Specialty Crop Project Sponsor: Nebraska Department of Agriculture - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Specialty Crop Project Sponsor: Nebraska Department of Agriculture - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Oct 27, 2022 119 likes •291 views

1 Expanding production of vegetables in Western Nebraska by extending growing season using geothermal heated greenhouse Specialty Crop Project Sponsor: Nebraska Department of Agriculture Host: Beehaven Farm Roadside Market/ Rutherford Ranch

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Expanding production of vegetables in Western Nebraska by extending growing season using geothermal heated greenhouse

Specialty Crop Project Sponsor: Nebraska Department of Agriculture Host: Beehaven Farm Roadside Market/ Rutherford Ranch Support: USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program

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Producer netw ork: High Plains Food Coop Technical assistance: Advancing Rural Prosperity, Inc.

July 20 17

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Project Partners

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Project Team

Jennifer Rutherford, Rutherford Ranch Chris S ramek, High Plains Food Coop Leon Atwell, Advancing Rural Prosperity

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Project Plan

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  • Prepare production scenarios
  • Analyze production and costs
  • Determine fit to farms & market
  • Explore funding options
  • Prepare on-farm workshop
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  • Apply and fit to farm operations and market
  • Not compare with conventional greenhouse
  • Adding product diversity to farm operations is a priority
  • Consider fit and production planning for HPFC market
  • Consider three capital cost levels
  • Create four production scenarios

Project Assumptions

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  • Overhead view of Geo-Air system

Greenhouse Geothermal Technology

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  • Citrus in the S

now Kit (Alliance HS Construction)

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  • Original basic unit, 78’ x16’ cover and frame: New system extended

to 96’ with added geo-air efficiencies and room for aqua and hydroponics with 78’ growing area. $22,000

  • Low end: Use farm supplies, equipment and labor: $25,000
  • Middle ground: Use some on farm labor, hire some labor: $40,000
  • High end: Use all purchased supplies and labor: $60,000

Installation Cost Scenarios

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  • New producer j ust starting out
  • Two established vegetable operations
  • S

eed nursery/ farm

  • Meat production operation looking to diversify
  • Pick-your-own operation
  • Producers using system already

Farms Visited

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  • Scenario #1- Citrus Fruit, Raspberries and Spinach
  • Scenario #2- Citrus Fruit, Grapes, Spinach and Kale
  • Scenario #3- Citrus Fruit, Blueberries, Grapes and Strawberries
  • Scenario #4- Tomatoes

Production Scenarios

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Budgetary revenue summary

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Annual

Scenario #1 Scenario #2 Scenario #3 Scenario #4

Gross Revenue $28,100 $26,500 $19,480 $20,000 Cost of Production $7,110 $6,000 $5,000 $3,500 Energy Costs $365 $365 $365* $365* Net Rev. on ROI #1 $12,292 $11,802 $5,782 $7,802 Net Rev. on ROI #2 $7,292 $6,802 $782 $2,802 Net Rev. on ROI #3 $625 $135 ($5,885) ($3,805)

*Consider subbing winter crop w/o heating to control cost (not figured) to keep nighttime temperature 60-62 degrees

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  • S

maller scale and growing

  • Diversified farms; not commercial large scale
  • Be established; want to add diversity to current system
  • Be entrepreneurial; have business, marketing skills
  • BeeHaven is an example of a diversified farm, looking to

add more products; Tour farm to explore fit

Producer Fit

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  • Allow for season extension of crops to have sales year around
  • Have fruit year around; Providing ability to continue healthy food

bundle programs year around; be the only bundle with locally grown fruit available

  • 5 year added farm and co-op revenues with 9 units in production

Production / Market Expansion

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$120 ,0 0 0 .0 0 $36 0 ,0 0 0 .0 0 $6 0 0 ,0 0 0 .0 0 $8 4 0 ,0 0 0 .0 0 $1,0 8 0 ,0 0 0 .0 0 $4 2,0 0 0 .0 0 $126 ,0 0 0 .0 0 $210 ,0 0 0 .0 0 $29 4 ,0 0 0 .0 0 $378 ,0 0 0 .0 0 2018 2019 220 2021 2022

5 yr Added Revenues

Farm Co-op

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Outlets for Products

  • Institutional
  • S

enior and Healthy Worksite Bundle Programs

  • Direct to customer
  • Front Range market (Denver area)
  • Local market
  • Food Processing
  • Coops: HPFC, Wyo-Fresh & NFC

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HPFC Business/Market Fit

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  • Hybrid aggregation food-hub business model
  • Virtual on-line sales and accounting
  • Geographic distribution system coverage
  • Producer based and led
  • Values chain
  • Linked with other similar co-ops

Aggregation, Distribution & Processing Custom ers

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Concerns & Challenges

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  • Efficient use of space
  • Construction skills and labor
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caling up

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till need extra heat source

  • Life cycle of fruit trees
  • Address overheating
  • Drainage/ water table
  • Impact of winter cropping
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Next Steps

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  • Implement greenhouse into system as a test (BeeHaven

Farm)

  • Recruit producers to implement additional systems
  • S

upply expanded co-op market opportunities

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Proj ect Co-Director Leon Atwell 785-738-8368 latwell@ nckcn.com Proj ect Co-Director Chris S ramek 785-626-8066 chris@ decisionweather.com

Questions and Information

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Proj ect Host Jennifer Rutherford 970-302-9531 beehavenfarmroadsidemarket@ gmail.com