. Regions such as inner cities that cannot support
traditional forms of agriculture can utilize CEA technology
to provide local communities with fresh produce that would
normally have to be shipped long distances. CEA farms can
be located virtually anywhere and offer many advantages
over traditional agriculture. Plants grow more densely—
on average 500 square feet of hydroponics can produce
850 heads of lettuce, compared to 500 heads for soil farms
of the same size. The quality and consistency that CEA
produces eliminates much of the waste also associated with
traditional agriculture, by producing desirable or shelf-
ready produce regularly. Being able to grow throughout
the year and having an extended growing season prevents
shortages, provides predictable supply, and prevents price
fluctuations. Less water is also utilized, anywhere between
60-90 per cent on average depending on growing method.
Advancements in greenhouse technology is allowing
hydroponic growers to utilize hybrid systems that take
advantage of natural sunlight and renewable energy.