Climate protected AND sustainable.

Thanks to climate change, growing outdoors is a risky business. Just ask partner, Dave Hartshorn, who also has an organic farm outdoors. Each season creates new challenges to growing food. 

Growing inside of Green Mountain Harvest Hydroponics (GMH) climate protected greenhouses allows them to control all of the factors that create an ideal growing environment—and be as sustainable as possible—given their location in central Vermont.

Working towards becoming carbon neutral, GMH has:

• Purchased a state of the art biomass boiler that uses waste wood to generate heat in the colder seasons.
• Is installing a solar array to offset their electricity needs
• Hydroponic growing drastically reduces land and water needs.

Additionally, in the sustainability department they have:

• No runoff of nutrients
• Recycle waste wood and turn it into heat, keeping those trees out of a landfill
• Utilize nontoxic agricultural practices
• No soil erosion
• Significant water efficiency
• State of the art LED lights which are the best available for energy efficiency

The most advanced LED lights (Heliospectra) for horticulture crop production have helped us shave 7 to 10 days off standard harvest cycles to take our fresh lettuce, spring mix, watercress, basil and arugula to market faster.

Not only are they incredibly energy efficient, but these lights are unique in that they adapt lighting to the needs of plants through real-time spectrum regulation and intensity adjustment. They also create a cool pinky purple light at night, which reduces light pollution for our neighbors.