AquaganixDepot

GANIX – creating the optimal natural growing environment

While “organic” refers to foods naturally grown in soil, we use nutrient-enhanced water and pH-neutral media as an optimal growing environment instead. We coined the term “ganix”, because our methods result in natural, high-quality food. Here’s what that means for you:

Material Conservation

We are happy to conserve soil, by not using it at all. A serendipity of this process is that we avoid soil-borne diseases and the constant time and expense of restoring soil after it is worn out. Most of our growing media is sanitized and reused, reducing waste. In the case of our microgreens, the growing media is biodegradable.

No Pesticides, Herbicides, or Harmful Chemicals

When necessary, tried-and-true organic recipes consisting of natural ingredients are misted onto our crops to handle infrequent pests in the greenhouse.

Food-Safe Equipment

We build all of our equipment using food-safe components. This includes our troughs and reservoirs, lined with BPA-free, FDA-approved material. We choose to use only approved food-safe reservoirs, flood tables, tubing, fittings, etc. Shelving is NSF listed, with many fittings pharmaceutical grade (an even higher rating than food safe).

Land Conservation

We need less space to grow plants, because we grow them vertically. Designed to deliver more produce per square foot, we make use of grow walls, trellising, towers, and multi-level racking systems.

Energy Conservation

Actually, half of the greenhouse is a built-in passive solar collector, sufficiently warming the air, and storing excess heat in the thick concrete floors and water reservoirs when the sun shines — even on the coldest winter days. When the sun is not shining, the thermal mass of the concrete floors and the water in the reservoirs help maintain an even temperature in the greenhouse as they radiate the stored warmth out into the growing spaces.

Heating
When the winter nights become extremely cold, we back up the radiant heating with an outdoor boiler. We use dead, downed, and discarded wood to fuel the boiler. Underground piping from the boiler to the greenhouse sends hot water through PEX tubing underneath the greenhouse to add more heat throughout the radiant concrete floor.

Cooling
We use natural cooling with strategically placed vents, shutters, and fans to help moderate the temperature. Retractable shade cloth panels help protect the plants from possible overheating. Our supplemental air handlers come on automatically when more extreme temperatures occur.

Lighting
Equipped with LED lights throughout, our building consumes far less electricity than the average facility. We use a new technology for plant growth. This provides a more efficient and natural approach to LED grow lighting utilizing the electromagnetic spectrum (EMS).

Re-purposed Materials
We use re-purposed steel, lumber, hardware, and furniture where practical. For instance, our greenhouse exterior includes steel siding left over from construction sites. Also left over from construction sites, insulated steel panels (that we’ve refinished to look like new) line the interior walls to separate climate zones. Some of our windows and doors come from lumber yards who had them on clearance due to slight aesthetic imperfections. We acquired other windows and doors on Craigslist. It doesn’t stop there. Our growing equipment includes scrap steel to construct our Kratky tables, supports, and racks. We used discarded dimensional lumber for troughs (subsequently lined with food-safe material) – all without sacrificing quality.

Want to read more about the plants we grow?

AQUA – purified water, the major component of our growing systems

We grow our plants in an enhanced water environment. We start with customized purified water. Our equipment enables us to conserve water for recycling within the system.

Custom Design

“Aqua” refers to water containing the vital nutrients in proper ratios. We provide macro-nutrients, micro-nutrients, minerals and trace elements customized to each crop. A side benefit: plants quickly receive refined nutrients directly at the roots, along with oxygen.

Conservation

“Aqua” also refers to conservation of water. When we enclose and aerate reservoirs, tanks, and troughs, we reduce evaporation. A side benefit: this also minimizes algae growth in the water. We use only a fraction of the water required for growing plants in soil because we collect and reuse the water, instead of it running off in soil.

Water Treatment

First, water treatment begins with up to 3 filtering stages. Water treatment systems in our greenhouse include: an iron filter, a water softener, and a reverse osmosis system.

Lastly, consistent monitoring, testing, and fine tuning help us follow protocols to provide the optimal growth for each crop.

Want to read more about the plants we grow?

Kale

We often grow Kale in our greenhouse. Give us a call to see what is growing now.

[Read more…] about Kale

Peppers

Sweet varieties of peppers, especially the bells, traditionally have been by far the most popular in the United States.

They are eaten green or ripe and are used for salads, stuffing, soup, stews, relishes and pickling. New developments in color and form have done nothing to dull the popularity of sweet peppers. Hot pepper varieties have also enjoyed a rebirth of popularity recently, mainly due to various ethnic cuisines that use their unique flavors and heat creatively.

Pepper is a tender vegetable. Brightly colored, sweet bell pepper varieties have recently burst onto the scene. A vast range of other garden peppers (pimiento, tabasco, cayenne, chili and paprika) may be grown for food, spices. Call to find out what we are currently growing.

Peppers include hot varieties, also known as chili peppers, and sweet varieties, such as the bell pepper. Truly international in their appeal, peppers have become integral to cuisines across the world, from Mexico to Thailand, the Congo to India, and from Hungary to Tunisia.

If you want the flavor without the mouth-scorching fire, remove the seeds and interior ribs from a chili before cooking it. It’s also a good idea to have dairy products, such as milk or yogurt, on hand—they help neutralize the chemical that gives chilis their heat. Always protect your skin by wearing gloves when handling hot peppers.

Bell Pepper

Also known as green peppers, red peppers, and sweet bell peppers these are relatively large in size. The bell-shaped pepper in its immature state is green with a slightly bitter flavor. As it matures, it turns bright red and becomes sweeter. You can also find yellow, orange, white, pink, and even purple varieties. With their high water content, bell peppers will add moisture to any dish. They’re also great for adding color.

Serrano Pepper

Just a couple of inches long, with a tapered end, this small pepper packs quite a bit of heat. Beware: The smaller the pepper, the hotter it is. When ripe, serranos are red or yellowish orange. Serranos are common in Mexican and Thai cooking.

Chili Pepper

These chilis are slender and tapered. We like using these in stir fry, fajitas, on pizza, in chili, and in soups. It is a medium-heat pepper. Remember, removing the seeds and ribs before cooking helps reduce the heat.

Rhubarb

We often grow rhubarb in our greenhouse. Give us a call to see what is growing now.

[Read more…] about Rhubarb

Cabbage

Cabbages are one of the oldest known vegetables. We grow green cabbage

[Read more…] about Cabbage

Lettuce

We currently grow Butterhead and Leafy greens in the greenhouse. These lettuce leaves are large enough to use as wraps for sandwiches and other handhelds.

We do not harvest the living lettuce until point of sale to assure absolute freshness. This helps them last longer than conventionally harvested plants.

Lettuce uses

Greens are a classic ingredient in salads. It adds crispness to sandwiches and can be used as a garnish, braised, or added to soups.

Leafy Greens | Lettuce | Aquaganix Depot — Leafy green lettuce from our grow room.

How to Prepare Lettuce

Start by discarding wilted or discolored leaves.
Second, rinse it under cold running water
Third, dry leaves with paper towels
Next, use a sharp knife to trim off the root end
Then you are ready to cut the leaves for salads or wraps
Finally, store your leftover greens on moist paper towels in the refrigerator in a plastic bag

Salad | Lettuce | Aquaganix Depot — Salad made with our Butterhead by Evelyne

Butterhead Recipe (From The Modern Proper)

Ingredients

2 heads butter lettuce, roughly chopped
1 cup Castelvetrano olives, pitted, cut in half
1/2 cup Panko
2 tbsp butter (or olive oil)
1/4 cup chives, minced
2 oz Manchego cheese, grated
freshly ground pepper
Apple Cider Vinaigrette
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (unfiltered)
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp olive oil

Directions

In small bowl whisk together ingredients for the dressing, set aside.
In a small skillet set over medium heat, melt butter and add panko. Stir often until panko is golden brown in color
Arrange butter lettuce on a large platter
Shave Manchego over lettuce and add olives, pepper, panko and chives
Drizzle with dressing right before serving

Salad - 2 | Lettuce | Aquaganix Depot — Salad made by Evelyn with our Butterhead lettuce

Want to see other produce we currently grow?

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are extremely nutritionally dense. There are vitamins and antioxidants packed in each delicious fruit that support healthy skin, weight loss, and heart health.

The water content of tomatoes is around 95%. The other 5% consist mainly carbohydrates and fiber. One medium sized tomato contains only 22 calories. Pictured below are some of our Sun Gold tomatoes growing in our greenhouse.

Sun Gold | Tomatoes | Aquaganix Depot — Sun Gold

Tomatoes can be a valuable part of a healthy diet. They are usually red when mature. They also come in a variety of other colors, including yellow, orange, green and purple. Shapes and flavors vary.

Ways to Eat Them

In fact, they are incredibly versatile and can be prepared in a seemingly endless number of dishes. Eat more of them by:

adding them to wraps
adding them to sandwiches
dicing for salsas
eating them whole or sliced in salads
cooked in sauces or purees
frying green
stewed in soups

Pictured below are some of the Campari variety on the vine. These midsized tomatoes are good for slicing or cooking in recipes or including in a salad.

Campari | Tomatoes | Aquaganix Depot — Campari

Health Benefits

Now one of the most popular fresh-market vegetables, tomatoes rank behind only potatoes, lettuce, and onions.

Skincare. They contain a high level of Lycopene, a phytochemical used in facial cleansers. As you eat them, the properties in tomatoes also help protect you from sunburn.
Cancer Prevention. A number of studies indicate that the high levels of lycopene in this fruit work to reduce your chances of developing several types of cancer.
Strong bones. Tomatoes contain a considerable amount of calcium and Vitamin K. Both of these nutrients are essential in strengthening our bones. They also perform minor repairs on the bones as well as the bone tissue.
Essential antioxidants. Tomatoes contain a great deal of antioxidants. These work to neutralize harmful free radicals leading to cell damage. Cooking destroys Vitamin C, so for these benefits, they need to be eaten raw.
Heart healthy. The Vitamin B and potassium in tomatoes are effective in reducing cholesterol levels and lowering blood pressure.
Shiny, strong hair and eye health. The Vitamin A in tomatoes works perfectly to keep your hair shiny and strong. It is also fantastic for improving your vision. Eating them also prevents the development of night blindness.
Blood sugar levels. Tomatoes are packed full of a valuable mineral, chromium. Chromium works effectively to help diabetics keep their blood sugar levels under better control.

Buy Fresh Picked

Tomatoes are often harvested and transported while still green and immature. Then, they ripen when growers use artificial ethylene gas. This may affect flavor development, resulting in tasteless fruit.

We pick our’s ripe, and then sell them fresh. Want to check out more of our produce or microgreens?