Spreading the Word on Growing Food

By Vicki Parsons 

Chester Bullock is a man with a mission. It took him16 years, 32,000 mistakes and $1.5 million to invent a vertical hydroponic system that doubles average yield per plant in a quarter of the space. Now he’s out to teach the world how – and why – they should grow their own vegetables.

He’s putting the final touches on a state-of-the-art, 10,000-square-foot education center adjacent to a fully functioning hydroponic farm in Myakka, Fla. he expects to become a tourist destination over time. “We’re less than two hours from Orlando and an hour away from Florida’s world-famous beaches on the Gulf of Mexico.”

As part of a vacation package, Bullock is developing programs for the whole family. “We’re working toward a setup where we have one section for kids, another for cooks and a third for the serious gardener so everyone can enjoy the visit.

High-Tech How-Tos
While hydroponic gardening increases yields and makes it possible for almost anyone to grow a large percentage of their food, it’s a totally different concept for people who’ve tilled a traditional garden every spring. The fact that hydroponic growers are responsible for providing everything a plant needs makes a thorough understanding of the system and the chemistry it uses even more critical.

A series of classes, beginning with complimentary 2-hour program scheduled every Saturday, will walk growers through the process, from assembling a hydroponic system to plant requirements and basic chemistry. The classroom, equipped with a white board that functions like a computer screen plus WiFi and Ethernet connections at every seat, was designed to optimize learning.

Next door, a fully equipped chemistry lab allows participants a hands-on opportunity to learn everything from the alphabet of hydroponic terms from pH and EC (electrical connectivity is a way of measuring nutrient levels) to the properties of perlite and vermiculite.

Finally, a teaching kitchen with 20 stations is staffed by his wife – an MD who also is a former instructor at Johnson & Wales College of Culinary Art. “We want to teach people how to cook the vegetables they’re growing and encourage them to experiment,” Bullock said. 

The Victory Garden of the 21st Century
Once gardeners have the basics under their belts, hydroponic systems are easy to assemble and maintain, making them the “Victory Garden of the 21st Century,” he says.

Plants being fed a perfect blend of nutrients produce more food in less space. For instance, his system – called the HydroStacker – can hold 20 stalks of corn in 14 square inches, each bearing up to six ears. Strawberries in Florida usually bear about a pound of fruit from January to April — his bear more than four pounds from November through June. Blueberries that usually bear in February and March are covered in fruit from January to June with total yields exceeding seven pounds.

Hydroponics also are perfect for senior citizens because they totally eliminate weeds, require very little bending and can easily be arranged to be wheelchair-accessible, he notes. And because they require little space they can be used in areas where there isn’t enough room to plant a traditional vegetable garden.

Ensuring Success for Commercial Growers
In addition to “Victory Gardeners,” the education center will train commercial growers from across the country with special two- or three-day programs. “Baby Boomers escaping corporate America are looking at hydroponic U-pick farms as an alternative career but there aren’t any formal classes available on how to build, operate or market them.”

The interest in hydroponics is fueled by a series of trends coming together. First, of course, is the ongoing focus on the health benefits of eating more fresh fruits and vegetables. Hydroponics also requires few or no pesticides – the only things Bullock uses is soap and cayenne pepper – tying back to the trend toward organic gardening.

From an environmental perspective, hydroponic growers use significantly less water than field- or garden-grown plants, a key issue as much of the country faces ongoing droughts that may worsen with global warming. Plants in well-designed and maintained hydroponic systems also are fed exactly the nutrients they need, minimizing the runoff that causes dead zones in lakes and bays.

Finally, hydroponics makes it possible to grow food close to large population centers. “The average vegetable travels nearly 1,000 miles from plant to plate, consuming an enormous amount of energy and losing vitamins and nutrients along the way,” Bullock notes. “With this new technology, you can offer consumers a more nutritious and environmentally sustainable product.”

The next step for the man with a mission is finalizing a design that allows commercial growers to harvest 3,000 heads of lettuce from 10 square feet in 21 days – and in the dark. “There are a lot of people with warehouse space that could be put to good use,” he says. “It’s one more way we can help people grow their own food, or at least buy it fresh from a nearby source.” GG

Vicki Parsons is a free lance author and owner of Neem Tree Farms www.neemtreefarms.com

For more information visit www.hydrostacker.com or call 941-322-9602.