One of our recent Green Network Group meetings was held on a very cool rooftop. A Winter Garden Fl family that has been involved in agriculture in Florida for years has created a Hydrodynamic hydroponic garden and fish farm on the roof of their 3 story office building in downtown Winter Garden Fl(close to Orlando)
The building itself has won Florida Green Building Coalition designation and has many green fundamentals such as the collection of rain water for up to 80% of the water used in the building including the rooftop farming operation
The farming operation is based on the hydroponic gardening of over 10 different species of vegetables and ornamentals all of which are sold to local fresh markets or restaurants
Here’s wikipedia on Hydroponic Gardening
The farming includes hydroponic growing on towers made largely of pvc of up to 8ft. This allows the growing of more surface area in a limited space. The seedlings are started in a base that is largely of volcanic rock. Once a bit older they are transferred to the tower and are fed the nutrients needed to survive thru a hose and pump system
The limitations of this type of growing on existing buildings is really the weight of the fish tanks and the plumbing needed to provide nutrients to the hydroponics
Most non Floridians think of Florida mostly for tourism and the beaches but Florida is a gigantic agricultural producer of tomatoes, citrus, berries, and many other warm weather produce.
Roper Garden Building website is here
If in Orlando on the 3rd Wednesday of the month for lunch–Come Join Us!
Conservastore is a Green Goods webstore that supports efforts such as the Roper Garden Building to successfully mix commerce with Going Green–join us here
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