Growing From History

NextGen Growers was created on the ideas that we can sustainably feed ourselves locally on the prairie using resources that otherwise have little value. We started with a neglected workshop sitting at the old Royal Canadian Air Force base near Vulcan. The land was mostly valued to store and trade scrap and junked machinery. We felt that we could reuse the building and make use out of what was once left to decay.

With significant investment, we now have a facility that is able to produce a variety of vegetables and herbs throughout the entire year.

NextGen Growing Technology

What used to take acres can now be measured in feet. We are able to grow fresh, healthy produce using a fraction of the space and water than a traditional farm.

And it can be done in any season, no matter what our Alberta weather has in store for us.

 

In order to grow produce all year round in Alberta, we use the latest technologies in Hydroponics, Closed Environment Agriculture and Veritical Farming.

Hydroponics uses little water and no dirt. In fact, it uses less than 10% of the water that a traditional farm would employ. We recycle the water used to feed the plants to achieve even more water savings.

Closed Environment Agriculture uses artificial lighting and enclosed environments. The latest in high output, low voltage LED lighting saves electricity use and lowers the generation of waste heat. Because we are closed, there are minimal to zero pests and invasive species. This means no pesticides or herbicides! There is also no threat of cross pollination from GMO species.

Vertical Farming stacks plants as high as possible to maximize square footage. All of these techniques are used to grow your produce from seed to harvest. It is also necessary to allow us to produce throughout the year in an environmentally sustainable manner.

Are you Organic?

Unfortunately, the Organic certification bodies in Canada prohibit any hydroponically grown produce from being labelled as Organic. This is due to the addition of nutrients to the water. While these same nutrients are found naturally occuring in soil, we must obey the ruling by the standards body.

Chef Approved

Anyone can grow the commercial varities of produce. They grow quickly, have high yields and are strong enough to survive the 2,000km journey from California to Alberta. In addition, they are also flavourless!

We have hand chosen specific heirloom varieties of organic and non-GMO seeds to produce. They are challenging to grow in commercial quantities. But what you get in return is some of the most pungent, aromatic herbs that you've ever come across! Our lettuce actually has flavour to help stand out in your salad or to highlight your dish.

What is Rockwool?

We ship many of our products still alive with their root systems attached. You may have noticed the little cube of material intertwined with the roots. This is Rockwool, which is the medium where we germinate the seeds and then allows us to precisely feed the plant through its growth stages for better yield and quality. Rockwool is made by spinning fibers from molten rock and sand, which is then formed into the blocks that you hold now. It is perfectly safe and you can feel good about adding it to your garden, compost or even the landfill, as it helps aerate the mix and promotes aerobic decomposition.