Yukon’s first hydroponic vegetables are being grown in a greenhouse in Whitehorse. Lorne Metropolit, owner of Yukon Gardens, says that “We have gone into lettuce production and we produce four or five varieties”. They expect production to be good, despite the fact that their greenhouse is small- which is important due to heating costs in the winter.
Lorne’s daughter, Kelsey is enthusiastic about the idea of offering products with their roots and the fact that they stay fresh longer.
The owners have been faced with challenges, notably the high cost of equipment and manual labour. “Trying to find solutions is part of the experience of growing (vegetables) in the North. There is always the unexpected” and Lorne Metropolit says that “We thought we could do it for $3,000 to $4,000. We are at $25,000."
The first harvest will be at the end of May and the products should be available in shops in Whitehorse. They plan to produce vegetables in their greenhouse all year round.