AGRICULTURE
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TCBusiness.com
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est in marine biology eventually brought
him south. Today, Jerry is a Fellsmere city
councilman and sits on the Indian River
County Agriculture Advisory Committee.
NO NEED FOR SOIL
Farmers as early as 5000 B.C. learned
how to rotate crops so that the soil was
not depleted of important nutrients; it also
helped with pest control. Hydroponics
takes soil conservation a step further. Hydroponics
literally “water work” in Greek
eliminates the need for soil. Although
Ecotone has added some ground crops,
hydroponics is still its primary focus.
How does it work? Seeds are germinated
in volcanic wool, a growing medium
made of basalt and chalk, melted and
spun into fibers that are formed into mats
and easily broken into smaller chunks.
Although volcanic wool is not organic
it’s not derived from living matter, Jerry
says that its reliability and uniformity are
worth the extra cost. “Coconut coir the
middle coat of the fruit and pine bark are
sometimes used but they are not as good
for lettuce,” he explains.
Hydroponics farmers may use bottles or
buckets, but Ecotone uses the raft system.
Foam mats fit into tanks of nutrient-rich
water. Once germinated in the volcanic
wool, seedlings are placed in the holes of
the rafts, where their roots flourish in the
water and produce strong, beautiful —
and delicious — varieties of lettuce and
other plants.
EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE
South Florida’s growing season is longer
than that of northern regions but there
is a downside to all the sunshine. During
the hottest months, Ecotone’s tall climatecontrolled
greenhouse is particularly
important. The most expensive part of
the farm, Jerry says that it’s really more of
a shade house, what growers call CEA —
controlled environment agriculture.
By mid-May or early June, South Florida
is too hot and humid for the best product.
Inside Ecotone’s huge greenhouse,
Ecotone uses the raft method
for hydroponic farming.
Seedlings are placed in the
holes of the mats, through
which roots extend into
nutrient-enriched water.
Although it is a little more expensive to use as a growing medium, volcanic wool is preferable for the
varieties of lettuce Ecotone Farm produces.
/TCBusiness.com
