MAX FACTS GROWING TIPS, NEWS AND TRIVIA
Hydroponics Farm in Nevada
The Desert Greens H2O flagship hydroponic greenhouse is the
first of its kind in Nevada. It sits in a patch of desert in the
far south of the valley. The 256-square-foot greenhouse can
hold nearly 4,800 plant sites, including 20 varieties
of lettuce and greens, 20 varieties of tomatoes,
and anything from assorted herbs to
beans and strawberries. Within the
greenhouse, seeds are planted
in a Grodan cube on an A-frame.
The crops get nutrient-rich water
in a system that requires 90 per
cent less water than traditional
farming. “With these systems,
we have our own nutrients we
inject into the systems,” says
systems designer Tom Blount,
adding that the calculated
and controlled environment
packs crops with flavor and
nutrients. Desert Greens
H2O is working with the
University of Nevada’s
Cooperative Extension to
confirm how much water
the system uses, its overall
carbon footprint and the
nutrient values from the crops
produced through this system.
– news3lv.com
US Loves New Zealand’s
Honey Crisp Apples
America’s most sought after apples are back again this
year. New York Apple Sales, Inc. announced that the fifth
consecutive year of Honeycrisp apples from New Zealand
are currently arriving in the US and will be packed in New
York. “Our state-of-the-art packing lines are equipped with
both internal and external defect sorting, insuring retailers
and consumers receive the highest quality Honeycrisp,” says
Kaari Stannard, New York Apple Sales’ president and owner.
Historically, the first Honeycrisps almost didn’t survive. The
original tree was planted in a poor location and suffered
through a brutal winter in the late 1970s and was written
off. A New Zealand farmer found four trees in 1979 that had
propagated before the original was discarded and decided to
give them another chance. A few years later an apple with a
crisp texture and sweet taste drew plenty of attention.
– freshplaza.com
Gardens on Submarines?
The US military is testing out growing plants hydroponically inside a 40-foot shipping container on dry land in the hope it could lead to fresh
vegetables on submarines. Engineering technician Don Holman, who grew up on a farm in Michigan before serving 30 years in the Navy, is
running the $100,000 project at the Army’s Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center in Massachusetts. He says sailors
have been asking for more produce. “When you give someone something they want it improves their morale. And they perform better when
morale is up,” says Holman, who will present a technical report in September so the Navy can decide whether to attempt gardening beneath
the sea. Retired Navy Captain Ronald Steed, a former sub skipper, says it would be a real challenge to fit a garden on a submarine, where
space is extremely tight, “but if they could do it, that would be awesome.”
– dailymail.co.uk
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Maximum Yield USA | September 2016