Area greenhouse that supplies large grocers preparing to open, hiring 30 (Ohio)

The Dayton Daily News ^ | May 23, 2018 | Kaitlin Schroeder, Staff Writer

[2ndDivisionVet]

A new greenhouse in the region that will sell produce in Dayton, Columbus and Cincinnati is about to start operations.

BrightFarms said in a statement that the company is hiring 30 for its Wilmington greenhouse, which will grow greens, herbs and tomatoes year-round.

BrightFarms produce is sold at major grocery chains like Wal-Mart and Kroger. The Irvington, N.Y.-based company markets its produce as a local option instead of shipping in produce from other states or out of the country.

In 2016, BrightFarms raised $30.1 million in funding to expand beyond the three greenhouses it was operating at the time in greater Philadelphia, Washington D.C. and Chicago, according to Tech Crunch.

The Wilmington greenhouse is in the final stage of construction and the first seeding will take place in early June, according to the company.

The Wilmington jobs come with benefits, vacation and 401(k). The job openings are for the harvest crew and pack team. Job seekers can apply at talent@brightfarms.com.

BrightFarms said its greenhouses each annually produce 800,000 pounds of salad greens and herbs. The greenhouse will be located near 1850 David’s Drive in Wilmington.

“The nation’s best supermarkets are responding to consumer demand for fresher, tastier and more sustainable produce, and so demand for local produce like ours continues to grow extremely quickly,” Paul Lightfoot, CEO of BrightFarms, had said.

When the Dayton Daily News first reported on the project, BrightFarms stated the greenhouse will use 80 percent less water, 90 percent less land and 95 percent less shipping fuel compared to traditional farming methods.

This is not the only recent greenhouse to expand to the region. Golden Fresh Farms, a Canadian-based division of Red Sun Farms owns a high-tech hydroponic greenhouse operation, and as of 2017 was growing more than 200,000 tomato plants in its state-of-the-art greenhouse in Wapakoneta.

[bgill]

grow greens, herbs and tomatoes year-round.

The easiest plants to grow on your own window sill for pennies.

[KarlInOhio]

Yea, more flavorless orange raquetballs called tomatoes. Alert me in July when the real ones are harvested locally.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

When I was a kid, there were acres and acres of greenhouses just South of Cleveland. All gone now.

[hinckley buzzard]

One of the advantages of locally grown produce is that you can get it naturally ripened and shipped daily, much more flavorful and nutritious than the tomatoes in the usual supermarkets which have been picked green and stored and transported for days and days.

This kind of enterprise should be applauded and supported.