Could Midwest produce all its own veggies?
BY MATT BEWLEY
Agweek
CROOKSTON, Minn. - University of Minnesota regional extension researchers Terry Nennich and Mike Klawitter like to imagine the day when the Northern Plains states become completely self-sufficient vegetable producers.
They think it's possible with the help of the high tunnel greenhouse.
"This is North Dakota's and Minnesota's hope to get away from California produce," Nennich said.
"If we can get enough of these, we won't have to truck in vegetables year-around anymore. The thing is, they don't get vine-ripened, they don't have that. You take a tomato or a strawberry that's picked three-quarters green and ripens on the way to Minnesota, I don't think they have the total nutrition, and they sure don't have the flavor."
They're generating a lot of interest, with more than 150 high tunnels in Minnesota and the ability to produce three to 10 times the yield of field crops.
"I have several producers that have five tunnels, and the biggest one I know has 20. The No. 1 crop that they grow in these is tomatoes, then cucumbers, then peppers. The last two years, we've been getting into lettuce, herbs and onions," Nennich said.
Klawitter points to his row of lettuce.
(The article is here.)
Agweek
CROOKSTON, Minn. - University of Minnesota regional extension researchers Terry Nennich and Mike Klawitter like to imagine the day when the Northern Plains states become completely self-sufficient vegetable producers.
They think it's possible with the help of the high tunnel greenhouse.
"This is North Dakota's and Minnesota's hope to get away from California produce," Nennich said.
"If we can get enough of these, we won't have to truck in vegetables year-around anymore. The thing is, they don't get vine-ripened, they don't have that. You take a tomato or a strawberry that's picked three-quarters green and ripens on the way to Minnesota, I don't think they have the total nutrition, and they sure don't have the flavor."
They're generating a lot of interest, with more than 150 high tunnels in Minnesota and the ability to produce three to 10 times the yield of field crops.
"I have several producers that have five tunnels, and the biggest one I know has 20. The No. 1 crop that they grow in these is tomatoes, then cucumbers, then peppers. The last two years, we've been getting into lettuce, herbs and onions," Nennich said.
Klawitter points to his row of lettuce.
(The article is here.)
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