Considering opening a small greenhouse business in a rural Alaskan town (Fairbanks: sales, 2015)

[Thorndon]

OK, so I have lived in Alaska for many years (now back in New Zealand), and despite not being native myself (white), I was fairly good at picking up Yup'ik during my years of being a physician in AK in a rural clinic. While being in several rural towns, I noticed how hard it was for families to collect food for their families -- due to the worsening climates. Obviously it has always been a challenge living in rural Alaska for the Native people, but within the last 6-10 years it has gotten a lot worse. I used to work in a town outside of Emmonak, and I knew people who would trek via snowmobile nearly ten miles just to get to Emmonak in fifty below weather just to get milk for their children and basically anything that they can get their hands on. It really is terrible, especially in this day and age for people to go through that.

In any event, I've thought this business idea out, and I am asking you guys because I am not completely sure how this would work, however I do know that there would be a demand for this. My idea would entail opening a small business, starting small in one of the rural towns with some sort of greenhouse, where fruit and veg would be grown. Despite knowing the demand for something like this, I don't know how I'd even start this type of business, and I am also aware of the fact that this may not be that profitable, or profitable at all. My main reason for doing this would be to help the local people anyway.

Sorry if this may of been hard to comprehend, my English is not very good as I am a native of South Africa (Afrikaans).

[Haolejohn]

Originally Posted by Thorndon

OK, so I have lived in Alaska for many years (now back in New Zealand), and despite not being native myself (white), I was fairly good at picking up Yup'ik during my years of being a physician in AK in a rural clinic. While being in several rural towns, I noticed how hard it was for families to collect food for their families -- due to the worsening climates. Obviously it has always been a challenge living in rural Alaska for the Native people, but within the last 6-10 years it has gotten a lot worse. I used to work in a town outside of Emmonak, and I knew people who would trek via snowmobile nearly ten miles just to get to Emmonak in fifty below weather just to get milk for their children and basically anything that they can get their hands on. It really is terrible, especially in this day and age for people to go through that.

In any event, I've thought this business idea out, and I am asking you guys because I am not completely sure how this would work, however I do know that there would be a demand for this. My idea would entail opening a small business, starting small in one of the rural towns with some sort of greenhouse, where fruit and veg would be grown. Despite knowing the demand for something like this, I don't know how I'd even start this type of business, and I am also aware of the fact that this may not be that profitable, or profitable at all. My main reason for doing this would be to help the local people anyway.

Sorry if this may of been hard to comprehend, my English is not very good as I am a native of South Africa (Afrikaans).

There is a greenhouse business in Bethel I believe. I would research it for you, but time is limited now. The guy uses fish for fertilizer as well as chicken poop I believe.

I would say be cautious. I know where I was at on the Yukon, farming for crops was borderline taboo for some b/c of the mission's history of using native children for free labor.

[AKStafford]

Does these help:
Farm flourishes on Alaska tundra | Alaska Dispatch News
Farmer in Western Alaska tills tundra into green riches | Alaska Dispatch News

[Thorndon]

Wow that is pretty amazing! I knew that there was demand. Can someone please tell me how I would get started with this? Would I need to buy a plot of land or a commercial property? If so, where do I find these listings? I wouldn't want to base this business in an extremely small town, so I've narrowed it down to three towns more or less-- Nome, Kotzbue and Barrow.

[Haolejohn]

Originally Posted by Thorndon

Wow that is pretty amazing! I knew that there was demand. Can someone please tell me how I would get started with this? Would I need to buy a plot of land or a commercial property? If so, where do I find these listings? I wouldn't want to base this business in an extremely small town, so I've narrowed it down to three towns more or less-- Nome, Kotzbue and Barrow.

Honestly, I'd look a little farther south, where you would have more of a chance for success with not as extreme winters. The longer you can grow, the better. And why not look for an interior village/hub?

[Thorndon]

Good idea, but what do you mean by a hub? Do you mean something like Fairbanks?

[Haolejohn]

Originally Posted by AKStafford

Does these help:
Farm flourishes on Alaska tundra | Alaska Dispatch News
Farmer in Western Alaska tills tundra into green riches | Alaska Dispatch News

Yes that is it!!

[AKStafford]

A brand-new article in today's ADN: As food costs soar, Arctic gardeners flourish | Alaska Dispatch News

[stiffnecked]

Try Nome. See if you can get a lease on a few acres at Pilgrim Hot Springs.

[6.7traveler]

An acquaintance of mine has a company in Alaska that converts refrigerated shipping containers into hydroponic grow houses and is trying to sell them to grow veggies year round in Alaska- VHH - Containerized Hydroponic Farm - Local Produce Year Round.

I am trying to convert one of my geodesic domes, covered with spray foam insulation into a hydroponic greenhouse with led lights and rocket mass heaters. So far I have $0 in sales but believe I can grow lettuce year round. We will see this winter.

Whoever said farming was all work and no pay was right on the money. . Especially in Alaska.

I do think in the future we will see more and more vegetables grown in Alaska. L.E.D. Grow Lights use such a little amount of power it comes down to being able to efficiently heat the space....

On an unrelated note , whatever happened to dakster? He used to post on here almost daily then dissappeared, hope he is OK.