Leamington, ON – Nature Fresh Farms along with state and local officials broke ground on Phase I of the company’s new 180-acre Delta, Ohio greenhouse facility on April 10, according to a press release from Nature Fresh Farms.
The project will evolve starting with Phase I of 15 acres to a total of twelve, 15-acre phases over the next seven years.
Ohio Lt. Governor Mary Taylor said the project will create more than 300 jobs for Ohio.
The Delta greenhouse will be a state-of-the-art facility with a high degree of automation. The facility will also be using high pressure sodium (HPS) lights to grow throughout the winter months. Long term plans for the project call for a partnership with neighbor North Star BlueScope Steel to use its waste heat and CO2 to help heat the greenhouse and reduce the company’s carbon footprint.
Positioned as a backdrop to the ground-breaking area were massive earthmovers, bulldozers and excavators from Carpenter Construction who are expected to start levelling the project area this week.
Nature Fresh expects to pick their first crop of tomatoes in late December 2015 and will provide fresh, locally grown Ohio tomatoes to Midwest grocery stores year-round.
To learn more about the project, click here .