Ford Grown

The word hydroponics comes from the Greek for “working with water,” and is a method of growing plants in nutrient-rich liquid instead of soil.

This can be done outside during warm weather or indoors year-round. Some of the benefits of this type of farming include the simplicity of the process along with the environmental benefits 

Fall 2019 Through Spring 2021

• Fall 2019: Pilot program launched by Fordland to grow produce to supply Ford Business Dining – Ford Family Farm
• Spring/Summer 2020: Greenhouse trials with different salad crops for quality and quantities throughout the warm weather season. Fresh produce provided to Ford Family Farm for Provisions Market Quick Eats menu items provided in commercial and manufacturing sites.
• Winter 2020: Salad crop trials throughout winter. Measuring and examining crop quality and quantity within the controlled greenhouse environment through a Michigan winter. Fresh produce continues to be made available to Ford Family Farm for Provisions Market and Quick Eats menu items provided in commercial and manufacturing sites.
• Winter/Spring 2021: Increasing production capabilities and varieties through the installation of an outdoor hydroponic system to grow strawberries and other open air hydroponic crops.
• Fairlane Grounds Farmers: Led and overseen by Steve Battersby, Kyle Shimizu and Vicki Morin harvest and clean the crops.  Laurel Blackwell lends her horticulture expertise.

Many varieties of lettuce, kale, cabbage and some herbs can be successfully grown year-round in greenhouses with minimal heating. Known as cool weather crops, they can withstand low temperatures and shorter daylight hours.

Warm summer crops like tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants, and peppers typically need temperatures above 70 degrees and longer daylight hours for flower and fruit production. Greenhouses can protect these crops from extreme weather and heat.

The pilot program has produced the following crops in the 2020 season:

• Lettuce Varieties. Greens from arugula to romaine, the greenhouse produced a wide variety of small leafy greens to larger heads of lettuce. The lettuce has been used in all the Provisions Market sandwiches from the Chipotle Turkey to the Ham & Swiss on Rye, the Roast Beef and Cheddar to the Italian Sub and all the rest.  Our salads have been enhanced with the fresh flavors of the lettuce mix including the Caribbean Jerk Chicken Salad, Mediterranean Grain Bowl, and the Greek Salad.
• Basil. This hearty beloved herb loved the greenhouse environment. It was used in Caprese Wraps and Salad Cups as well as the Mediterranean Veggie Wrap.
• Swiss Chard and Kale. These hearty leafy greens pack a nutritious punch. They are used in Provision Market Quick Eats salads like the Kale Chicken Caesar as well as the Tuna Salad and Chicken Salad Snack Cups.
• Cherry Tomatoes. Tomatoes love a protected growing area. The cherry tomato plants were huge and produced sweet fruit for the Greek Salad and Tossed 7 Layer Salad.
• Heirloom Tomatoes. Like the cherry tomatoes, a wide variety of heirloom tomatoes were trialed in the greenhouse.  These juicy orbs were sliced onto lots of the Provisions Market Quick Eats sandwiches like the Chipotle Turkey, Ham & Swiss on Rye, Roast Beef and Cheddar, Turkey BLT, and Italian Sub.
• Bell Peppers. Another crop with many varieties. Bell peppers were founds in salads and the Chickpeas and Feta Snack Cup.
• Cucumbers. These vining crops need a lot of water. They grew abundantly in the water-controlled greenhouse to be served in the Greek Salad.
• Corn on the Cob. These crops come from another project with Cherry Hills Farm. We use them in the Provisions Market Thyme Savor Meals

The Fordland Greenhouse is designed to grow hydroponically. The word hydroponics comes from the Greek for “working with water,” and is a method of growing plants in nutrient-rich liquid instead of soil

This can be done outside during traditional growing seasons or indoors year-round. Some of the benefits of this type of farming include the simplicity of the process and control of the growing environment. It also has environmental benefits of efficiently controlling water and nutrient levels.

The Fordland hydroponic system grows crops from seed using root cubes. These are formed from organic medium which hold and feed the seeds. They absorb controlled nutrients from the system water. When the seedlings have germinated, they are treated to one of two growing methods.  

Nutrient Film Technique: Lettuces and herbs are grown in nursery channels on nutrient film soaked with a constant flow of treated water.  As the plants grow, they are moved to growing channels which allow more space between the plants. 

Dutch Bucket Technique: Slower growing crops like tomatoes, peppers, green beans and cucumbers, are grown in 3–5-gallon buckets that have been filled with pearlite, a soil-less growing media that allows water to flow. Fortified water is circulated through the buckets