Expert Details
Hydroponic Culture and Greenhouse Vegetable Production
ID: 733896
Canada
Upon graduation with his doctorate degree in Horticulture in 1975 he became Urban Horticulturist for the Faculty of Plant Science. He held that position for three years before the call of commercial hydroponics took him to many projects in countries such as Venezuela, Taiwan, Saudi Arabia, the United States and in 1999 to Anguilla, B.W.I, in the Eastern Caribbean.
While in the position of Urban Horticulturist, expert taught courses in horticulture, hydroponics, plant propagation, greenhouse design and production. During this period while Urban Horticulturist and later General Manager for a large plant nursery, he continued doing research and production consultation for a commercial hydroponic farm growing lettuce, watercress and other vegetables in Venezuela. Later during 1995 to 1996, he became project manager for the Venezuelan farm to develop hydroponic culture of lettuce, watercress, peppers, tomatoes and European cucumbers using a special medium of rice hulls and coco coir from local sources. He also designed and constructed a Mung bean and alfalfa sprout facility to introduce sprouts into the local market.
Expert worked with a company in Florida in the growing of lettuce in a floating raft culture systems the Technical Director and Project Manager for hydroponic projects in the growing of watercress and herbs in California. He designed and constructed several 3-acre outdoor hydroponic watercress facilities using a unique NFT system. These overcame production losses due to drought conditions in the area.
From there expert became the Hydroponic Greenhouse Farm Manager for the first Hydroponic Farm associated with a high-end resort, CuisinArt Resort & Spa, in Anguilla, B.W.I. in the northeastern Caribbean. The hydroponic farm is unique in being the only one in the world owned by a resort growing its own fresh salad crops and herbs exclusively for the resort. This farm has become a key component of the resort in attracting guests to experience real home-grown type of vegetables, including tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, lettuce, bok choy and herbs. The resort, together with its Hydroponic Farm, has gained world-wide recognition as one of the leading hotels of the world.
Expert continues to do consulting on many unique hydroponic greenhouse operations such as Lufa Farms in Montreal, Canada. There he established the growing techniques and hydroponic systems for a rooftop hydroponic greenhouse in downtown Montreal. All vegetables are marketed through a community supported agriculture (CSA) program.
Hidroponias Venezolana, C.A.
Edificio Yekuana, 3-A
Cumbres, Curumo
Caracas, Venezuela
Provide technical assistance in hydroponic culture of lettuce, watercress, radish, peppers, tomatoes, and European cucumbers. To construct a 2-acre growing facility for peppers, cucumbers, and tomatoes using rice hulls as a medium with a drip irrigation system. Design and construct a Mung bean and alfalfa sprout facility. Develop growing techniques and supervise and train personnel. Thayer Industries, Inc.
Planning, supervising of construction of greenhouse components and
hydroponic systems. Establishing horticultural practices in the growing of European cucumbers in rockwool culture. Training of workers and a production manager.
Taiwan
Planning, organizing, implementing and supervising the construction, planting and operation of a greenhouse in a tropical climate. Responsibilities included cropping schedules, development of growing systems and production. A greenhouse of one-half acre was constructed to produce Chinese vegetables, tomatoes, cucumbers and melons with a modified NFT (water culture) system. Writing of an operations manual and training a manager. Also, provided technical advice on the growing of European cucumbers and tomatoes in a 13-acre greenhouse facility in Saudi Arabia. Made alterations in growing techniques and nutrient formulations to obtain higher yields with these crops under desert conditions.
Education
Year | Degree | Subject | Institution |
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Year: 1975 | Degree: Ph.D. | Subject: Horticulutre | Institution: University of British Columbia, Canada |
Work History
Years | Employer | Title | Department |
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Years: 2016 to Present | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: Greenhouse Consultant | Department: |
Responsibilities:• To educate the client in the technical aspects and requirements of a hydroponic farm.• Assist in the planning of a Hydroponic Farm in design and layout within the proposed site. • Assist in the site selection. • Assist in the nature and choice of the greenhouse structure and obtain quotations from qualified greenhouse manufacturers. • Design the hydroponic systems to be used in growing of the crops. • Determine which crops will be grown, cultivars most suitable to local conditions and hydroponic systems most suitable to crops chosen. • Assist in the layout of the hydroponic systems. • Assist in the procurement of supplies and hydroponic components. • Do periodic site inspections on the progress of the greenhouse construction and hydroponic system installation at the request of the Client. • Provide information on the crop schedules, crop training, pest and disease management. • Provide development of nutrient solutions and formulations. • Provide training of personnel. • Provide ongoing consultation to deal with challenges of growing. • Prepare written reports for the Client on any of the foregoing matters and present and attend meetings or telephone conference calls as often as may be necessary or required by the Client. |
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Years | Employer | Title | Department |
Years: 1999 to 2016 | Employer: CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa | Title: Greenhouse Farm Manager | Department: |
Responsibilities:Supervise the construction of a greenhouse and installation of hydroponic components. The greenhouse is part of a $200 million hotel, golf and resort complex. The greenhouse provides fresh vegetables for the hotel’s five restaurants. Establish cultural techniques in the growing of herbs, lettuce, tomatoes, European cucumbers, peppers, eggplant and edible ornamentals. Hydroponic systems include sand & peatlite cultures, plant towers of perlite substrate, bato buckets using perlite, raft culture, and NFT A-frames. My work includes training of personnel in hydroponic cultures, pest and disease management, planning cropping schedules, preparing budgets, purchasing supplies from foreign sources, developing nutrient formulations and modifications of systems and techniques to combat tropical conditions of the Caribbean. In addition to these direct growing responsibilities are the presentations to various magazines, radio and television programs in the promotion of the hotel of which the greenhouse is a key factor in the attraction of guests to this exclusive resort. Conducting tours of the greenhouse for the guests is another part of the public relations. |
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Years | Employer | Title | Department |
Years: 1990 to 1999 | Employer: California Watercress, Inc. | Title: Technical Director of Horticulture – Project Manager | Department: |
Responsibilities:Provide technical assistance for projects concerned with design and construction of intensive cropping systems, hydroponic growing of various herbs. Established a 3-acre outdoor hydroponic watercress facility to conserve water. This overcame production losses due to drought conditions. Design and construction of greenhouses and hydroponic systems for growing various herbs. Training of workers and supervisors in horticultural practices for hydroponic systems. Investigation of potential horticultural ventures with emphasis on intensive cropping techniques. |
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Years | Employer | Title | Department |
Years: 1987 to 1988 | Employer: Hoppmann Corporation | Title: General Manager- Greenhouse Operations General Manager | Department: |
Responsibilities:Coordination of construction and production of greenhouse operations growing lettuce in a floating raft culture system. Training of workers and a grower-manager. Part of the work involved writing greenhouse proposals for the construction and operation of large greenhouses using waste heat from cogeneration power plants in the northeastern United States. Work included site evaluations, climatic suitability, details of crop scheduling, horticultural practices, hydroponic systems, nutrient formulations, cash flow projections, equipment lists, pricing of greenhouse structures and components and the overall writing of the proposals. |
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Years | Employer | Title | Department |
Years: 1985 to 1986 | Employer: Malaspina College | Title: Instructor- Greenhouse Technology | Department: |
Responsibilities:Greenhouse Horticulture Technology Program. This was a two-year diploma program to prepare students for management positions in the greenhouse-nursery industries. Courses prepared and taught were: Plant Propagation (including micropropagation); Plant Nutrition, Growth Media and Hydroponic Systems; Pest Management and Disease Control; Greenhouse Management, Crop Rotation and Costs. Assisted in the arrangement of field trips for students, responsible for laboratory classes, curriculum development and planning of greenhouse facilities. |
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Years | Employer | Title | Department |
Years: 1984 to 1985 | Employer: Kelowna Nurseries Ltd. | Title: Vice-President, Production and Marketing | Department: |
Responsibilities:Responsible to the President and Board of Directors for the Company’s production and marketing of plant products and tissue culture technology. This included the preparation of the Company’s business plan and acquisition of equity financing. Collaboration with the Vice-President, Research and development, in the preparation of research proposals and the sales of research and development contracts. To direct sales personnel in seeking research and production contracts for the tissue culture process. To coordinate and assist in the transplantation-acclimatization of tissue-cultured plantlets with the Operations Manager. To market hydroponic technology and direct any such research and/or joint-venture projects. To negotiate tissue culture joint-ventures and establish such operations. |
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Years | Employer | Title | Department |
Years: 1980 to 1984 | Employer: Kelowna Nurseries Ltd. | Title: General Manager | Department: |
Responsibilities:Responsible to the Vice-President for the administration of all divisions of the Company, including container, field and tissue-culture production. To coordinate all operations, their improvement, and initiation of new programs. Budgeting and control of expenditures with emphasis upon the economics of commercial production. To coordinate, with the Project Leader and his assistant, the commercial development of the tissue culture program. To assist in the development of fertilizer mixes, and transplantation to the field. |
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Years | Employer | Title | Department |
Years: 1979 to 1980 | Employer: Kelowna Nurseries Ltd. | Title: Production Manager | Department: |
Responsibilities:To supervise and plan the production of containerized plants, responsible to the Vice-President. The responsibilities included developing a cost effective medium and weed control program. Modifications of existing greenhouse facilities and improvement of propagation techniques for the liner production of over 300,000 cuttings annually. Directing daily operations of shipping, potting, fertilizing, irrigation, construction of new facilities and supervising of up to 40 employees. Planning needs of future production and facilities and budgeting the annual operations were part of the overall management of the container operation. |
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Years | Employer | Title | Department |
Years: 1975 to 1978 | Employer: Department of Plant Science The University of British Columbia | Title: Urban Horticulturist-Lecturer | Department: |
Responsibilities:Responsible to the Chairman of the Department of Plant Science. The work included horticulture extension, research in soilless culture, and teaching of courses in hydroponics, horticulture, plant propagation, greenhouse design and production. To research nutrient film technique (NFT) with tomatoes and European cucumbers. To modify the NFT system to overcome nutritional and oxygen deficit problems. |
Career Accomplishments
Associations / Societies |
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Asociacion Internacional de Consultores de Hidroponia, Toluca, Mexico |
Licenses / Certifications |
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International Course on Hydroponics. Universidad Nacional Agraria, La Molina, Lima, Peru: Participant/Judge International Conference and Exhibition of Commercial Hydroponics, Universidad Nacional Agraria, La Molina, Lima, Peru: Participant/Judge First International Course and Congress of Hydroponics of the Republic of Mexico. Asociacion Hidroponica Mexicana, Toluca, Mexico: Participant/Contributor International Congress of Hydroponics. Universidad Autonoma de Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Mexico: Participant/Contributor Technical Advances of Hydroponic Production, Soilless Culture. Universidad Internacional de Andalucia, La Rabida, Huelva, Spain: Course Presenter 5th International Course and Congress on Hydroponics in the Republic of Mexico. Asociacion Hidroponia Mexicana, Toluca, Mexico: Contributor/Participant 8th International Practical Course of Hydroponics. Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, Lima, Peru: Participant 1st International Congress of Hydroponics, Universidad EARTH, Guacimo, Limon, Costa Rica: Participant 6th International Course and Congress on Hydroponics in the Republic of Mexico. Asociacion Hidroponia Mexicana, Toluca, Mexico 4th Brazil Conference of Hydroponics. Hydroponics Society of Brazil, Florianopolis, Brazil: Participant 5th Brazil Conference of Hydroponics. Hydroponics Society of Brazil, Florianopolis, Brazil: Participant 3rd International Congress of Hydroponics. Centro Nacional de Jardineria Corazon Verde y Asociacion Internacional de Consultores en Hidroponia. San Jose, Costa Rica: Participant 12th International Practical Course of Hydroponics. Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, Lima, Peru: Participant International Congress on Controlled Environment Agriculture. University of Panama, Panama City, Panama and Chiba University, Japan: Attendee |