US (CO): Aquaponic innovation dome added to geothermal greenhouse park
The Innovation Dome is designed by Eric Highfield, Director of Greenhouse Operations for Pagosa Verde. Eric Highfield and Charlie Schultz, Lead Educator of Controlled Environment Agriculture at Santa Fe Community College, will lead the team building the interior of the high-yielding facility. Sally High, Pagosa Verde Project Developer and GGP board member, acquired the funding for the demonstration greenhouse from the Colorado Water Conservation Board’s Engagement and Innovation Grant Funds for water education.
Aquaponic Innovation Dome educators are (l to r) Charlie Schultz, Sally High and Eric Highfield. Photo by Kait Weiland - www.kweilandphoto.com
The 1,380-square foot two-story dome may produce as much as 48 heads of lettuce or 15 pounds of basil per day. Under ideal conditions, six hundred thirty pounds of fish could be harvested every 6 weeks. GGP will conduct public tours and workshops, encouraging growers to address 21st century agricultural challenges with innovative year-round growing.
The Education Dome, operational in early 2017, uses conventional soil beds to engage youth and adults in year-round sustainable agriculture at 7,200 feet elevation. The Community Garden Dome will likely be operational by late summer 2018. The Town of Pagosa Springs provides the 501(c)3 GGP park their site on the banks of the San Juan River and 100 gallons of geothermal water per minute from the community’s geothermal resource.
For more information:
Geothermal Greenhouse Partnership
www.pagosagreen.org