Page 32 - ARUBA TODAY

A32 FEATURE
Tuesday 16 May 2017
New Alaska handbook provides how-to on heated greenhouses

RACHEL D’ORO otherwise would go into
Associated Press the atmosphere, thanks
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) to a second combustion
— Cold-climate green- chamber absent in less
houses have long been an sophisticated systems, of-
option for increasing the ficials say.
limited growing season in The Thorne Bay school was
Alaska, where fresh pro- the first of four in the South-
duce is a rarity in a harsh east Island School District
environment. But for many to install wood-heated
remote communities that aquaponics greenhouses,
rely on costly imported which use live fish to pro-
diesel fuel for their power vide nutrients for lettuce,
source, they’re too expen- kale, bok choy and other
sive to operate. crops.
Now, the state has re- Alaska bans fish farming so
leased a handbook that the schools can’t use ed-
shows schools and com- ible fish such as aquapon-
munity groups how to build ics-favorite tilapia. They
greenhouses heated with instead rely on goldfish
a plentiful local resource: and koi, said district green-
wood. house manager Colter
The 98-page guide comes Barnes, who also is the prin-
as greenhouses gain popu- This March 30, 2016, shows some of the produce grown in the local school’s wood-heated cipal at the school in Coff-
larity in the vast state for aquaponics greenhouse in Naukati, Alaska. Associated Press man Cove, a community
several reasons, including of 200.
improved technology and installed a 750-square-foot Students in the district even
heightened awareness, (70-square-meter) aqua- have a business license
according to officials who ponics greenhouse three with the state as “Island
worked on the handbook. years ago. Fresh Student Enterprises,”
Thousands of schools in The school was able to to sell their crops at farm
the continental U.S. have cheaply heat its green- stands and local business-
gardens and some have house year-round with es — whatever is left after
greenhouses where stu- cord wood cut by students. the island’s six schools get
dents learn to grow food. Wood and variations such produce for cafeteria sal-
But Alaska’s situation is as cord wood, wood chips ad bars.
unique given the lack of and pellets are known in At the Coffman Cove
fresh produce from local the industry as biomass. school, all 20 students
sources in remote parts of “They could never have start their weekdays at
the state. afforded a greenhouse their 7,000-square-foot
“There’s nobody that if they were heating their (650-square-meter) green-
comes close,” says Bob school with diesel heat,” house, which has 10,000
Deering, renewable ener- said Devany Plentovich, plants and 2,000 fish.
gy coordinator for the Alas- manager of the Alaska En- In this Sept. 1, 2015, photo, Lily West, left, and Logan Strong plant Students at all levels go
ka region of the U.S. Forest ergy Authority’s biomass seeds for their school’s wood-heated aquaponics greenhouse through a list of chores, in-
Service, the handbook’s program. in Kasaan, Alaska. cluding testing the water,
main funding source. A year in the making, the Associated Press feeding the fish, and plant-
In villages off the state’s guide was funded by fed- ing or checking crops.
limited road system, for eral and state grants to- The only thing the younger
instance, goods must be taling $150,000. It involved system was funded through lution problem in Fairbanks. students don’t do is load
flown up or barged in. input from multiple entities, the state biomass program. The boilers used in the and fire up the wood-burn-
Steeply priced vegetables including those with suc- Inefficient wood-burning greenhouses, however, are ing boilers. Students 16 and
can be more than a week cessful projects such as stoves and outdoor boilers far more efficient, burning older get paid to cut and
in transit and past their Thorne Bay, whose heating have created a huge pol- most of the pollution that stack wood, and load the
prime by the time they ar- boilers, Barnes said.
rive at stores. He called the greenhouse
The new handbook covers program a work in progress
a range of subjects — from that has been a hit with
community planning and students.
funding options to types “It’s been fantastic. Kids
of greenhouses and man- love to eat, and kids love
agement of plant nutrients to make money,” he said.
— aimed at putting more “They are engaged in it
locally grown food in Alas- — way more engaged
ka kitchens and school caf- than any worksheet or text-
eterias. It also contains cur- book.”
riculum and case studies of In Coffman Cove, 12-year-
projects by several schools, old seventh-grader Damon
including the one in the Holtman went even further.
small Prince of Wales Island He and his parents just built
community of Thorne Bay, This Feb. 19, 2017, photo shows the exterior of the local school’s wood-heated aquaponics green- a small solar greenhouse at
in southeast Alaska, which house in Coffman Cove, Alaska. their property. q
Associated Press