Most of the crops we grow are grown hydroponically. The term "hydroponics," (literally translated as "water-working") refers to the method of growing plants without
using soil. Hydroponic growing has been around for thousands of years, with the earliest examples being the hanging gardens of Babylon. Hydroponics has been used in
commercial production for approximately 50 years.
Like human beings, plants require specific nutrient elements to function and grow. Among those nutrients are Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium, and other
trace elements. These nutrients are dissolved in water and fed directly to the plants, which are growing in a greenhouse in a hydroponic system. This process allows us
to feed the plants exactly what they need, to ensure the highest quality and most nutritious produce available. Do you feed your body only the highest quality nutritious
food? We make sure that our plants only receive the very best! Just as an athelete monitors their diet to acheive greater athletic performance, we supply our crops with
only the best nutrients for optimum growth at all times.
We grow our crops in a greenhouse, which allows us to operate all year round. While most agricultural production here in New England takes place approximately 120 days
per year, we are growing 365 days every year! Do you need fresh, local basil when there is 3 feet of snow on the ground? No problem! How about locally grown lettuce
for you New Year's Eve party? You've got it! The greenhouse environment also helps us to control the plant's physical environment, which helps us to produce crops of
a much higher quality. Exposure to wind, rain, dirt, drought, and insects can all lower taste, texture, and nutritional value.
We use NO PESTICIDES in our growing facility... EVER. We limit any potential insect or disease pests with good sanitation practices and biological insect control.
We regularly introduce different insects that feed on insect pests that would feed on our plants.
As in nature (under ideal conditions), we maintain a healthy balance of "good" bugs to eat any "bad" bugs that would like to feast on our crops. We also keep our
greenhouses clean to keep any "bad" bugs from taking up residence. By carefully providing optimum nutrition and growing conditions, and by keeping our crops free of soil
or pesticides, we can offer you the cleanest, freshest, most delicious vegetables and herbs available!
Because we use no pesticides, many people ask if it is organic. In organic crop production, organic material is added to the soil to provide nutrients for the plants.
A good example would be adding manure to supply Nitrogen for growing crops. Once that manure is incorporated into the soil, it decomposes and breaks down into it's
inorganic, ionic form of Nitrogen. It is only then that a plant can absorb and utilize it. We supply that Nitrogen (in the proper form), via the nutrient solution, directly
to the the plants in our system. Because we don't use soil, there is no decomposition process going on in our system. So, it is for this reason that we do not refer to
our production as organic, but rather PESTICIDE FREE.
Our goal is to provide the cleanest, most nutritious, and best tasting produce available anywhere. Growing in a controlled environment, without the use of soil or
pesticides, is how we accomplish that goal. Please give us a try. We think that you will agree. We also use these methods to conserve nutrients, and perhaps our most
precious resource, water. Our system constantly recirculates the nutrient solution, conserving all unused water and nutrients. Our system uses approximately one tenth of the
amount of water used in conventional growing, and approximately one sixth of the amount of nutrients. With absolutely no runoff, we are conserving our precious
resources and protecting the environment as well.
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