Yesterday I woke up to the remnants of a dimly lit morning sky, rolling around in procrastination, unable to pry myself from my warm winter cocoon. Few things will get me up that early when it's so cold outside: the sweet cinnamon scent of Mom's homemade french toast; the morning anticipation of discovering if Santa really came; or an early morning flight that will land me somewhere warm and sandy. However, yesterday's occasion was even more fulfilling as I was comforted by the thought of a warm greenhouse awaiting my arrival.
I love tricking the cold with Teddy Bolkas by planting some arugula, basil, and lettuce....in his 1,500 unit indoor hydroponic greenhouse at Thera Farms! The citrusy aromas of baby oranges, nutty scent of arugula, and yellow jolt of maturing lemons awoke my senses leaving my cold and wintery attitude to freeze outside with the dead tomato trees. We transplanted some basil to a smaller unit to make room for more Boston Bib Lettuce. He also has bok choy, micro greens, and a 10 variety lettuce mix that will soon be ready to harvest.
Teddy works year round to maintain his 2 acre certified organic farm and greenhouse. Along with his hydro babies he has chickens, turkey, and an endless variety of tomatoes, figs, apples, eggplant, zucchini, pumpkin, kale, spinach, bay leaves, honey, and more during the summer and fall. The first time I came to work he let me drive his 1920-something Ford tractor! (Needless to say, I was hooked). Every visit features an impromptu lesson on hydroponics, irrigation, greenhouse upkeep, honey bees, or anything else one would ever need to know about growing organic fruits and vegetables.
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of his operation is that he works another full-time job ON TOP of his farm! He is patient, always willing to help neighbors with troubled plants, and dedicated to the ethics of sustainable farming. The only products to ever touch his plants are Neem oil, a naturally occurring pesticide found in the seeds of the Indian Neem tree, and hydrogen peroxide. Not only is the peroxide is even more watered down than that with which we clean our cuts, but it is also nature-derived, as trace amounts of hydrogen peroxide can be found in rain water and snow. (All it is is hydrogen with an extra oxygen molecule).
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The roots of Boston Bib or Butter Lettuce
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The weird looking square hovering over the roots in the picture above is called rockwool. Rockwool is essentially spun fibers of melted basaltic rock that is then binded and compressed into large slabs. Rockwool is used in hydroponic systems, (depending on the plant varieties), because of its high mineral oil content and hydrophobic characteristic. Seeds are planted in tiny holes in the slabs, which are then submerged in water and once sprouted, cut to be transferred into a channel like the one shown above. Hydroponic plants rely on the constant flow of nutrient and oxygen rich water through these water channels. Since there is no soil in a hydroponic system and the roots are constantly submerged in the water to ensure adequate minerals and oxygen, something needs to keep the roots from being flooded. Rockwool, therefore, acts as a buffer providing space for air and oxygen as well as a reservoir of nutrients. I'm still learning about the complicated wonders of hydroponics. I can't wait to share what else Teddy teaches me! I'm willing to wake up at the crack of dawn any day if it means I get to spend it in Teddy's greenhouse and take home freshly picked arugula. His veggies are "so fresh you'll want to slap 'em!"
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