The Big Vision: Community Greenhouse Hub(s)

Community Needs 

We live in a tumultuous era with many demands on our time, our wallets and on our psyche. Even though we are more connected than ever before through the internet and social media, loneliness is at an all-time high. People are longing for meaningful in-person and community connection. There is a great need for place-making hubs that act as central gathering places for socializing, learning, collaborating, sharing and experiencing. 

Along with the need for a community social hub, there is a keen interest in this community for access to fresh, local, quality food. Over the years, discussions with friends and neighbours reveal that more and more people are interested in growing their own produce and supplying their families with food they trust from known sources. Food security is a high priority for many people even as knowledge of how to grow, prepare and preserve our food is dwindling. Depending solely on imported items leaves many people feeling vulnerable to the whims of climate, politics and finances. But growing food in Cochrane is rife with the challenges of a difficult climate marked by a short season of hot days, cold nights, little rain and lots of wind.

In addition to the need for community connection and more local food resiliency, Cochranites are interested in alternative ways of living more sustainably with the environment; there is a pragmatic aspect to our western heritage culture that seeks local solutions to local challenges.

Community Solutions 

Cultivate Cochrane plans to help meet community needs in these areas through the building of a centrally-located passive solar greenhouse hub. Our greenhouse could be stand alone with meeting rooms, café, commercial kitchen and indoor and outdoor demonstration food gardens, or it could be incorporated within a larger community hub (like a new library, arts centre, innovation hub, or senior’s centre). Our wish is to provide a ‘green’ centre that honours our farming and ranching heritage while moving it into the 21st century of green urban land use, green building and use of smart technology. Taking inspiration from Cochrane’s town slogan, we wish to show the world “How the West is Now”. 

Another idea is to build a smaller pilot project, approximately 20' x 10' perhaps, based in one sponsoring community. Other community hubs would eventually follow.

Why would we benefit from community greenhouse hub(s)

Cochranites, like most Canadians, are experiencing high inflation and impacts from tariffs. Despite this being a “have” province, income inequality is one of the highest of the provinces. Although many of us live comfortably, many cannot reliably afford enough nutritious food. In 2021, Statistics Canada reported that Albertans had the worst food insecurity in the country at 20.3% and increasing. According to Food Banks Alberta, food bank visits in 2024 were up 92% over 2019.

In some places across the country, people grow much of their own food or buy a large fraction of their produce from local sources. It is not as easy in Cochrane area. Growing food locally can be a challenge. We are in Zone 2-3. There are frequent extreme winds, wild temperature fluctuations (from -40 to +20 in a day), hail, drought, smoke, heat domes, and a very short growing season at only 60-90 days. The challenging conditions cause vulnerability to disease and pests and reduce the amount and quality of the harvest. In addition, deer and rabbits often eat what we are trying to grow. Because of this, prices for locally grown produce may be high while quality may be low. Locals may find themselves relying more on food grown in far away places. We pay and our planet pays for the packaging, transport, and storage. 

One Way We Can Overcome Challenges to Growing in Cochrane

One way to combat the challenges is to grow produce in a greenhouse. It protects against the above environmental hazards. 

The best kind is a “conserving” greenhouse. It efficiently stores and uses the energy of the sun rather than relying on expensive non-renewable energy sources for heat, cooling and ventilation. 

There are several strategies for making a conserving greenhouse:  

• passive solar features

•  active solar system

• wind power

Passive Solar Features

Passive solar features absorb and conserve the sun’s energy. An example is the careful positioning of a large thermal mass to absorb sunlight and release heat where and when needed. Ample insulation is also typically used to reduce heat loss at night and during rapid cooling (so common in Cochrane). 

A comparison of energy use for produce grown in farmers’ fields versus conventional greenhouses and conserving greenhouses is shown (passive solar design). Note the yield is much higher, transportation energy is zero and heating and cooling are much lower- and could even be zero. 

In Northern China, 90% of fresh produce is grown in conserving greenhouses (Solar Energy Society of Alberta, 2011). There is little reliance on fossil fuels which can drastically impact price, and there are fewer greenhouse gas emissions. These greenhouses typically operate all year round.

One Chinese man who immigrated to Alberta noticed there is no significant agricultural activity with conserving greenhouses here, although private ones are being built by Verge Permaculture and other smaller companies. The man started Fresh Pal Farms, the largest commercial conserving greenhouse operation in Alberta. He grows all kinds of vegetables including up to 20,000 pounds of tomatoes alone each year. You may have eaten some Freshpal produce here in Cochrane! 

Source: https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/farm/FreshPal-Farms-101257538839159/ 

Active Solar System

An active solar system uses solar panels to transform the sun’s energy to electricity. The electricity is then used to open and close vents, pump water, and circulate air.

Wind Power

A conserving greenhouse can also use wind power. Given that Cochrane has an abundant supply of wind energy, this option is attractive for our area.

Why Conserving Greenhouses?

To date, conserving greenhouses are not very well known in Alberta. If we are to achieve Canada’s goal of net zero by 2050, this is a magnificent and proven way to get there. If the concept spreads across Alberta, either commercially or privately, it will:

•Increase community climate resilience

•Reduce the cost of high quality fresh food

•Reduce emissions

•Reduce reliance on expensive and high carbon energy sources

•Diversify Alberta’s economy

That is what we are trying to do with Cultivate Cochrane.