Golden Fresh Farms breaks ground on high-tech greenhouse in Wapakoneta

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WAPAKONETA — Acres of untapped land at Wapakoneta’s Job Ready Site will soon be home to a high-tech greenhouse that will produce locally grown vegetables throughout the winter months.

Golden Fresh Farms, a Canadian-based company, broke ground on a $22.5 million, 20-acre greenhouse Wednesday morning in the West Central Ohio Industrial Center, located in Wapakoneta near Interstate 75 and U.S. 33. The groundbreaking represents just one phase of the project, which will expand over the next several years.

Paul Mastronardi and Louie Chibante, principal owners of Golden Fresh Farms, announced they will invest a total of $100 million over the first four phases of the project. If all goes well, they will likely expand to 200 acres of greenhouses, with a $250 million investment over eight phases.

Construction on phase one will begin this spring, and they hope to have the greenhouse up and running by December. Phase one will also add 52 new full-time jobs with an annual payroll of $1.9 million.

“We are very pleased and excited that Golden Fresh Farms has selected our community for this project,” said Wapakoneta Mayor Tim Stinebaugh. “Wapakoneta is known for many good things. Now we will be home to one of the largest, most modern, fully sustainable growers of vegetables in the nation.”

With its greenhouse technology, the company is able to control its growing environment, achieve sustainability for the future, integrate pest management programs to eliminate the use of pesticides, recycle water to reduce its environmental footprint, and grow all non-GMO varieties.

Chibante said he hopes to break the stereotype that vegetables grown in greenhouses are “unnatural.”

“Once you know how we do it and how well we do it, not only for the green part of it but for the taste and pesticides and everything else, everybody will be happy,” Chibante said. “People think in a greenhouse it’s pumped with this or that. No, we’re just making the environment perfect, and by doing that, the plant is producing perfectly everyday.”

In addition to greater sustainability and a reduced environmental footprint, Mastronardi said they can also produce higher yields. He said a typical farm field can produce nine pounds of tomatoes per square meter, but by using the greenhouse method, they can produce 154 pounds per square meter.

Another advantage, the owners said, is that they harvest everyday.

“The next day, it’s in your supermarket,” Chibante said. “When you buy globally, whether it comes from Europe or Mexico, you’re looking at transportation alone taking seven to eight days.”

By harvesting in the winter months, Chibante said they will not compete with local farmers.

“We wanted to bring fresh vegetables off-peak that no one else can provide,” he said. “In return, we’re not even affecting local farmers, so it’s a real good marriage.”

Greg Myers, executive director of the Wapakoneta Area Economic Development Council, said Golden Fresh vegetables grown in Wapakoneta will be sold in a wide variety of retailers across Ohio starting next winter. The initial greenhouse will produce tomatoes, with more vegetables being grown as additional greenhouses are built.

“Starting next year, at least for tomatoes, you can turn the package over and see it’s grown in Wapakoneta, Ohio,” Myers said. “That makes us very proud.”

A map shows where the first two phases of greenhouses will be located. The yellow lines represent areas where six other greenhouses could be located.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2016/05/web1_golden-farms-map.jpgA map shows where the first two phases of greenhouses will be located. The yellow lines represent areas where six other greenhouses could be located. Courtesy photo

By John Bush

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Reach John Bush at 567-242-0456 or on Twitter @bush_lima

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