When the words “hydroponics” and “growing” are mentioned together, the first thing that might come to mind is the cultivation of marijuana, whether for legal medicinal use or illegal recreational purposes.
Hydroponics cultivation allows the grower to control the environment in which the crop is grown as well as when the plant flowers, and it’s done without the use of soil. A medium, such as perlite or gravel can be used, and hydroponics systems require water and nutrient solutions for the roots of the plant.
Because hydroponics doesn’t require soil or as much space as traditional agriculture, growing can be done just about anywhere: in homes, sketchy trailers, or enormous greenhouses just like the ones currently under construction in the area adjacent to Black Road in Santa Maria.
With the ongoing construction of the 5.7 million square-foot project for Windset Farms—a commercial hydroponics produce company headquartered in Delta, British Columbia—consideration of hydroponics growing for purposes other than marijuana cultivation is on the rise.
At each of its three growing facilities, including two in Canada’s Fraser Valley and one in Las Vegas, Windset Farms produces a variety of tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, eggplants, and Belgian endives.
The Windset Farms project in Santa Maria will eventually boast four 33-acre greenhouses and a 160,000 square-foot processing and packing facility. Two of its greenhouses and the processing and packing facility are nearing completion, and should be finished sometime between July and September. The other two will be constructed in the next two years.
Each greenhouse contains a perfectly controlled environment for cultivation—free from pests, wind, rain, heat, and other factors that might contribute to a smaller yield. Because of the lack of pests, pesticides will not be needed in the greenhouses.
The greenhouses are also sustainable. Each of the crops will be given exact amounts of light, nutrients, ventilation, and carbon dioxide for fast growth and high quality. Although the Santa Maria Valley is home to very fertile soil, the hydroponics system Windset Farms utilizes allows it to produce six to 10 times what can be conventionally produced, according to Dave Cross, the economic development commissioner for Santa Maria.
The greenhouse facilities use computerized irrigation and ventilation systems, and the hydroponics system recycles and re-circulates both purchased water from the city and rainwater.
Cross told the Sun that Santa Maria is the perfect location for Windset Farms to open one of its first United States locations because Santa Maria had the land set aside for future industry and manufacturing. Also, the city is pro-business, welcoming new technology, especially in the field of agriculture.
“The idea of bringing technology into agriculture—it will help to assure the future of agriculture,” Cross said.
He added that working conditions for future Windset Farms employees will be beneficial because they’ll be in an indoor, technological environment rather than outside in unpredictable conditions. Windset Farms is bringing approximately 200 new jobs to the area, and approximately 100 construction workers were hired for construction of the greenhouses alone.
The controlled conditions inside each of the greenhouses calls for year-round cultivation and employment, Cross said, adding, “This is really a success story for Santa Maria.”
In addition to positive working conditions for future employees, Windset Farms made an agreement with the city to pay employees a dollar more than minimum wage in August 2009.
Hiring for Windset Farms is expected to begin several months down the road but exact dates are unknown, according to the Economic Development Commission.
Intern Sarah Parr can be contacted at intern@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in May 19-26, 2011.