Category: Q&A

BrightFarms to expand NH’s largest hydroponic farm

BrightFarms, a national indoor farming company that grows leafy greens, is partnering with lēf Farms in Loudon to build its first New England farm. The “megafarm” will eventually span 14 acres and produce 4 million pounds of leafy greens for retailers across the Northeast. Donald Grandmaison, the sales manager for lēf Farms, talked about the expansion and what it means for New Hampshire.

What brought lēf Farms and BrightFarms together?

Lēf Farms was started in 2016 and was the only hydroponic greenhouse of its size in New Hampshire — one acre, with the capacity [to expand to] 14 acres — and it still is. We started with the mission of bringing fresh, local baby greens to the market and getting it to the retailers within 24 hours of harvest. … That mission really parallels what BrightFarms does. … Ninety-six percent of baby greens are imported from California or Arizona … so it takes four to seven days for them [to get here]. BrightFarms is working to bring that product closer to the market. … One reason [they chose lēf Farms] is that we’re centrally located in New Hampshire and right in the middle of New England, so we’re only an hour to two hours away from every major distribution center for a lot of the Northeast retailers, [including] Hannaford, Market Basket and Shaw’s.

How does your hydroponic growing system work?

The type of growing we do is called NFT, [which stands for] nutrient film technique. We grow in 19-foot-long gutters and plant the seeds right on top of a soilless media that germinates the seeds. The roots penetrate down to the bottom of these gutters where water is run over the roof, so there’s a rich, dense nutrient solution that runs over the roots, and that’s [what makes it] hydroponic. … We use some really advanced technology [including] a completely automated system … with greenhouses that regulate temperature, humidity and light levels.

What do you grow?

We grow baby lettuces, like romaines and an iceberg hybrid; a crop called mizuna, which is a type of mustard green; and a red leaf and a green leaf. We have four products: a spice blend which has arugula and mustard in it; a smooth blend with a variety of soft, leafy lettuces; a red and green leaf blend; and a straight green leaf blend.

What does this partnership do for lēf farms?

BrightFarms is the leading indoor farming company in the country. They’ve been in the market much longer than we have, and they have resources and expertise that we simply didn’t have. They’re bringing a world-class model to our farm and expanding our farm from one acre to three acres within the year, which will impact the entire Northeast.

What does it do for New Hampshire as a whole?

One of the hardest things about living in New Hampshire is the limited growing season; you get to October and [don’t have many] options, but people want fresh local products year-round. We’re able to create a supply for that demand. … We [in the agriculture industry] are expecting that within the next five to 10 years 50 percent of all leafy greens that people buy at the retail level will be grown indoors, which is phenomenal. … There’s also the convenience factor: our products are in Hannaford, Whole Foods, Market Basket, Shaw’s and Star Market, which [adds up to] about 800 retailers … and we also work with more than 200 independent and local retailers, so if people are shopping at a retailer [rather than a farmers market], they can still get products from local manufacturers. That’s a huge win for New Hampshire residents.

What does it mean to you personally, to be a part of this project?

I’ve been working for lēf since the beginning. … Before that, I went to school for integrated agriculture and got degrees in plant physiology and growing, and I was the general manager of a farm in Concord for 13 years. I’ve always had an intense passion for growing food for locals. There’s nothing more rewarding than growing a crop and selling it right here in the region … especially when you think about how there are pockets of food insecurity throughout New England with limited access to healthy foods.

Featured photo: Donald Grandmaison. Courtesy photo.

Work begins on whitewater park in Franklin

After six years of planning, construction on New England’s first whitewater park is underway on the Winnipesaukee River in Franklin, with the first of three water features expected to be completed in December. The new park also includes a land-based portion, Mill City Park at Franklin Falls, which opened to the public in June. Marty Parichand, founder and executive director of Mill City Park at Franklin Falls, discussed the project, including the park’s features and what makes it unique.

What is the historic and geographic significance of the park?

The mills gave Franklin a reason to exist. They were churning out products and [provided] jobs and opportunity for people. … The river drains Lake Winnipesaukee, which is a ton of water … and it drops pretty steeply into downtown, so as a mill town Franklin relied on that river. … When the mills ended, [the town] turned their back on the river [because] it was no longer the economic engine of the town. … What’s interesting about Mill City Park is the juxtaposition between nature and [the mills] that used to be there. … New Hampshire does a really good job with preserving natural beauty — places like the White Mountains and Bear Brook State Park — but in Mill City Park, you have nature taking that site back.

What activities will people be able to do on the water?

It’s not like a place with water slides or an infinity pool or anything like that. The whitewater features aren’t built for running whitewater rapids; they’re built for playing and surfing inside of the river. Because the water comes down the river from Lake Winnipesaukee, we don’t have to wait for water from other places, so you’ll be able to surf inside the river 365 days a year. … We’ve engineered three different whitewater features: two for people on boogie boards and whitewater kayaks to sit in one location, and [one] that’s a wave feature for people on surfboards.

What can people do at Mill City Park?

Mill City Park was based on an idea for a free 13-acre adventure park. It includes a parking lot, about three quarters of a mile of trails and historic viewing spots of [mill] ruins, the trestle bridge, the upside-down covered bridge and the graffiti wall. … We’re still planning to build a bathhouse and a timber-frame pavilion in the upcoming year.

Is there anything else like this in New Hampshire?

No. There are 300 whitewater parks across the country, but not one in New England.

How will the park benefit the city of Franklin?

It’s free outdoor recreation, a place where the public can interact with the river. … It’s a fun place to sit down, watch [water sports], play or have lunch. … It gives people [a reason] to come here and [patronize[ the downtown businesses. It’s increasing the value of our town, attracting more businesses [and] developers here. … [The park] isn’t even fully built yet, and there’s already been a positive impact on the community.

What inspired you to start this project?

I had a good-paying job as an engineer … but I wasn’t around much for my kids, and I was always preoccupied or thinking about work. One day I woke up and realized I wasn’t doing the things in life that I really cared about. I [thought] about what I wanted to do with the rest of my life and decided that I wanted to really prioritize having fun while making a positive impact. I love spending time on the water. I’ve been around whitewater since 2000, and I’ve seen how it brings people together. I’ve seen how vibrant towns and cities that have this free outdoor amenity can be. … Now I live in Franklin, and I really wanted to see that in my town.

What’s the next step?

This year we’re building a pedestrian walkway, an amphitheatre and one of the whitewater features. We’re hoping to have construction on those done in December.

Featured photo: Marty Parichand. Courtesy photo.