Inuvik Community Greenhouse Gardening in the Arctic
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- čas přidán 27. 08. 2024
- www.inuvikgreen...
Today we have a very special episode for you. As you all know I garden in Zone 3 here in the Capital Region of Alberta. Now most people think that I live and garden on the northern reaches of the possible. Well today we are going to travel 1952 kilometres or 1213 miles just about due north to the community of Inuvik in the Northwest Territories.
Inuvik sits on the delta of the machenzie river right before it flows into the beauford sea above the arctic circle. Now I know what your thinking this is too far north for gardening right? In fact gardening is well and alive this far north
in 1998 the transformation began of an old arena and through innovative design and recycling it was not long until the community garden was producing its first vegetables.
The facility is split between public community gardens and a commercial growing operation to cover the costs of operation. The facility not only boasts soil raised beds but hydroponics as well.
When you think of growing in the Arctic you are drawn to think of the cold as the limiting factor after all our growing zones are defined by how cold it gets in the winter. Inuvik is firmly in the lowest growing Zone 0 A.
This is not a problem in their greenhouse as inuvik enjoys 56 days of 24hour sunlight from late June to august effectively super charging their season. They are able to grow a wide variety of crops from leafy greens to watermelons.
The Inuvik Community Greenhouse is a great example of alternate ways we can bring gardening into our lives and a little more food security to our communities. If Inuvik can do it we can all do it!
I appreciate you spending time with me. I hope you have a fantastic day!
For more information on the Inuvik Community Greenhouse there is a URL in the description below.
Some of my favorite childhood memories are of gardening with my parents and brothers. This channel is about low cost organic urban gardening in zone 3. I am by no means an expert gardener however I love to share my experiments and journey garden year round. Please feel free to join the conversation and if you think you might like this channel subscribe. Have a great day!
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Watermelons in zone 0A! How cool is that! It's great to see people growing in a community garden in the Arctic circle. Thanks for sharing, Stephen.
They have given me a renewed will to try water melons again :)
You will not be disappointed when you get one Stephen!
after years of failure if I get one Ill sure enjoy it!
Haha, yeah. It took me three years to finally get one, but it was the best watermelon I had ever tasted (and it wasn't even 100% ripe)
That is something else, WOW.
Thats an efficient operation.With that large greenhouse they benefit from economy of scale for heating and purchasing
All the greens look well and vigerous. All the best for 2015
They do have lots of efficiencies having a larger building. It really is a neat area and they are so innovative! You as well Patrick! Have a safe and happy holidays !
I had a garden raised bed in this greenhouse. I grew asparagus and even had lots of tomatoes and cucumbers.
Lorraine that is so cool ! Being able to grow things like tomatoes and melons that far north have really inspired southern gardeners to grow more at home !
Awesome! Thanks for the video.
I am glad you enjoyed the video ;)
VERY cool!
I thought you might like this ;) no fancy products included
That was really cool !
I am so glad you enjoyed it :)
Well done Stephen! 0a wow that a low zone! Bet they don't have any fruit trees LOL! I make myself laugh! Hope you are doing well!
Lol I don't think they have fruit trees your right lol. I hope all is well with you and your family my friend !
This is fabulous. I used to live in Inuvik and remember the produce that the Hudson's Bay Company offered + Bill Rutherford would haul in fruits and veggies and miscellaneous items from the Okanagen and the South. I love this initiative as a community garden. It's educational also for children, so they know where there food comes from... Wonderful initiative and a wonderful video. Thank you for posting...
I spent my childhood in the arctic and really enjoyed it. We could even pull in great harvests in Yellowknife.
I am really glad you enjoyed the clip!
Yes thank you. It's beautiful to hear about Community Greenhouses. It's incredible if you think about it..with permafrost and all...I guess they are raised beds. If the arctic can do this any other community can... I live on Vancouver Island now and have for a long time, but still miss my northern days. It was a very special time for me. Thank you again for such a great production..
I agree if they could do it so can we :) Vancouver island is beautiful!
agreed - yes we can!!!! 100%. Yes it is a jewel really... It's paradise. No complaints here...
Alberta is fine but your growing season is fantastic !
I first heard about their project a few years ago on a gardening show that, unfortunately, I cannot remember the name of. It was based out of Manitoba, but had a special episode on the Inuvik Community Greenhouse. I was unaware that they had a website for the project however, so thanks for providing it!
I am really glad you enjoyed the clip. I have known about them for awhile but had to wait for my father to travel there to get the clips for me :) I am always amazed how well they do!
I wonder how many plants they can't grow because they are photovoltaic and wouldn't grow due to the days where the sun doesn't go down. Still great to see them thriving, especially with the price of fresh produce that far north.
I bet there are some however good shade can help get the down time they need. It would be interesting to see ;)
Very true. I'm sure they are all over it either way, they're doing great work.
Today I thought I would share a fantastic Community Garden in the most unlikely of places the Canadian Arctic. If the wonderful people in Inuvik can grow and garden so can you!
#communitygardens #inuvik #arcitc #foodsecurity #NWT #GNWT
czcams.com/video/ZANhpb-7Pd4/video.html
That is incredible for that far north. I am impressed. By comparison, you and I are in the tropics!
dakotabob10 Thats what I am thinking ;) it really helps put things in perspective!
Man, that's awesome! Thanks for sharing this with us, Stephen!
It sure is a different world up there.
WoW... :-)
This video brings back my hope that I can grow something. :) Thanks Stephen.
Any help you need this community is here my friend !
What a cool video Stephen...thanks for sharing and educating us!!!!
My pleasure. I thought I would be an interesting one for my tropical friends !
I've seen video about this place before and I think it's fantastic. I can't imagine what it must be like to be a yearning gardener in other northern communities that don't have access to a great place like this.
Oh it's hard enough here let alone anywhere else.
I LOVE IT!! Yeah! thanks for sharing my friend. blessings.
I am really glad you enjoyed the clip my tropical friend !
***** Indeed! It was a great clip indeed.
Really impressive endeavour that they have going there! I hope that many people in the world get to see this.
Also amazing that they repurposed an arena for this when I've seen a handful of them basically abandoned.
Great idea for a video. Thanks!
I am impressed with their design to allow the conversion to happen. Your right. Most of them are in a sad state when they are finished being an arena !
Another great video Stephen. I have had trouble growing vegetables in the winter here in the Seattle area so now I have no excuse! Props to these guys for growing their own even when the conditions aren't the best. Thanks for the great video keep them coming.
My friend I find them extremely motivating :) have you thought about a cold frame and hoop house combo? If you have light I bet you would be able grow and harvest all winter.
This past spring I did install a simple PVC hoop house into my 4x8ft raised bed with some success. To be honest I was a little late getting fall/winter seeds started this summer, but the great thing about gardening is we always have next year. Thanks again Stephen.
Tune in Sunday for an episode on a very similar thing ;)
This is so great for the people in the north, to be able to eat healthy and homegrown food. I would like to see something on a larger scale so that future entrepreneurs can develop and benefit from this type of industry.
It would be so great for the kids and the families to have nice green salad’s, fresh tomatoes and healthy foods.
We can do it! Go Canada 🇨🇦
Watermelons!!!!!!! I can't ever complain about the winter anymore.
Lol I was surprised they could grow them there. I struggle every year with melons !
Hello Stephen! Lovely short but informative video:) I had no idea about this and growing so far north however it shows food can be grown almost anywhere in the world:) Great video! Have a great Christmas *****
PS first;)
It really shows the extent of the possibilities ;)
Have a great Holliday Huw my friend!
HuwsNursery you are right ;)
Very impressive.
thanks for sharing
I found it very inspiring eh!
Wow that's something else great post Shows what can be done.
It really is neat hey!!
Very cool sir ;-)
That's awesome Stephen. Thanks for sharing. 24 hrs of daylight seems like a dream for growing in. It must be near impossible in winter without an external light and heat source though.
The winters are tough and likely not much grows. But the summers are filled with excellent fast growing :)
Thank you for this awesome informative video.
I am very glad you enjoyed it :)
That’s my dream to have a green house myself and plant year around
Wow, how did you find out about this community? Looks like they know what they're doing.
I grew up in the arctic. My father and mother still live there and my dad traveled there this year. It was my dads idea! I thought the inspiration would be good !
Nice!
I have seen so lovely botanic gardens far, far north in Norway as well that really blew my eyes out. If you google "Bioforsk Svanhovd", there`s some pictures of the place.
I was there three years ago due to a biological survey job, and have loads of photos from this wonderful place. I`ve been thinking of putting together a vid from the photos taken during these expeditions from the far north.
All the best,
Halvor.
Halvor my father was there so I got some of the clips from him ;) it is wonderful what they can do that far north hey!
Ill google it now!
Anyone know how they power this greenhouse, and how efficient it is in Inuvik? It would be cool if they could build a geothermal/solar heated greenhouse up there if the could find a way to dig below the 10 foot frost line. Heck, if they can drill for oil why not drill for future efficiently grown food?
Stephen, Thanks for sharing, I really enjoyed that. What do they do when the days are mostly dark? Is there artificial light sources they use?
Jeff I believe they shut down during the winter as it would likely be cost prohibitive when you go through 30 days with no Sun and very cold temperatures. I am glad you enjoyed the video my friend!
How much did it cost to build and how much to maintain?
Hey I've seen a few of your videos and find yours videos interesting. I like this video because I wanted to start something like this in my city. But whats your opinion on hydroponics? Or is it better to grow fruits and veggies in natural soil?
While I prefer to grow organically in soil any local food production far exceeds any concerns I have about other growing methods ! It would be really good to see another community garden going !
Yes my dream is to one day completely change canada's farming method into something like this but alot more fancier. I built my first system 2 years ago and came up with a genius idea and been really into gardening ever since. I want to modernize how we farm in this country and recreate it so we as a country dont need rely on american farming in order to survive.
I love the passion and look forward to see how you do my friend!
Can you post some updates?
Did it fail?
Their link doesn't work
www.inuvikgreenhouse.com