Hosting the Grodan Seminar

Yesterday the Chisholm Glasshouse Training centre hosted a seminar run by industry leaders Grodan and AIS Greenworks, which focused on the propagation techniques associated with Tomatoes. 

The seminar featured industry identity Hans van Herk, who is a crop technical advisor with Grodan, who gave a highly informative address to a variety of industry members that included representatives from Boomaroo, Chisholm Institute, Duralite, Flavorite, Gippsland Glasshouse Growers, Grodan, Moriatis, Protected Cropping Australia, Trandos Hydroponic Growers, and Withcott Seedlings.

Hans van Herk

Within his presentation Hans covered a variety of topics that included the technical aspects of propagation plug and block options, seed sowing and germination improvement techniques, and plant grafting, and general growing techniques that can be utilised for precision growing.

Also on hand to provide advice was Grodan's Andy Lee, who is currently over from the United Kingdom. Andy was able to complement Hans presentation, a fact which made the session even more beneficial for the participants.

Further grower seminars are planned for 2012, and we will keep you posted when these are happening.

Research tour visits the Chisholm Glasshouse

This week we hosted a visit from the Department of Primary Industries, facilitated by Ross Clarke Manager, Market Development North Asia & Russia, Farm Services Victoria.

This saw Dr Akira Tanaka, who is from the Kaiteki Institute of Japan, visit us. The  Kaiteki Institute is a global research institute focused on meeting 21st century challenges in energy, the environment, and healthcare, and was established by Mitshubishi Chemicals. 

During his visit, Dr Tanaka spent some time being shown how the Chisholm glasshouse irrigation system both recycles and sterilizes its irrigation water, and also utilises a supply of Reverse Osmosis (R.O.) water from the adjacent Water Centre, which treats Class A water from the Carrum Sewage Treatment plant via our own R.O. machine, and then utilises this water for irrigation in the glasshouse. 

Dr Tanaka was also given a guided tour of the Priva Climate control and labour tracking systems that the Chisholm Glasshouse utilises on a daily basis.

Pictured above from left to right:-

Wayne Beasy - Chisholm Business Development Consultant, 

Dr Akira Tanaka - Kaiteki Institute,  

Tony Bundock – Chisholm Senior Trainer – Precision Growing,

Ross Clarke - Manager, Market Development North Asia & Russia, DPI

Traineeship Opportunity

Chisholm Institute is offering a one year traineeship opportunity for an individual to undertake both practical and theoretical experience in the glasshouse. All the details are listed below:-

2012 - Lots of opportunities........

Firstly, a Happy New Year to everyone, and hopefully you all had a good Christmas as well.

This year we will be updating the blog on a far more regular basis to keep you across the developments at Chisholm as they occur. We have a range of courses and training opportunities planned for 2012 that will give both the local and wider industry some great training opportunities.

Like any other production facility, work has been continuing with our crops on a 24/7 basis. This has seen staff member Tony Bundock, being on call and working in the glasshouse right across the Christmas and New Year period, while our students and staff members take their annual leave. As you will see, he even had a visitor on Xmas Day!

Ho, Ho Ho!!!!

Our crops are going well, with both Tomato and Capsicum crops continuing to deliver product. We have also had a few uninvited guests in the shape of Red Spider Mite in the Tomatoes and Aphids in the Capsicums. This has resulted in us having to spray as our Integrated Pest management Programmes (I.P.M.)  were over run by these little pests. Hopefully we can now restore the balance and get the I.P.M. programmes back on track. 

In the next few weeks we will be promoting the training programmes for 2012, as well as some exciting developments............so keep following these posts!