Newest industry for the area?
 

Bananas: Newest industry for the area? - TriCities.com: News

I don't understand this.What plant cannot be grown in a $700,000 greenhouse ?

Re: Newest industry for the area?
 

Nice link... I lived in the TriCity area for 12 years, it was nice to read the article. But I don't agree with the idea of a local banana crop that uses so much energy to overwinter. Sounds like it is has some link to the tobacco industry. Corruption looms.

Re: Newest industry for the area?
 

or someones hobby is getting funded.

Re: Newest industry for the area?
 

Banana enthusiast takes it to the next level. :ha:

Re: Newest industry for the area?
 

Bananas are pretty low value per acre to be growing in a greenhouse. I see bananas sold at Costco for something like $.39/pound so shipping can't be that significant of a cost.

Re: Newest industry for the area?
 

Yeah, a greenhouse venture seems like a publicity stunt at best. "We're doing it because we can"... no way it can be profitable.

Re: Newest industry for the area?
 

You can grow anything you like in Alaska, or anywhere....if you have a big enough greenhouse and the wherewithal to light and heat it. There are tropical collections in greenhouses all over the world.

Re: Newest industry for the area?
 

I know... and sodium lights cost a fortune to run. Creating a botanic garden is one thing, but a banana "grove" for harvest doesn't seem practical.

Re: Newest industry for the area?
 

That's what I'm saying.

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14 banana plants are growing in pots for one purpose: to prove that it can be done here.

They should of Googled -Botanical Gardens-

Re: Newest industry for the area?
 

I know they grow some in greenhouses in Iceland. At the time I saw them, I didn't pay attention to what kind of supplemental lighting they used but, when I think of it now, I guess they must have had something, because they have very short days, in winter. The cost of the lighrting, however, is offset by the fact that it costs nothing to heat the houses; it's done with hot springs.

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Exactly... and a college, albeit a community college lol... should be held to a higher standard. They will get raked over the coals for claiming it as a crop. Nothing sustainable about it. If they had just said it was for display and research they'd be fine. They got in the paper b/c of the buzz words like "local food".

Re: Newest industry for the area?
 

Maybe for Iceland it makes sense. Plus, they may have big issues with importing food there due to how remote and cold they are. With geothermal energy they can probably make sense out of it... but once fossil fuels are involved it's just nuts. I think Iceland only has a couple hours of quality daylight this time of year.

Re: Newest industry for the area?
 

Banana production in Iceland - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

hidden europe | bananas in Iceland

Re: Newest industry for the area?
 

I don't see why one would think it impossible, I just hope if it is done on a commercial scale - PLEASE not the average Cavendish! I myself grow bananas, tons of varieties, way out here in northwest Washington, (probably the worse place besides Alaska) but honestly when I start offering fruits to the locals, I certainly wouldn't want to let them down with the same 'ol Gran Nain they get from the store. Yes, it's fresher, without any pesticides/herbicides/fungicides, more ripe, and without underpaid labor, but . . . Come'on, you can do better than commercial variety. That's like offering typical red tomatoes to a city without the ability to grow such, when hey, there's hundreds of heirlooms out there that are way cooler and better tasting.

Re: Newest industry for the area?
 

Cavendish wouldn't work because it is too tender and it's not a short cycle banana anyways. It would have to be something like VC or Senorita.

Re: Newest industry for the area?
 

DC has issues w/ cold too, that's why I won't grow them.. :^)