GREENHOUSE INITIATIVE

1

AGENDA

▪ Why are we here?

▪ Background Information

▪ Goals for Phase 3

▪ Project Overview

▪ Opportunities

▪ Benefits

▪ Timeline

▪ Map of Greenhouse Site

▪ Close

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WHY ARE WE HERE?

▪ DPS Farm to School Initiative

- Making progress for the past 8 years

- Installing a large-scale greenhouse will create a sustainable model both financially and environmentally

- Provide salad bowl items for DPS students

- Sell excess to commercial buyers to help fund the Food and Nutrition Services Department

3

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

▪ Phase 1

- Food and Nutrition Services has 2 operational farms from 2017-2018

▪ Phase 2

- Pilot high tunnel on existing DPS farm site 2016-2017

▪ Phase 3 - current phase

- Goals on next slide

▪ Phase 4

- Full scale commercial greenhouse in 2019-2020

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GOALS FOR PHASE 3

▪ Lengthen the growing season by providing sustainable, year round production of the highest quality of local vegetables and fruits to feed DPR students and the community

▪ Repurpose idle, under-utilized land into revenue generating engine

▪ Offer students career and technical training in urban agriculture

▪ Align and support DPS Plan 2020

▪ Be an active partner in the City of Denver’s 20/20 Sustainability Plan

▪ Execute DPS’s Food and Nutrition Mission

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PROJECT OVERVIEW

▪ DPS will be the first in the nation to build commercial greenhouses for growing salad bowl items for students

▪ Provide educational pathways for high school students and workforce development for students and adults

▪ Pilot 1-acre greenhouse to grow tomatoes and eventually leafy greens

▪ Build a ¼ acre training facility at a local DPS high school to be used for educational purposes

▪ Initial greenhouse capacity will provide for inventory that will be sold to other front range school districts and retail/wholesale buyers

▪ Eventual build out to 6-8 acres and expand crops to include vine crops such as peppers, cucumbers, and strawberries

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OPPORTUNITIES

▪ Partnership to sell excess inventory to other districts and wholesale

▪ Opportunity to partner with other agencies

▪ Utilize vacant land owned by DPS

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BENEFITS

▪ Education

- First ever agricultural program in DPS for students with a focus on urban agriculture pathway

▪ Nutrition

- Year round, locally sources, healthy produce for DPS students

- Vegetables with superior taste and freshness, longer shelf life, higher nutritional content, less spoilage

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BENEFITS

▪ Economic

- Meets 2020 City Sustainability goals

- Year round production using sustainable growing practices

- Annual salary of $30,00 for employees in crop production industry

▪ Public Relations

- First in nation innovative initiative utilizing public-private partners

- Excess inventory sold at wholesale prices to local school districts

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TIMELINE

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MAP OF GREENHOUSE SITE

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CLOSE

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▪ What questions do you have?