For long periods of the year it can be quite difficult to find good quality lettuce in Alaska. Fruits and vegetables have to travel long distances to get to the Alaskan market which can be detrimental. There are therefore a number of reasons to buy fresh hydroponic lettuce in Alaska.
For a short period in the summer there are lots of great local fruit and vegetables available throughout Alaska but for the other nine months of the year it is not possible to grow them. Lettuce is especially sensitive to a cold climate and so is transported from other places and so is not fresh. Now there is a solution in the form of hydroponic farming.
This is a tried and tested method of growing plants in nutrient rich water. Some countries such as Israel have been cultivating crops for decades using hydroponics. The system uses only ten percent of the water used by regular farming and is normally carried out in a greenhouse. This means the people have access to fresh produce all year round despite the hot and arid conditions.
Researchers have carried out test on lettuce grown in different conditions to see whether people could tell the difference. One experiment asked subjects to rate organic, regular and hydroponic lettuce for taste, texture and appearance. The subjects did not notice much difference between the three types and said that they liked them all equally.
This is great for a region such as Alaska where the only supplies of fresh fruit and vegetables are shipped from other places which are sometimes thousands of miles away. When this happens the produce is often expensive as fuel costs drive up the price of transport. It also causes extra traffic and pollution on the roads.
Transportation of lettuce can lead to a product with less flavor and bad texture. As soon as it is picked lettuce starts to go off. Modern packaging means that it lasts much longer than it used to but this hides the fact that the nutrients are degrading. Essential vitamins and minerals start to break down when the plant is cut so it is better for health reason to buy local lettuce. Nutrient deficiency has been associated with a variety of health problems and diseases and so local produce is an essential part of a healthy diet.
Hydroponic farming uses fewer chemicals. The systems are basically self-contained and so the crops are exposed to fewer insects and pests and do not need much pest control. Hydroponics also do not need many chemical fertilizers. Most of the fertilizers used in regular farming do not enter the plants themselves but are carried away by the water used for irrigation. This is a major source of pollution in many countries and is causing a number of environmental problems. Whereas in hydroponic systems the plants grow in water augmented with mineral solutions rather than unnatural chemicals.
There are several ways in which fresh hydroponic lettuce in Alaska is better for consumers: it is healthier because it contains higher levels of nutrients than lettuce which has been shipped in, fresher lettuce tastes better, it uses lower levels of chemicals and so is better for the environment and human health, it can be cheaper due to reduced transport costs.
For a short period in the summer there are lots of great local fruit and vegetables available throughout Alaska but for the other nine months of the year it is not possible to grow them. Lettuce is especially sensitive to a cold climate and so is transported from other places and so is not fresh. Now there is a solution in the form of hydroponic farming.
This is a tried and tested method of growing plants in nutrient rich water. Some countries such as Israel have been cultivating crops for decades using hydroponics. The system uses only ten percent of the water used by regular farming and is normally carried out in a greenhouse. This means the people have access to fresh produce all year round despite the hot and arid conditions.
Researchers have carried out test on lettuce grown in different conditions to see whether people could tell the difference. One experiment asked subjects to rate organic, regular and hydroponic lettuce for taste, texture and appearance. The subjects did not notice much difference between the three types and said that they liked them all equally.
This is great for a region such as Alaska where the only supplies of fresh fruit and vegetables are shipped from other places which are sometimes thousands of miles away. When this happens the produce is often expensive as fuel costs drive up the price of transport. It also causes extra traffic and pollution on the roads.
Transportation of lettuce can lead to a product with less flavor and bad texture. As soon as it is picked lettuce starts to go off. Modern packaging means that it lasts much longer than it used to but this hides the fact that the nutrients are degrading. Essential vitamins and minerals start to break down when the plant is cut so it is better for health reason to buy local lettuce. Nutrient deficiency has been associated with a variety of health problems and diseases and so local produce is an essential part of a healthy diet.
Hydroponic farming uses fewer chemicals. The systems are basically self-contained and so the crops are exposed to fewer insects and pests and do not need much pest control. Hydroponics also do not need many chemical fertilizers. Most of the fertilizers used in regular farming do not enter the plants themselves but are carried away by the water used for irrigation. This is a major source of pollution in many countries and is causing a number of environmental problems. Whereas in hydroponic systems the plants grow in water augmented with mineral solutions rather than unnatural chemicals.
There are several ways in which fresh hydroponic lettuce in Alaska is better for consumers: it is healthier because it contains higher levels of nutrients than lettuce which has been shipped in, fresher lettuce tastes better, it uses lower levels of chemicals and so is better for the environment and human health, it can be cheaper due to reduced transport costs.
About the Author:
Read more about There Are Some Great Reasons To Buy Fresh Hydroponic Lettuce In Alaska visiting our website.
0 comments:
Post a Comment