Entering a crisis
1/18/2010
Author Robert Glennon says if we don't change the way we value water now, it might be too late.
Robert Glennon. Photo by Daniel SnyderRobert Glennon lives in Arizona. It’s hot. It’s dry. The grass, the flowers, the cats, the dogs – they all scream for water.
But Glennon believes there will be a time when the luscious East is also screaming for water. In his second book, “Unquenchable: America’s Water Crisis and What to Do About It,” Glennon attempts to present solutions to the ever present problem of water. Las Vegas has suggested importing Mississippi River water to solve its shortage problems, Tennessee has had to truck in water from Alabama when it ran out and Lake Superior (the largest freshwater body on Earth) was too shallow to float cargo ships in the summer of 2009.
Glennon says those in the landscaping industry have made large gains for a greener environment, but unless Americans understand the value of water, the latest gizmos and gadgets for water conservation won’t interest them.
What led you to write “Unquenchable”?
I did another book, “Water Follies,” that led me to give talks in 30-something states. In the course of that, I realized there were some real problems in sections of the countries that weren’t water scarce, like Florida, Georgia, North Carolina. I also had a project going on to study what was going on in the West, how water was being reallocated by sales and leases of water. There were people who needed new supplies and were going to farmers and asking them to sell some water. I wanted to write a book that would really resonate with the general public, not just about ground water or surface water, not just the West but also the East that included conservation, dam building and environmental problems.
How are landscape and lawncare professionals handling water?
The people who are working with water – turf, xeriscaping, residential, commercial – they all take pride in what they’re doing. They don’t want to waste water. If they do, they’re threatening their own livelihood in the business.
How do you feel about landscaping companies current use of irrigation techniques?
From my perspective, there’s been some tremendous sophistication for some years. There are smart controllers that use satellite data that can tap into soil sensors. There’s all kinds of neat stuff out there. The technology is there to use water very efficiently. I don’t think there are financial incentives to do so. The price of water is too low. Unless we price it right, people won’t take advantage of the great technology in the industry.
The Irrigation Association recently released a report saying the country used slightly less water in 2005 than in 2000. How do you think it will look in 2010?
Water use has gone down. I think it is absolutely due to changes in the irrigation processes, particularly in the agriculture sector. They’re changing from flood irrigation to center pivot systems and from center pivot systems to drip or micro-irrigation. There is considerable conservation that has come from those practices. There are two problems. The fact that overall national use went down obscures the fact that regionally, we have huge shortages. That’s the problem, the fact that nationwide the overall use is down slightly obscures the fact that people are moving from where the water is to where it isn’t. California, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Florida, Georgia – the fastest growing states in the country are suffering water shortages.
The report is largely based not on people actually using less water, because the number of people (in the country) went up. What really affected the numbers is that industries used less. Power plants used less. With the federal Clean Water Act, it was going to be expensive for industries if they didn’t figure out ways to use water more efficiently. Intel has reduced its water use by 75 percent, but how much more could they reduce? They’re not going to go down another 22 percent to only 3 percent. Both industry and power industry have made substantial improvements in their water use, but we can’t expect that to happen again. There are a lot of demands in new energy.
It’s not an environmental problem, but an economic problem.
What do most people not know about the politics behind water?
Most people don’t even know where their water comes from. There are public opinions in California that show people are woefully ignorant of where their water is coming from. There’s a real challenge for people who are in the water business to try and show people this is a scarce resource.
You can have conservation programs where you run education campaigns. You could have rules and regulations that prohibit watering lawns a certain number of times a week. What we haven’t done in the United States is use price signals. We Americans are spoiled. We wake up in the morning and we turn on the tap and it’s less money than we pay for cell phone service or cable television. It’s very frustrating. There are lots of neat tools out there (for landscape professionals), but in many situations, it’s not even worth installing the meters or the other gizmos because the price of water is so low. The average homeowner has no interest in saving water. As I go around speaking to people in the irrigation business, I hear these horror stories of customers who just don’t have any interest in saving water because the water rates are so cheap. That’s a huge problem.
Have we learned anything from extreme situations? Have ‘temporary’ attitudes – like when a drought limits water use – turned into permanent conservation?
All too often it doesn’t. Georgia is a good example: They didn’t learn a darn thing from the drought. Nothing substantial has changed in Georgia. They saw themselves facing a crisis and they did nothing. They took short-term action. It was a band-aid over the wound. And that’s karma. Apathy rules.
The author is an intern at Lawn & Landscape magazine. She can be reached at kpickerel@gie.net.
Monday, January 18, 2010
The Keys to a Thriving Local Food System
The Key to Local Food Systems' Survival: Strong Community Support
Let's get back to local communities.
By Sara Novak
Columbia, SC, USA | Fri Jan 8, 2010 03:00 PM ET
John Wilkes/Getty Images
READ MORE ABOUT:
Eco-Friendly Foods | Food Miles | Local Food
I read the most interesting article on Grist the other day and it brought to light some local food issues that are not getting nearly enough attention. While farmers' markets are growing, small farms are becoming trendy, and sustainable agriculture has made its way back into the limelight, producers are just one piece of the local food puzzle. According to an article on Grist, without a vibrant rural community, the emerging local food system cannot survive.
If a farmer has no place close to home to have grains milled, livestock butchered, or items sold, a prosperous local community is difficult. Each tiny rural community used to have their own butcher, mill, grocer, and farm supply shop, but in recent decades as industrial and factory farming have taken over, these small entities were pushed out of business. Larger corporate grocers are less likely to purchase local foods because these stores have minimums which most small farmers cannot reach. The same goes for butchers, millers, and processors. We have to think of the big picture to make local food a real force.
The Keys to a Thriving Local Food System
1. Support Local Businesses
For a thriving rural community to exist, you need businesses holding it up. This means always frequenting your neighborhood grocer over large chain establishments. They are much more likely to purchase from local farmers and producers. And on that note, when you're at the store, don't just look for local produce and dairy, try and find boutique food retailers from your area. Also look for local meats. I buy local tofu, jam, honey, and granola (if I don't make my own that week). Tell your friends about your purchases and be the biggest advocate for your community's local food producers.
2. Encourage Entrepreneurship in Your Community
While small size farming is becoming an increasingly well respected field, it's crucial to spread the entrepreneurial spirit to the businesses that support it. Local community colleges used to have classes on butchering and other professional skills like these, but many have fallen by the waist side. Consider taking the plunge and opening a small business yourself. After all, it is the small businesses that hold this nation up.
3. Engage in Community Supported Initiatives
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) has grown in popularity in the past few years and with good reason, it's likely the best deal going for fresh local eats. And Community Supported Restaurants are another step in the right direction. According to Mother Nature Network, the next big thing in the realm of local eating are Community Supported Restaurants. Similar to the way that farms get their funding with CSAs, restaurants receive funding from the community. One of the first restaurants to try the model was Claire's in Hardwick, Vt. The Preservation Trust of Vermont initially contributed $15,000 to the restaurant and then $50,000 was raised by selling $1,000 restaurant coupons to members of the community. This again, encourages entrepreneurship in your small town.
4. Support Local Food Cooperatives
Local food co-ops like Oklahoma Food Cooperative sell food and non-food products that are made in Oklahoma. They do this via an order delivery system based on their Web site and a network of members and volunteers across the state. This makes all of the state's local food available and easy to order. Check and see if your state has such a system and if not, try other local food sites like Local Harvest. Read my guide to finding local food in your community.
5. Become a Ruralpolitan
Rachel wrote that a Wall Street Journal story illustrated the growing trend of "ruralpolitans" moving from urban or even suburban homes and out to the country. Young people are feeling a pull to rural communities and this, in my opinion, is the single most important aspect of a local food structure. Establishing a vibrant rural community is the key. A community that is self sufficient and can survive from within is critical. It's a shift in the current system that may seem overwhelming, but it is so possible and would, in the end, lead to a shifting of the entire food mentality. It's a welcomed change for the planet and the palette.
Let's get back to local communities.
By Sara Novak
Columbia, SC, USA | Fri Jan 8, 2010 03:00 PM ET
John Wilkes/Getty Images
READ MORE ABOUT:
Eco-Friendly Foods | Food Miles | Local Food
I read the most interesting article on Grist the other day and it brought to light some local food issues that are not getting nearly enough attention. While farmers' markets are growing, small farms are becoming trendy, and sustainable agriculture has made its way back into the limelight, producers are just one piece of the local food puzzle. According to an article on Grist, without a vibrant rural community, the emerging local food system cannot survive.
If a farmer has no place close to home to have grains milled, livestock butchered, or items sold, a prosperous local community is difficult. Each tiny rural community used to have their own butcher, mill, grocer, and farm supply shop, but in recent decades as industrial and factory farming have taken over, these small entities were pushed out of business. Larger corporate grocers are less likely to purchase local foods because these stores have minimums which most small farmers cannot reach. The same goes for butchers, millers, and processors. We have to think of the big picture to make local food a real force.
The Keys to a Thriving Local Food System
1. Support Local Businesses
For a thriving rural community to exist, you need businesses holding it up. This means always frequenting your neighborhood grocer over large chain establishments. They are much more likely to purchase from local farmers and producers. And on that note, when you're at the store, don't just look for local produce and dairy, try and find boutique food retailers from your area. Also look for local meats. I buy local tofu, jam, honey, and granola (if I don't make my own that week). Tell your friends about your purchases and be the biggest advocate for your community's local food producers.
2. Encourage Entrepreneurship in Your Community
While small size farming is becoming an increasingly well respected field, it's crucial to spread the entrepreneurial spirit to the businesses that support it. Local community colleges used to have classes on butchering and other professional skills like these, but many have fallen by the waist side. Consider taking the plunge and opening a small business yourself. After all, it is the small businesses that hold this nation up.
3. Engage in Community Supported Initiatives
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) has grown in popularity in the past few years and with good reason, it's likely the best deal going for fresh local eats. And Community Supported Restaurants are another step in the right direction. According to Mother Nature Network, the next big thing in the realm of local eating are Community Supported Restaurants. Similar to the way that farms get their funding with CSAs, restaurants receive funding from the community. One of the first restaurants to try the model was Claire's in Hardwick, Vt. The Preservation Trust of Vermont initially contributed $15,000 to the restaurant and then $50,000 was raised by selling $1,000 restaurant coupons to members of the community. This again, encourages entrepreneurship in your small town.
4. Support Local Food Cooperatives
Local food co-ops like Oklahoma Food Cooperative sell food and non-food products that are made in Oklahoma. They do this via an order delivery system based on their Web site and a network of members and volunteers across the state. This makes all of the state's local food available and easy to order. Check and see if your state has such a system and if not, try other local food sites like Local Harvest. Read my guide to finding local food in your community.
5. Become a Ruralpolitan
Rachel wrote that a Wall Street Journal story illustrated the growing trend of "ruralpolitans" moving from urban or even suburban homes and out to the country. Young people are feeling a pull to rural communities and this, in my opinion, is the single most important aspect of a local food structure. Establishing a vibrant rural community is the key. A community that is self sufficient and can survive from within is critical. It's a shift in the current system that may seem overwhelming, but it is so possible and would, in the end, lead to a shifting of the entire food mentality. It's a welcomed change for the planet and the palette.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
`Wow! This is a little piece of heaven,'
Ambitious Redland roadside stand rises from real-estate collapse
BY ANA VECIANA-SUAREZ
aveciana@MiamiHerald.com
Preserves, pasta sauce and fresh fruits are among the products at Whitney's Produce and Market Place. A couple of years back, when real estate was booming and the good times rolling, Glenn and Christina Whitney used their bucolic five-acre plot in the Redland as a place to park the 25 or so vehicles they owned through their property management company.
The orchard with the waxy-leafed trees and plump avocados? An afterthought -- a tasty one, to be sure, but an afterthought just the same. They always hired someone to pick and pack the crop.
Then last year the packing house returned 17 boxes of avocados because they were too small to sell commercially.
What to do?
``We had to change work hats,'' says Glenn. ``There was no way we could eat or do anything with that many avocados.''
So they set up a roadside stand in the front of the orchard at Southwest 232nd Street and 139th Avenue. The avocados sold like . . . well, like avocados do in South Florida.
That inspired the Whitneys. The real estate market was tanking and their property management business slowing; they had cut their 55-person staff to 15. It was time to make better use of their rural land.
Thus was Whitney's Produce & Market Place born. In the year since, the couple has put up a pole barn -- ``We really needed the shade,'' Christina says -- added refrigeration and expanded their offerings.
``Little by little we just got into it,'' says Christina, whose family was busy this week protecting plants from the cold with plastic sheeting. ``We had the Key limes, so we started making Key lime pie. Then we had all those banana trees and I had this recipe we all really like, so it was the banana bread.''
Strawberry jam, mango bread, guacaomole dip, spaghetti sauce, smoothies and milkshakes joined the lineup along with fresh fruits and vegetables. Next field-to-table items in the pipeline: grilled tomato sandwiches and tomato soup.
As the business expands, the Whitneys hope to create ``a Norman Brothers kind of place where you come to eat and relax and just enjoy yourself,'' says Glenn, referring to the landmark Kendall produce market. ``We want this to be a place you experience.''
``They have lots of places to sit, so I always stick around to talk,'' says customer Joan Cortez, who stops by two or three times a week. ``They're the nicest people going. They have the perfect personality for what they're doing.''
Her favorite item? ''They have a Key lime pie that is to die for.''
``They have this vision of what they want to do and how they want to make people feel when they're here,'' says Glenn's sister, Robin Cromer, who moved from Orlando with her husband, Tim, to help with the operation.
The Whitneys, Cromer says, are not afraid to experiment. Case in point: the hydroponic stackers suggested to them by Miami-Dade County Agriculture Manager Charles LaPradd as a way to maximum space.
They now have about 5,000 plants -- broccoli, squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, strawberries, even corn -- growing in a perlite and vermiculite medium in white poly-styrene stacked pots. Glenn dreams of expanding to 150,000 plants.
``It's amazing how this saves space,'' he says, leading a visitor down the tidy rows. ``You can put 100,000 plants on an acre, and you use 80 percent less water.''
They've also added a post on the east side of the property so trail riders can tie their horses when they stop by for a snack. A bucket of water and fresh carrots are provided, too.
One Sunday a month, they invite customers on their growing e-mail list to a potluck. They cook the main dish and guests -- usually 20 to 30 -- others provide the sides.
Most customers spot the place driving by or hear about it from friends. Nancy Moller of West Kendall found out about Whitney's from Cortez, a fellow teacher at Oliver Hoover Elementary. Moller comes for the fresh herbs and red sauce.
``It's great to get away the commercial and boxed stuff,'' she says. ``Every time I'm in the area I make sure to stop by.''
Christine, 44, comes from a New Jersey farming family that also ran a restaurant and catering company. Glenn,50, was born and raised in Cutler Ridge (now known as Cutler Bay). His dad, a Marine colonel, and mom, a Julliard-trained musician, kept their six children busy with sports, music lessons and church activities. As a kid, Glenn ran his own lawn service and washed dishes at a restaurant.
Though he eventually raced cars in the Florida Pro Series, he stayed in the restaurant business for a while, learning to make everything from spaghetti sauce to subs. Recipes he perfected in that past life have become the inspiration for the products he now sells. His guacamole dip, for instance, is flavored with unusual ingredients: crushed pistachio nuts and goat cheese.
When he brought Christine out to the Redland for the first time in the late 1990s, ``I thought, `Wow! This is a little piece of heaven,' '' she recalls.
Now they spend 12-plus-hour days baking, cooking, cleaning, picking fruit, trimming trees. Their three teenage daughters join them on weekends.
``Being outdoors and working with family is how life should be,'' Christine says. ``I love it. We eat lunch together, we plan together. We cook and eat fresh produce together.''
``Yep,'' quips Glenn. ``Being out here is also about as close I can get to playing golf.''
BY ANA VECIANA-SUAREZ
aveciana@MiamiHerald.com
Preserves, pasta sauce and fresh fruits are among the products at Whitney's Produce and Market Place. A couple of years back, when real estate was booming and the good times rolling, Glenn and Christina Whitney used their bucolic five-acre plot in the Redland as a place to park the 25 or so vehicles they owned through their property management company.
The orchard with the waxy-leafed trees and plump avocados? An afterthought -- a tasty one, to be sure, but an afterthought just the same. They always hired someone to pick and pack the crop.
Then last year the packing house returned 17 boxes of avocados because they were too small to sell commercially.
What to do?
``We had to change work hats,'' says Glenn. ``There was no way we could eat or do anything with that many avocados.''
So they set up a roadside stand in the front of the orchard at Southwest 232nd Street and 139th Avenue. The avocados sold like . . . well, like avocados do in South Florida.
That inspired the Whitneys. The real estate market was tanking and their property management business slowing; they had cut their 55-person staff to 15. It was time to make better use of their rural land.
Thus was Whitney's Produce & Market Place born. In the year since, the couple has put up a pole barn -- ``We really needed the shade,'' Christina says -- added refrigeration and expanded their offerings.
``Little by little we just got into it,'' says Christina, whose family was busy this week protecting plants from the cold with plastic sheeting. ``We had the Key limes, so we started making Key lime pie. Then we had all those banana trees and I had this recipe we all really like, so it was the banana bread.''
Strawberry jam, mango bread, guacaomole dip, spaghetti sauce, smoothies and milkshakes joined the lineup along with fresh fruits and vegetables. Next field-to-table items in the pipeline: grilled tomato sandwiches and tomato soup.
As the business expands, the Whitneys hope to create ``a Norman Brothers kind of place where you come to eat and relax and just enjoy yourself,'' says Glenn, referring to the landmark Kendall produce market. ``We want this to be a place you experience.''
``They have lots of places to sit, so I always stick around to talk,'' says customer Joan Cortez, who stops by two or three times a week. ``They're the nicest people going. They have the perfect personality for what they're doing.''
Her favorite item? ''They have a Key lime pie that is to die for.''
``They have this vision of what they want to do and how they want to make people feel when they're here,'' says Glenn's sister, Robin Cromer, who moved from Orlando with her husband, Tim, to help with the operation.
The Whitneys, Cromer says, are not afraid to experiment. Case in point: the hydroponic stackers suggested to them by Miami-Dade County Agriculture Manager Charles LaPradd as a way to maximum space.
They now have about 5,000 plants -- broccoli, squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, strawberries, even corn -- growing in a perlite and vermiculite medium in white poly-styrene stacked pots. Glenn dreams of expanding to 150,000 plants.
``It's amazing how this saves space,'' he says, leading a visitor down the tidy rows. ``You can put 100,000 plants on an acre, and you use 80 percent less water.''
They've also added a post on the east side of the property so trail riders can tie their horses when they stop by for a snack. A bucket of water and fresh carrots are provided, too.
One Sunday a month, they invite customers on their growing e-mail list to a potluck. They cook the main dish and guests -- usually 20 to 30 -- others provide the sides.
Most customers spot the place driving by or hear about it from friends. Nancy Moller of West Kendall found out about Whitney's from Cortez, a fellow teacher at Oliver Hoover Elementary. Moller comes for the fresh herbs and red sauce.
``It's great to get away the commercial and boxed stuff,'' she says. ``Every time I'm in the area I make sure to stop by.''
Christine, 44, comes from a New Jersey farming family that also ran a restaurant and catering company. Glenn,50, was born and raised in Cutler Ridge (now known as Cutler Bay). His dad, a Marine colonel, and mom, a Julliard-trained musician, kept their six children busy with sports, music lessons and church activities. As a kid, Glenn ran his own lawn service and washed dishes at a restaurant.
Though he eventually raced cars in the Florida Pro Series, he stayed in the restaurant business for a while, learning to make everything from spaghetti sauce to subs. Recipes he perfected in that past life have become the inspiration for the products he now sells. His guacamole dip, for instance, is flavored with unusual ingredients: crushed pistachio nuts and goat cheese.
When he brought Christine out to the Redland for the first time in the late 1990s, ``I thought, `Wow! This is a little piece of heaven,' '' she recalls.
Now they spend 12-plus-hour days baking, cooking, cleaning, picking fruit, trimming trees. Their three teenage daughters join them on weekends.
``Being outdoors and working with family is how life should be,'' Christine says. ``I love it. We eat lunch together, we plan together. We cook and eat fresh produce together.''
``Yep,'' quips Glenn. ``Being out here is also about as close I can get to playing golf.''
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
"Everybody needs to eat..."
How one farm got off the ground in Sarasota
By Kate Spinner Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Published: Monday, January 4, 2010 at 1:00 a.m.
Last Modified: Sunday, January 3, 2010 at 10:50 p.m.
SARASOTA - In an industrial park about a mile from Main Street, mechanics repair cars, cleaners launder draperies and Vincent Dessberg grows crops on the roof of his old glass shop.
Dessberg used to fuse glass into colorful windows. But after the economic downturn he turned from the kiln, seeing better opportunity on his 3,000 square-foot roof.
"Nobody needs glass. Everybody needs to eat," he said.
His lettuce is selling at the Sarasota Downtown Farmer's Market. Other fruits and vegetables -- cauliflower, okra, goji berries -- are bound for dinner plates at some of the city's best restaurants.
With about 6,000 plants, this new small farm is by far the most urban in the county. Crops grow vertically in 180 hydroponic planters that stand about six feet tall.
Another 114 pots border a shaded chain link fence that keeps people and plants from plunging to the asphalt below.
While big cities such and New York and Montreal embraced rooftop agriculture a few years ago, Dessberg is setting this green trend in Sarasota on a commercial scale.
Pipes transport water and fertilizer above a dizzying maze of green. Clusters of ripening strawberries and fat green tomatoes dangle from hearty vines. Heads of lettuce and leaves of broccoli and arugula burst from a soil of coconut husk and perlite.
The list of crops seems endless: cucumbers, broccoli, squash, peppers, mustard greens beans, cauliflower, herbs. Innterest from restaurants is growing, said John Matthews, founder of Suncoast Food Alliance, a business that connects area restaurants with fresh produce from local farmers.
"A little bit of it is the novelty," Matthews said. "Restaurants can use that as an enticement."
The hydroponic set-up, including plants, cost $25,000. If sales go well, Dessberg plans to expand to other roofs. Already, he said, he has an offer of roof space from a neighboring business.
He is also considering opening a small restaurant himself in the shop space.
The farm began as a home experiment. Dessberg bought about 50 hydroponic stacks last year and learned growing techniques. He had enough success that he planned to expand horizontally on a neighbor's three acres, until the deal fell through.
Later, he logged on to Google Earth, the computer program allowing people to zoom in on satellite images globally. His farming inspiration came from the colorful rooftops of Tokyo.
Now, he wants everyone with a flat roof to follow his lead.
"If it's a flat roof it should have farming. If it's a slanted roof it should have solar panels," Dessberg said.
Although the rooftop approach is unique, Dessberg is not in uncharted territory.
Hydroponic farming can be a profitable businesses, said John Lawson, owner of Hydro Harvest Farms in Ruskin.
After "a six figure expenditure" in the business five years ago, Lawson expects a profit this year or next.
Lawson has volume on his side. He grows 25,000 plants on about an acre -- an amount that would take six to seven acres on a conventional farm.
He turned to hydroponics because of limited space and to conserve water. The method demands just 20 percent of the water a traditional farm needs.
Rooftop hydroponics also appeals to Lawson. He is partnering with Florida Aquarium in Tampa to build a hydroponic farm on the roof there next year.
Those rooftop vegetables will not go to restaurants, however. Instead, the crops will feed fish.
By Kate Spinner Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Published: Monday, January 4, 2010 at 1:00 a.m.
Last Modified: Sunday, January 3, 2010 at 10:50 p.m.
SARASOTA - In an industrial park about a mile from Main Street, mechanics repair cars, cleaners launder draperies and Vincent Dessberg grows crops on the roof of his old glass shop.
Dessberg used to fuse glass into colorful windows. But after the economic downturn he turned from the kiln, seeing better opportunity on his 3,000 square-foot roof.
"Nobody needs glass. Everybody needs to eat," he said.
His lettuce is selling at the Sarasota Downtown Farmer's Market. Other fruits and vegetables -- cauliflower, okra, goji berries -- are bound for dinner plates at some of the city's best restaurants.
With about 6,000 plants, this new small farm is by far the most urban in the county. Crops grow vertically in 180 hydroponic planters that stand about six feet tall.
Another 114 pots border a shaded chain link fence that keeps people and plants from plunging to the asphalt below.
While big cities such and New York and Montreal embraced rooftop agriculture a few years ago, Dessberg is setting this green trend in Sarasota on a commercial scale.
Pipes transport water and fertilizer above a dizzying maze of green. Clusters of ripening strawberries and fat green tomatoes dangle from hearty vines. Heads of lettuce and leaves of broccoli and arugula burst from a soil of coconut husk and perlite.
The list of crops seems endless: cucumbers, broccoli, squash, peppers, mustard greens beans, cauliflower, herbs. Innterest from restaurants is growing, said John Matthews, founder of Suncoast Food Alliance, a business that connects area restaurants with fresh produce from local farmers.
"A little bit of it is the novelty," Matthews said. "Restaurants can use that as an enticement."
The hydroponic set-up, including plants, cost $25,000. If sales go well, Dessberg plans to expand to other roofs. Already, he said, he has an offer of roof space from a neighboring business.
He is also considering opening a small restaurant himself in the shop space.
The farm began as a home experiment. Dessberg bought about 50 hydroponic stacks last year and learned growing techniques. He had enough success that he planned to expand horizontally on a neighbor's three acres, until the deal fell through.
Later, he logged on to Google Earth, the computer program allowing people to zoom in on satellite images globally. His farming inspiration came from the colorful rooftops of Tokyo.
Now, he wants everyone with a flat roof to follow his lead.
"If it's a flat roof it should have farming. If it's a slanted roof it should have solar panels," Dessberg said.
Although the rooftop approach is unique, Dessberg is not in uncharted territory.
Hydroponic farming can be a profitable businesses, said John Lawson, owner of Hydro Harvest Farms in Ruskin.
After "a six figure expenditure" in the business five years ago, Lawson expects a profit this year or next.
Lawson has volume on his side. He grows 25,000 plants on about an acre -- an amount that would take six to seven acres on a conventional farm.
He turned to hydroponics because of limited space and to conserve water. The method demands just 20 percent of the water a traditional farm needs.
Rooftop hydroponics also appeals to Lawson. He is partnering with Florida Aquarium in Tampa to build a hydroponic farm on the roof there next year.
Those rooftop vegetables will not go to restaurants, however. Instead, the crops will feed fish.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Florida is too busy trying to build more subdivisions than it is sustaining its population. "The possibilities are limited only by lack of will."
The demand is there for locally grown food
By Cynthia Oi
POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Jan 03, 2010
The thought that Hawaii could produce enough food to feed its human inhabitants comes up from time to time. It is usually dismissed as a fanciful idea of sentimentalists wanting to return to a Utopian island existence that never really was.
Now comes a study suggesting that early Hawaiian agriculture was vast and substantially more complex than previously known, implying that what was grown fed a population of perhaps a million people, which is about the present occupancy of Hawaii.
Samuel M. Gon III was clearly excited by the findings of a team of researchers and scientists from noted institutions.
"If a million mouths could be fed back then, this points to a future where we can wean our reliance on food from the outside world," said Gon, who as senior scientist with The Nature Conservancy in Hawaii participated in the study.
I admire Gon's vision, but I doubt that many of Hawaii's political, business, corporate and investment leaders would accept his assessment. Neither would many who claim to represent agriculture and farming interests here.
Hawaii is too far gone in its obligations to use its land and water for other purposes. Those natural resources produce far more dollars when consumed for roofs and walls and for quenching a thirst for revenue streams fed by an ever-increasing number of people, both transient and permanent.
To change direction would be like trying to divert a rail car by heaping taro on a $5 billion track. And with food tastes the way they are, with hamburgers and fries as typical sustenance rather than poi and sweet potatoes, growing everything we want to eat would be impossible.
Still, we can cultivate a lot of what goes into our meals.
A look at the dozens of farmers markets that have sprung up on every island in the past few years—proof of the desire of local consumers for local foods—shows the wealth of fruits, veggies, meat, eggs and dairy products that originate in native soil.
Speckled oranges from trees in Kau, considered unconventional two decades ago, are now common in grocery stores. Local lemons also look different, but their flavor and juice are far better than that of the yellow, thick-pith varieties from California, Florida or Mexico.
Strawberries from Kula or Waimea take the shortcake to higher taste levels, and, if experimental crops turn out well, blueberries and other summer berries from Hawaii island and Maui will soon be on our tables year-round.
Less fancy stuff, like bok choy, onions, peppers, potatoes and leafy greens are already familiar, locally grown plate-lunch ingredients. With planning and incentives, those could be part of school lunches as well.
Maybe we can't grow staples like rice, wheat and cattle in financially practical quantities. But there are thousands of empty acres, all suitable for one kind of crop or another.
If farmers had the infrastructure they needed—dependable water supply, long-term land leases, reasonably priced, reliable transportation and distribution networks—Hawaii could become less dependent on California, Florida and Mexico for food.
The possibilities are limited only by lack of will.
Cynthia Oi can be reached at coi@starbulletin.com.The thought that Hawaii could produce enough food to feed its human inhabitants comes up from time to time. It is usually dismissed as a fanciful idea of sentimentalists wanting to return to a Utopian island existence that never really was.
Now comes a study suggesting that early Hawaiian agriculture was vast and substantially more complex than previously known, implying that what was grown fed a population of perhaps a million people, which is about the present occupancy of Hawaii.
Samuel M. Gon III was clearly excited by the findings of a team of researchers and scientists from noted institutions.
"If a million mouths could be fed back then, this points to a future where we can wean our reliance on food from the outside world," said Gon, who as senior scientist with The Nature Conservancy in Hawaii participated in the study.
I admire Gon's vision, but I doubt that many of Hawaii's political, business, corporate and investment leaders would accept his assessment. Neither would many who claim to represent agriculture and farming interests here.
Hawaii is too far gone in its obligations to use its land and water for other purposes. Those natural resources produce far more dollars when consumed for roofs and walls and for quenching a thirst for revenue streams fed by an ever-increasing number of people, both transient and permanent.
To change direction would be like trying to divert a rail car by heaping taro on a $5 billion track. And with food tastes the way they are, with hamburgers and fries as typical sustenance rather than poi and sweet potatoes, growing everything we want to eat would be impossible.
Still, we can cultivate a lot of what goes into our meals.
A look at the dozens of farmers markets that have sprung up on every island in the past few years—proof of the desire of local consumers for local foods—shows the wealth of fruits, veggies, meat, eggs and dairy products that originate in native soil.
Speckled oranges from trees in Kau, considered unconventional two decades ago, are now common in grocery stores. Local lemons also look different, but their flavor and juice are far better than that of the yellow, thick-pith varieties from California, Florida or Mexico.
Strawberries from Kula or Waimea take the shortcake to higher taste levels, and, if experimental crops turn out well, blueberries and other summer berries from Hawaii island and Maui will soon be on our tables year-round.
Less fancy stuff, like bok choy, onions, peppers, potatoes and leafy greens are already familiar, locally grown plate-lunch ingredients. With planning and incentives, those could be part of school lunches as well.
Maybe we can't grow staples like rice, wheat and cattle in financially practical quantities. But there are thousands of empty acres, all suitable for one kind of crop or another.
If farmers had the infrastructure they needed—dependable water supply, long-term land leases, reasonably priced, reliable transportation and distribution networks—Hawaii could become less dependent on California, Florida and Mexico for food.
The possibilities are limited only by lack of will.
Cynthia Oi can be reached at coi@starbulletin.com.
By Cynthia Oi
POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Jan 03, 2010
The thought that Hawaii could produce enough food to feed its human inhabitants comes up from time to time. It is usually dismissed as a fanciful idea of sentimentalists wanting to return to a Utopian island existence that never really was.
Now comes a study suggesting that early Hawaiian agriculture was vast and substantially more complex than previously known, implying that what was grown fed a population of perhaps a million people, which is about the present occupancy of Hawaii.
Samuel M. Gon III was clearly excited by the findings of a team of researchers and scientists from noted institutions.
"If a million mouths could be fed back then, this points to a future where we can wean our reliance on food from the outside world," said Gon, who as senior scientist with The Nature Conservancy in Hawaii participated in the study.
I admire Gon's vision, but I doubt that many of Hawaii's political, business, corporate and investment leaders would accept his assessment. Neither would many who claim to represent agriculture and farming interests here.
Hawaii is too far gone in its obligations to use its land and water for other purposes. Those natural resources produce far more dollars when consumed for roofs and walls and for quenching a thirst for revenue streams fed by an ever-increasing number of people, both transient and permanent.
To change direction would be like trying to divert a rail car by heaping taro on a $5 billion track. And with food tastes the way they are, with hamburgers and fries as typical sustenance rather than poi and sweet potatoes, growing everything we want to eat would be impossible.
Still, we can cultivate a lot of what goes into our meals.
A look at the dozens of farmers markets that have sprung up on every island in the past few years—proof of the desire of local consumers for local foods—shows the wealth of fruits, veggies, meat, eggs and dairy products that originate in native soil.
Speckled oranges from trees in Kau, considered unconventional two decades ago, are now common in grocery stores. Local lemons also look different, but their flavor and juice are far better than that of the yellow, thick-pith varieties from California, Florida or Mexico.
Strawberries from Kula or Waimea take the shortcake to higher taste levels, and, if experimental crops turn out well, blueberries and other summer berries from Hawaii island and Maui will soon be on our tables year-round.
Less fancy stuff, like bok choy, onions, peppers, potatoes and leafy greens are already familiar, locally grown plate-lunch ingredients. With planning and incentives, those could be part of school lunches as well.
Maybe we can't grow staples like rice, wheat and cattle in financially practical quantities. But there are thousands of empty acres, all suitable for one kind of crop or another.
If farmers had the infrastructure they needed—dependable water supply, long-term land leases, reasonably priced, reliable transportation and distribution networks—Hawaii could become less dependent on California, Florida and Mexico for food.
The possibilities are limited only by lack of will.
Cynthia Oi can be reached at coi@starbulletin.com.The thought that Hawaii could produce enough food to feed its human inhabitants comes up from time to time. It is usually dismissed as a fanciful idea of sentimentalists wanting to return to a Utopian island existence that never really was.
Now comes a study suggesting that early Hawaiian agriculture was vast and substantially more complex than previously known, implying that what was grown fed a population of perhaps a million people, which is about the present occupancy of Hawaii.
Samuel M. Gon III was clearly excited by the findings of a team of researchers and scientists from noted institutions.
"If a million mouths could be fed back then, this points to a future where we can wean our reliance on food from the outside world," said Gon, who as senior scientist with The Nature Conservancy in Hawaii participated in the study.
I admire Gon's vision, but I doubt that many of Hawaii's political, business, corporate and investment leaders would accept his assessment. Neither would many who claim to represent agriculture and farming interests here.
Hawaii is too far gone in its obligations to use its land and water for other purposes. Those natural resources produce far more dollars when consumed for roofs and walls and for quenching a thirst for revenue streams fed by an ever-increasing number of people, both transient and permanent.
To change direction would be like trying to divert a rail car by heaping taro on a $5 billion track. And with food tastes the way they are, with hamburgers and fries as typical sustenance rather than poi and sweet potatoes, growing everything we want to eat would be impossible.
Still, we can cultivate a lot of what goes into our meals.
A look at the dozens of farmers markets that have sprung up on every island in the past few years—proof of the desire of local consumers for local foods—shows the wealth of fruits, veggies, meat, eggs and dairy products that originate in native soil.
Speckled oranges from trees in Kau, considered unconventional two decades ago, are now common in grocery stores. Local lemons also look different, but their flavor and juice are far better than that of the yellow, thick-pith varieties from California, Florida or Mexico.
Strawberries from Kula or Waimea take the shortcake to higher taste levels, and, if experimental crops turn out well, blueberries and other summer berries from Hawaii island and Maui will soon be on our tables year-round.
Less fancy stuff, like bok choy, onions, peppers, potatoes and leafy greens are already familiar, locally grown plate-lunch ingredients. With planning and incentives, those could be part of school lunches as well.
Maybe we can't grow staples like rice, wheat and cattle in financially practical quantities. But there are thousands of empty acres, all suitable for one kind of crop or another.
If farmers had the infrastructure they needed—dependable water supply, long-term land leases, reasonably priced, reliable transportation and distribution networks—Hawaii could become less dependent on California, Florida and Mexico for food.
The possibilities are limited only by lack of will.
Cynthia Oi can be reached at coi@starbulletin.com.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Not how I think about our food supply, but what do I know?
Agri-Food Thoughts
by Ned W. Schmidt
Living in Florida, as this author does, often comes with minor problems. As one of the biggest batches of cold, snowy winter storms ravages North America, records of all kinds are being broken. Dallas, as an example, had a white Christmas for the first time in 80 years. But, the UK also has problems. Winter weather there may have damaged the Brussels sprouts crop. Is that not real suffering? Relative to all that, what is our problem in Florida? Cannot remember where we put that pair of socks last year.
We can soon place global warming on the List of Never Happened Forecasts. That list was officially started the day after the Millennium. Also on it is a perennial favorite, going around again, of the imminent collapse of the Chinese economy. U.S. Congress is considering a law that is claimed will reduce the U.S. deficit. On the Never Happen List that goes. And a real favorite on that list is that equities never have a ten-year loss. Perhaps best of a year ago was that commodity investing was dead.
As the year is drawing to a close, our fist chart above seems appropriate. For 2009, the S&P 500 price return will likely be better than that for Agri-Food commodity prices. However, the difference is not much. That said, longer term superiority of the return provided by Agri-Food commodity prices is readily evident in that chart.
Our second chart, below, looks at the price change of the more important Agri-Food prices over the past almost three years. All of them show a percentage change better than the S&P 500. In fact a box of oats in the pantry outperformed the stock market over that period of time. Not bad for an investment theme declared dead on numerous occasions by investment gurus.
Many reasons might explain why Agri-Food prices have risen more than the value of equities. However, the principal reason is that Agri-Foods are bought to be consumed. Stocks are bought to be sold. The supply of Agri-Food is finite, while the supply of equities is infinite.
If one buys a share of IBM, that stock is moved from one investor's portfolio to the buyer's portfolio. It might reside there for years. It does not disappear. However, if one buys a pound of rice, the intentions of the buyer are very clear. The buyer intends to eat it. That rice will disappear, be consumed, never again to be seen. Prices for Agri-Foods are real economic transactions, not financial transactions like that purchase of IBM stock.
A further difference is that the transaction in IBM stock does not change the total supply of IBM stock in existence. A purchase of corn will be consumed, and therefore reduce the total supply of corn in existence. Agri-Food transactions reduce the available supply.
Transactions in IBM stock can continue to occur even if no new IBM stock is created. If no soybeans are produced by farmers growing it in the dirt, no future transactions in soybeans can occur. Soybeans are not produced in a factory, and neither are corn, oats, canola, etc.
The future supply of Agri-Food is influenced by today's prices. If the price of IBM stock declines, the future supply of IBM stock will be unaffected. If the price of wheat declines today, the future supply of wheat will decline. The farmer may wish to produce wheat in the future. However, if a price sufficient to cover the costs of future planting, feeding, and harvesting of wheat is not received, ultimately the farmer will be unable to produce wheat.
Higher Agri-Food prices and larger volumes translate into revenue growth for the producers of Agri-Foods. They will spend those revenues with those vendors that provide them with everything from seed to fertilizer to machinery. Those buying from the farmers will also have higher revenues.
As our final chart above shows, the shares of those companies active in the Agri-Food revenue stream have performed quite well to date. The next year will not likely repeat the excellent results of 2009, but that may be true of all equities. That acknowledgment made, the economic prospects for these companies in the coming decade seem good.
Few opportunities exist for global investors to participate in the positive investment consequences of economic growth in China and India. Agri-Food is a sector that benefits from the higher consumer incomes and spending that flow from that economic growth. Imagine 2.4 billion consumers striving to buy the products produced and delivered by Agri-Food companies. Where else can you find such strong fundamentals? To start building your knowledge of Agri-Food use this link: http://home.att.net/~nwschmidt/Order_AgriValueRECENT.html
The exceptional response to the 3rd Annual U.S. Agricultural Land As An Investment Portfolio Consideration, 2009 has exceeded expectations. This work is the definitive annual study of the role of U.S. agricultural land in an investment portfolio. It is a rigorous statistical analysis suitable for the sophisticated investor. The 60 page PDF file is delivered via email, and is available at the following link: http://home.att.net/~nwschmidt/OrderAgriLand2009.html
AGRI-FOOD THOUGHTS is from Ned W. Schmidt,CFA,CEBS, publisher of The Agri-Food Value View, a monthly exploration of the Agri-Food grand cycle being created by China, India, and Eco-energy. To receive this publication, use this link: http://home.att.net/~nwschmidt/Order_AgriValue.html.
by Ned W. Schmidt
Living in Florida, as this author does, often comes with minor problems. As one of the biggest batches of cold, snowy winter storms ravages North America, records of all kinds are being broken. Dallas, as an example, had a white Christmas for the first time in 80 years. But, the UK also has problems. Winter weather there may have damaged the Brussels sprouts crop. Is that not real suffering? Relative to all that, what is our problem in Florida? Cannot remember where we put that pair of socks last year.
We can soon place global warming on the List of Never Happened Forecasts. That list was officially started the day after the Millennium. Also on it is a perennial favorite, going around again, of the imminent collapse of the Chinese economy. U.S. Congress is considering a law that is claimed will reduce the U.S. deficit. On the Never Happen List that goes. And a real favorite on that list is that equities never have a ten-year loss. Perhaps best of a year ago was that commodity investing was dead.
As the year is drawing to a close, our fist chart above seems appropriate. For 2009, the S&P 500 price return will likely be better than that for Agri-Food commodity prices. However, the difference is not much. That said, longer term superiority of the return provided by Agri-Food commodity prices is readily evident in that chart.
Our second chart, below, looks at the price change of the more important Agri-Food prices over the past almost three years. All of them show a percentage change better than the S&P 500. In fact a box of oats in the pantry outperformed the stock market over that period of time. Not bad for an investment theme declared dead on numerous occasions by investment gurus.
Many reasons might explain why Agri-Food prices have risen more than the value of equities. However, the principal reason is that Agri-Foods are bought to be consumed. Stocks are bought to be sold. The supply of Agri-Food is finite, while the supply of equities is infinite.
If one buys a share of IBM, that stock is moved from one investor's portfolio to the buyer's portfolio. It might reside there for years. It does not disappear. However, if one buys a pound of rice, the intentions of the buyer are very clear. The buyer intends to eat it. That rice will disappear, be consumed, never again to be seen. Prices for Agri-Foods are real economic transactions, not financial transactions like that purchase of IBM stock.
A further difference is that the transaction in IBM stock does not change the total supply of IBM stock in existence. A purchase of corn will be consumed, and therefore reduce the total supply of corn in existence. Agri-Food transactions reduce the available supply.
Transactions in IBM stock can continue to occur even if no new IBM stock is created. If no soybeans are produced by farmers growing it in the dirt, no future transactions in soybeans can occur. Soybeans are not produced in a factory, and neither are corn, oats, canola, etc.
The future supply of Agri-Food is influenced by today's prices. If the price of IBM stock declines, the future supply of IBM stock will be unaffected. If the price of wheat declines today, the future supply of wheat will decline. The farmer may wish to produce wheat in the future. However, if a price sufficient to cover the costs of future planting, feeding, and harvesting of wheat is not received, ultimately the farmer will be unable to produce wheat.
Higher Agri-Food prices and larger volumes translate into revenue growth for the producers of Agri-Foods. They will spend those revenues with those vendors that provide them with everything from seed to fertilizer to machinery. Those buying from the farmers will also have higher revenues.
As our final chart above shows, the shares of those companies active in the Agri-Food revenue stream have performed quite well to date. The next year will not likely repeat the excellent results of 2009, but that may be true of all equities. That acknowledgment made, the economic prospects for these companies in the coming decade seem good.
Few opportunities exist for global investors to participate in the positive investment consequences of economic growth in China and India. Agri-Food is a sector that benefits from the higher consumer incomes and spending that flow from that economic growth. Imagine 2.4 billion consumers striving to buy the products produced and delivered by Agri-Food companies. Where else can you find such strong fundamentals? To start building your knowledge of Agri-Food use this link: http://home.att.net/~nwschmidt/Order_AgriValueRECENT.html
The exceptional response to the 3rd Annual U.S. Agricultural Land As An Investment Portfolio Consideration, 2009 has exceeded expectations. This work is the definitive annual study of the role of U.S. agricultural land in an investment portfolio. It is a rigorous statistical analysis suitable for the sophisticated investor. The 60 page PDF file is delivered via email, and is available at the following link: http://home.att.net/~nwschmidt/OrderAgriLand2009.html
AGRI-FOOD THOUGHTS is from Ned W. Schmidt,CFA,CEBS, publisher of The Agri-Food Value View, a monthly exploration of the Agri-Food grand cycle being created by China, India, and Eco-energy. To receive this publication, use this link: http://home.att.net/~nwschmidt/Order_AgriValue.html.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Christmas dinner
I'll post recipes for roast beef sirloin, mashed potatoes and gravy and Yorkshire pudding if anybody wants me to.
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