Vermillion Growers is continuing to restore its greenhouse operation in Dauphin, Manitoba, following an overland flooding event that reached the site on June 30. The facility experienced approximately 2–3 feet (as high as approximately 26″/66cm) of water throughout the greenhouse, while the warehouse, offices, and boiler room saw approximately 18–20 inches (46–51 cm).
The flooding occurred near the end of the growing season, with about five weeks of harvesting remaining. An estimated harvest of more than 540,000 kg of tomatoes, equivalent to roughly 1.2 million lb, was still on the plants and was lost. A further 5,000-plus cases of packed tomatoes in the warehouse were also affected.
Cormac Foster, P.Eng., Vice President of Engineering and Development at Vermillion Growers, says food safety considerations meant the affected crop could not be redirected to other markets.
© Vermillion Growers
Following the event, the company began cleaning, documenting damage and assessing equipment with contractors, suppliers, manufacturers and technical specialists involved in the original greenhouse project. “We’re almost finished all of the assessments, and our team is working hard on the cleaning,” he shares.
© Vermillion Growers
The facility had been scheduled to be replanted on August 19, but restoration work has delayed that timetable. A new production date has not yet been established, with disinfection, equipment replacement and food-safety approvals still required before production can resume.
© Vermillion Growers
Expansion remains on the agenda
The flooding has not displaced Vermillion Growers’ longer-term development plans. The company’s existing Phase One operation comprises approximately 10 acres of growing area within a 12-acre greenhouse footprint.
“Before the flooding situation, our team had been preparing for expansion. Phases Two and Three are planned to increase the site to approximately 30 acres of growing area. Infrastructure installed during Phase One was designed with that expansion in mind, including electrical, heating and irrigation capacity, as well as elements of the packing operation,” he shares.
In the longer term, the company has plans for up to 70 acres of growing area at the site.
Hybrid lighting for Manitoba’s climate
Vermillion Growers is also preparing to modify its supplemental lighting system. “We currently use high-pressure sodium (HPS) fixtures and had planned to replace approximately half of them with LEDs, creating a hybrid HPS/LED configuration.” He notes that the inefficiency of HPS, resulting in surplus heat instead of only lighting, is actually beneficial for Manitoba’s pronounced seasonal temperature range.
© Vermillion Growers
“For us, our temperature levels decrease so dramatically in the wintertime that you need that supplemental heat in the top layer of the greenhouse. Based on our analysis and discussion with industry experts and other growers, we feel that the hybrid lighting option is the best option for us.”
The company’s modelling indicates that the hybrid system could increase winter yields, while retaining some of the heat generated by HPS fixtures. The installation, originally planned for autumn, may be delayed by the ongoing restoration work.
© Vermillion Growers
Water recovery delivers measurable savings
Water-use efficiency is another area where the greenhouse has now moved from projections to measured operating data. Vermillion Growers collects rainwater from the greenhouse roof, captures melted snow and recovers interior condensation for reuse.
After analysing its first three seasons of operation, the company found that approximately 50% of its irrigation water is supplied through water collected and recycled on site.
“We collect every drop of water that we possibly can off of our roof, all of our melted snow as well as rainwater, and the condensation on the inside.” The measured recovery rate is broadly in line with the company’s original estimates and reduces its reliance on municipal water for irrigation.
© Vermillion Growers
Planning for future resilience
The flood has also prompted a review of site protection. Cormac adds the original project was designed using provincial hydrology modelling for a one-in-100-year flood, and that the modelling was subsequently updated to a one-in-200-year event during the project’s development.
The company plans to work with the provincial government to reassess the site’s flood-protection requirements in light of the recent event. “We did have flood protection on the site that was planned based on the data that had been provided to us, but we need to improve that even more. We look forward to working with the provincial government to establish updated measurements and planning criteria, and to contribute our experience as the greenhouse sector continues to develop in Manitoba.”
Alongside physical recovery, the company is using the restoration process to review equipment and identify smaller opportunities to improve efficiency as damaged components are repaired or replaced.
For more information:
Vermillion Growers
Cormac Foster
[email protected]
vermilliongrowers.com