Denton Hapwood tending tomato plants in his greenhouse. - photo by george henry

Spaldings, Clarendon:

Seven months ago 44-year-old Denton Hapwood was the operator of a meat shop in Lionel Town, Clarendon, but he has discovered a much more enterprising business out of producing vegetables from a greenhouse.

Mr. Hapwood told Farmers Weekly that he was introduced to the innovative farming method by a friend while growing cabbage and carrot the traditional way for six months. He now grows tomato and sweet pepper in 11,000 square feet of greenhouse on mined-out bauxite lands leased from Windalco, along the Melrose bypass in Manchester.

The former meat shop operator-turned-farmer does not have to be concerned about irregular rainfall or pests as the structure is covered with antiviral netting and a special plastic to shield the more than 3,000 tomato and sweet pepper plants growing inside. The plants are watered and fertilised through an automated drip irrigation system which regulates the water and fertiliser supply year-round.

Greenhouse

"The greenhouse is an environment which you, as the farmer, control. I control the water that touches my plants. The tomatoes only want the water at the root. No water touches the leaves inside here," the successful farmer pointed out. "If it was outdoor when rain falls it would beat down the plant and hit off the blossoms," Mr. Hapwood reasoned.

With the modern structure, he said it takes about six weeks for plants to mature and start bearing fruit.

The excited farmer noted that while he has never done farming before, agriculture was something he always loved.

"I also intend to try other crops using this method. I am thinking of producing strawberries here, because I have a plant right now that I am experimenting with. It has quite a few berries and they are so pretty to look at," said Mr. Hapwood.

His only hindrance is the limited availability of lands to expand production.

- G.H.