Future & Technology

If you are at all interested in cannabis as a growing industry you are already aware that while the US Federal Government labels marijuana a schedule 1 drug with no medicinal benefits, they also hold a patent titled “Cannabinoids as antioxidants and neuroprotectants” which was awarded in 2003. And while possession of the flower remains a serious criminal offence, President Obama and the US Attorney General have decided to allow individual States to determine their own set of rules within their borders.

Over the last few years the horticultural industry has had a healthy preoccupation with engaging the “next generation”.  We need them as customers, suppliers, innovators, and employees.  And while continuing to court young blood makes good sense, for sustainable growth we should not be ignoring the vast masses of soon to be semi-retired baby boomers, or their predecessors.

There is a startling statistic: 70% of family businesses fail in the second generation, and 88% fail with the third generation. And yet family farms and family greenhouses perform much better than most family businesses.

Back in the summer of 2013 I wrote an article titled What Can I Grow in a Greenhouse? The focus was to highlight some of the unique uses for greenhouses that we have encountered in our 35+ years of helping greenhouse growers grow their businesses. Many of the greenhouse products suggested back then still show promise for profitable growth today, and a few new ones have emerged.

At GGS we believe that success means we have helped our customers grow.  To help you grow we listen to your concerns, hear what your needs are, and we actively watch what is going on in the world around us.  This enables us to provide better technology, more responsive services, and higher quality products to your farms.

In designing an efficient facility to grow medical marijuana, it is important that a well thought out plan is prepared and agreed to. Without this the cost of the project will escalate far above the budget. This plan needs to take into consideration all the requirements outlined in the regulations prepared by the governing body and the regulations of the municipality where the facility will be constructed.

A greenhouse Lean-to is one of the most versatile additions to a gutter connect greenhouse range that any greenhouse manufacturer can offer you. Consider the different ways a Lean-to structure can add production space, improve productivity, and provide connectivity to your greenhouse range.

There are many reasons to make improvements in a commercial greenhouse, modernizing your greenhouse can reduce maintenance costs, or make productivity improvements, or improve the greenhouse environment for better growing, or maybe you want to add some extra growing space.  Whatever the reason it is important to understand what the goal is before you talk to your greenhouse manufacturer.

Just over a month ago GGS Structures Inc invested in a drone. We were interested in what the tiny yet powerful device could mean to the greenhouse industry.

Every day a handful of new articles pop up on news feeds with a new way that drone technology is being used. It's been interesting following this hot new trend. Just this week an amateur pilot of a drone helped locate and rescue an 82-year-old missing man helping end a three day search.

It's been an exciting show this year and to wrap up Cultivate 14 we have created a slideshow of the highlights and Top Ten Takeaways . We hope to see you all again next year!