104. Ethan Norvell on Hydroponic Farming

What are hydroponics and how does a hydroponic farm thrive? Joining us today is Ethan Norvell, manager of Salad Days Produce located in Flora, Mississippi. Family owned and operated, Salad Days is a hydroponic farm that specializes in growing pesticide-free produce and is able to supply a wide variety of lettuce 365 days a year. Their specially designed re-circulating hydroponic methods save land, conserve water, eliminate agricultural runoff and chemical pesticides, and offer the benefits of efficient, high-yield, local, and year-round food production. Tune in to hear from the expert about how it’s done!    You’ll hear: What kinds of crops Salad Days grows 1:04 Why they dropped tomatoes 2:20 What lettuce products they are offering 8:22 How Ethan got started in farming 14:42 Is hydroponic considered organic? 21:22 If Ethan utilize symbiotic insects 24:42 About their lettuce growth process 29:53 How their nutrient channels operate  39:21 What their weekly schedule looks like  43:44 How Salad Days goes about hiring 47:02 Some mistakes Ethan sees newer farmers making 49:44 How the owners ensure Ethan is a successful manager 50:54 Ethan’s favorite farming tool 53:28 How Ethan feels about the idea of starting a farm today 54:34 Where you can learn more about Ethan and Salad Days Produce 57:15   About the Guest:Ethan Norvell is the greenhouse manager at Salad Days Produce, an 18,000 square feet hydroponic lettuce operation located in Flora, MS. Salad Days grows a variety of lettuces year round in an NFT (nutrient film technique) recirculating system. Ethan and the Salad Days team is committed to growing healthy food for Mississippi and the surrounding region.   Resources: Local Line Home Delivery Cost Calculator - https://site.localline.ca/learn/free-tools Website - http://saladdaysproduce.com/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/saladdaysproduce/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/saladdaysproduce/