greenhouse initiative - denver · dps farm to school initiative - making progress for the past 8...
Post on 12-Jun-2020
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GREENHOUSE INITIATIVE
1
AGENDA
▪ Why are we here?
▪ Background Information
▪ Goals for Phase 3
▪ Project Overview
▪ Opportunities
▪ Benefits
▪ Timeline
▪ Map of Greenhouse Site
▪ Close
2
WHY ARE WE HERE?
▪ DPS Farm to School Initiative
- Making progress for the past 8 years
- Installing a large-scale greenhouse will create a sustainable model both financially and environmentally
- Provide salad bowl items for DPS students
- Sell excess to commercial buyers to help fund the Food and Nutrition Services Department
3
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
▪ Phase 1
- Food and Nutrition Services has 2 operational farms from 2017-2018
▪ Phase 2
- Pilot high tunnel on existing DPS farm site 2016-2017
▪ Phase 3 - current phase
- Goals on next slide
▪ Phase 4
- Full scale commercial greenhouse in 2019-2020
4
GOALS FOR PHASE 3
▪ Lengthen the growing season by providing sustainable, year round production of the highest quality of local vegetables and fruits to feed DPR students and the community
▪ Repurpose idle, under-utilized land into revenue generating engine
▪ Offer students career and technical training in urban agriculture
▪ Align and support DPS Plan 2020
▪ Be an active partner in the City of Denver’s 20/20 Sustainability Plan
▪ Execute DPS’s Food and Nutrition Mission
5
PROJECT OVERVIEW
▪ DPS will be the first in the nation to build commercial greenhouses for growing salad bowl items for students
▪ Provide educational pathways for high school students and workforce development for students and adults
▪ Pilot 1-acre greenhouse to grow tomatoes and eventually leafy greens
▪ Build a ¼ acre training facility at a local DPS high school to be used for educational purposes
▪ Initial greenhouse capacity will provide for inventory that will be sold to other front range school districts and retail/wholesale buyers
▪ Eventual build out to 6-8 acres and expand crops to include vine crops such as peppers, cucumbers, and strawberries
6
OPPORTUNITIES
▪ Partnership to sell excess inventory to other districts and wholesale
▪ Opportunity to partner with other agencies
▪ Utilize vacant land owned by DPS
7
BENEFITS
▪ Education
- First ever agricultural program in DPS for students with a focus on urban agriculture pathway
▪ Nutrition
- Year round, locally sources, healthy produce for DPS students
- Vegetables with superior taste and freshness, longer shelf life, higher nutritional content, less spoilage
8
BENEFITS
▪ Economic
- Meets 2020 City Sustainability goals
- Year round production using sustainable growing practices
- Annual salary of $30,00 for employees in crop production industry
▪ Public Relations
- First in nation innovative initiative utilizing public-private partners
- Excess inventory sold at wholesale prices to local school districts
9
TIMELINE
10
MAP OF GREENHOUSE SITE
11
CLOSE
12
▪ What questions do you have?
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