Click here for our photo report of the 2016 Canadian Greenhouse Conference
Positivity
Almost every supplier or grower we spoke to at the show, informed us that things are looking good and exciting opportunities are on the horizon. As the demand for locally grown produce keeps increasing, many vegetable growers recently expanded or have expansions in the pipeline. This was also confirmed by the exhibiting greenhouse builders and suppliers who informed us that they have plenty of work over the next year in Canada and the northern part of the United States.Also during the pre-conference bus tour, participants could experience this growth during their visit to bell pepper grower St. David's Hydroponics, where the foundation was laid for another 10 hectare glasshouse expansion. Furthermore the growth is pushed in the Leamington and Kingsville area, as well as by several large Canadian growers who are busy with their projects across the border.
Strawberries
We also heard a lot of news on undercover strawberry crops, with some growers making a complete transition and others adding or starting strawberry production. As with every new crop most of the growers remain cautious, but during a special Strawberry Session a panel of international speakers was available to help them by covering all aspects of this difficult production: from substrates and varieties to propagation and transitioning from soil to substrate and more.
Bus Tour
During the bus tour we had the opportunity to visit several growers in the Niagara Peninsula like Martens Cucumbers, St. David's Hydroponics and Northend Gardens. In this week we will highlight these visits in separate articles. For now, please have a look at the photo recap we made at the trade show.Click here for our photo report of the 2016 Canadian Greenhouse Conference