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Erieview Acres, Kingsville, Ontario, Canada

Together with his brother Rob, Norm Hansen runs the organic greenhouse operation Erieview Acres in Kingsville, Ontario.
Together with his brother Rob, Norm Hansen runs the organic greenhouse operation Erieview Acres in Kingsville, Ontario.
This is the corridor/entrance to the tomato greenhouse. A row with high wire eggplant crops at the outer gable is not only producing some delicious organic eggplants, but is also serving as a biodiverse buffer crop that help to prevent harmful pests like spider mites and other bugs as they will attract the pest before it enters the greenhouse. It also provides a shelter to beneficials.
This is the corridor/entrance to the tomato greenhouse. A row with high wire eggplant crops at the outer gable is not only producing some delicious organic eggplants, but is also serving as a biodiverse buffer crop that help to prevent harmful pests like spider mites and other bugs as they will attract the pest before it enters the greenhouse. It also provides a shelter to beneficials.
Canadian and U.S. regulations in regards to producing organic crops in hydroponics are different to the regulations in Europe. Erieview Acres is allowed to grow their crops in a special soil mix that they place on top of the standard soil. They cover the soil with a film with planting holes. The soil mix fully developed and prepared by Erieview and contains a secret mix that boosts the biodiversity of the soil.
Canadian and U.S. regulations in regards to producing organic crops in hydroponics are different to the regulations in Europe. Erieview Acres is allowed to grow their crops in a special soil mix that they place on top of the standard soil. They cover the soil with a film with planting holes. The soil mix fully developed and prepared by Erieview and contains a secret mix that boosts the biodiversity of the soil.
At almost every pole at the beginning of the rows with tomatoes, there is a hanging basket with a Mullen plant. They serve as shelters for the beneficial North American predatory bug Dicyphus Hesperus to fight Thrips and Whiteflies.
At almost every pole at the beginning of the rows with tomatoes, there is a hanging basket with a Mullen plant. They serve as shelters for the beneficial North American predatory bug Dicyphus Hesperus to fight Thrips and Whiteflies.
A harvester picking the organic TOVs.
A harvester picking the organic TOVs.
Each employee at Erieview Acres is responsible for his own section in the greenhouse. According to Norm Hansen, it gives the workers more responsibility and they have a better connection with the crop. It also provides more challenge to them, as they have more variation in the work they do and they are less susceptible to injuries as result from repeating the same labor and handling tasks.
Each employee at Erieview Acres is responsible for his own section in the greenhouse. According to Norm Hansen, it gives the workers more responsibility and they have a better connection with the crop. It also provides more challenge to them, as they have more variation in the work they do and they are less susceptible to injuries as result from repeating the same labor and handling tasks.
A crop worker deleafing the plants.
A crop worker deleafing the plants.
Many hanging baskets with Mullen plants at the central concrete path. The heating pipes distribute the heat. Besides a boiler, Erieview Acres also has heaters that use biogas from an anaerobic digester.
Many hanging baskets with Mullen plants at the central concrete path. The heating pipes distribute the heat. Besides a boiler, Erieview Acres also has heaters that use biogas from an anaerobic digester.
These Chinese eggplants at the beginning of each row serve as trap crops to reduce whitefly densities, as it is believed that pests will be less damaging in fields with a mixture of crops than in fields with a single crop, also known as monocultures.
These Chinese eggplants at the beginning of each row serve as trap crops to reduce whitefly densities, as it is believed that pests will be less damaging in fields with a mixture of crops than in fields with a single crop, also known as monocultures.
Grower Norm Hansen with a freshly picked batch of TOV’s. Right now he is growing Komeett in an organic setting with untreated seeds. According to him the variety is doing well in organic cultivation; but he is also trialling other varieties from De Ruiter Seeds. One of them is the DR-1980; a variety that has a powdery mildew resistance and is less sensitive for Blossom End Rot. The variety produces uniform fruits and is high yielding.
Grower Norm Hansen with a freshly picked batch of TOV’s. Right now he is growing Komeett in an organic setting with untreated seeds. According to him the variety is doing well in organic cultivation; but he is also trialling other varieties from De Ruiter Seeds. One of them is the DR-1980; a variety that has a powdery mildew resistance and is less sensitive for Blossom End Rot. The variety produces uniform fruits and is high yielding.
Besides tomatoes, Erieview also grows mini cucumbers in a high wire setting. As they need 4.5 cucumber crops per season plus the tomato crop, they are able to organize their own propagation in a separate greenhouse. They propagate the tomato crop from November to January, while they have their hands full with the cucumber propagation in the other months as well.
Besides tomatoes, Erieview also grows mini cucumbers in a high wire setting. As they need 4.5 cucumber crops per season plus the tomato crop, they are able to organize their own propagation in a separate greenhouse. They propagate the tomato crop from November to January, while they have their hands full with the cucumber propagation in the other months as well.
All of the produce from Erieview Acres is marketed as organic produce to retailers in the U.S. and Canada by Sunset Mastronardi Produce.
All of the produce from Erieview Acres is marketed as organic produce to retailers in the U.S. and Canada by Sunset Mastronardi Produce.
This clever weighing system helps the employee to put a nice box of tomatoes together in the most efficient way possible. It is based on an advanced tracking and calculation system that analyzes the amount of fruits on every single truss.
This clever weighing system helps the employee to put a nice box of tomatoes together in the most efficient way possible. It is based on an advanced tracking and calculation system that analyzes the amount of fruits on every single truss.
The fruits also get a special sticker that they are genuine organic produce. The Organic Products Regulations legally require organic products to be certified according to the Canadian Organic Standards (COS) if they are traded across provincial or international borders or use the Canada Organic Logo.
The fruits also get a special sticker that they are genuine organic produce. The Organic Products Regulations legally require organic products to be certified according to the Canadian Organic Standards (COS) if they are traded across provincial or international borders or use the Canada Organic Logo.
This pallet is ready to ship. The stickers show that the boxes contain organic certified produce.
This pallet is ready to ship. The stickers show that the boxes contain organic certified produce.
Organic TOV’s ready to ship to Wegmans via Mastronardi Produce.
Organic TOV’s ready to ship to Wegmans via Mastronardi Produce.
Proud of his product! We would like to thank Norm and Rob Hansen for their hospitality to tour us around.
Proud of his product! We would like to thank Norm and Rob Hansen for their hospitality to tour us around.