We’re so excited to welcome Island Hothouse to the FarmHub! Originally established 20 years ago, Aurora Clark and partner Matt Charlton took over the 2.5-acre greenhouse operation in 2018.
Says Aurora: “We are two young indigenous farmers who have a strong commitment to local food security. We took over Island Hothouse seven years ago with little experience in growing at this scale and have worked tirelessly for the past six growing seasons to increase our production and sustainability practices.”
They grow a variety of products with 90% being sweet bell peppers, along with eggplants, tomatoes, cucumbers, and hot peppers. The greenhouses are heated 10 months out of the year with a biomass boiler, and the plants reach an average height of 14 feet, requiring a hedge trimmer to cut them down at the end of the season.
They also share a passion for food security, giving first pick to many of the school lunch programs on the island, including Flourish school lunch program in Victoria, and donating an average of 50,000lbs per year of culled produce to nonprofit organizations.
Plus, their veg tastes delicious! Shop Island Hothouse bell peppers, eggplants, and tomatoes in the store and try for yourself.
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