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A Look in on Khalsa Greenhouses A Cold Season Sensation at the Santa Fe Farmers Market Text and photos By Kimber Lopez
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halsa Greenhouses is nestled in an active spiritual and art community within the Española Valley. Gentle, yogi chanting music welcomes visitors inside the greenhouse and creates an immediate, relaxed ambience. “Yes, we have music soothing the plants 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,” Guru Jiwan Singh Khalsa replies. Music is only part of the new world of Khalsa Greenhouses; rows of kale, Asian salad greens, chard, and tomatoes erupt as bees fly about to pollinate the plants, and ladybugs and praying mantises linger to control pests. “Each of these greenhouses used to be filled with raised beds containing peat moss and red worms—somewhere between 20 and 30 million worms,” Khalsa says. His original idea was to provide bait worms to a supply company in Missouri. However, a fire at the Missouri company’s property torched that plan. Khalsa thus reinvented his business and decided to put the remaining rich worm casting soil beds to good use: local food production. Khalsa’s business is unique in that it takes advantage of off-season production. While most farmers close down for the winter to earn a much-needed break, Khalsa flows into full production mode. Two of the three greenhouses are “cold houses” that remain at 35 degrees during the winter months. Leafy greens are able to flourish under such circumstances. The other greenhouse nurtures roughly 450 tomato plants at a much warmer temperature. Time and labor create tomato vines that grow to be 30 to 40 feet long, producing at naturally variable times
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Guru Jiwan Singh Khalsa shows off the winter bounty in one of his greenhouses.
for a longer harvest period. Additionally, Khalsa started growing a variety of sprouts to diversify his product base, and he provides occasional special order wheatgrass for his neighboring community. “I love the concept of live food because it is so nutritious and vibrant,” he says. Greenhouses create an efficient system. A wet wall, connected to the hose watering system on one end of the green-
house, keeps the greenhouse cool during the hot months. Fans on the opposite end pull cool air across to maintain optimal temperature. An electric heating system keeps the plants warm during the winter, blasting hot air through a central, perforated plastic vein that runs along the topside of the greenhouse. The entire operation is primarily a solo feat. However, volunteers help in exchange for greens, and Khalsa’s family pitches in when time permits. He also has an open-door policy based on the honor system to improve cash flow. Community members can harvest their own produce and leave payment at their convenience. This year, Khalsa made additional adjustments to his production by investing in the rejuvenation of the soil. After five years of relying on the original worm casting soil, Khalsa decided to increase its microbial content ten-fold by planting mustard, salad greens, and clover as cover crops. He incorporated compost and other natural plant foods such as micro-rhizome teas and added worm enzymes and worm teas as well. Khalsa also experimented by installing a new irrigation system with a “tube tumbler.” Internal geometrically placed ball pellets reorganize water as it flows through the contraption. Water is released as smaller-sized molecules that mimic natural flow and result in water that is more easily absorbed by the soil and plants. “It has to do with the concept of intention,” Khalsa explains. On that same note, Khalsa waters each plant by hand so that he can pay conscious attention and connect with the plants directly. The complete package of sheer dedication, hard work, intention, and a splash of mysticism make this operation so successful. Khalsa keeps his dreams big, despite participating only at the Santa Fe Farmers Market for five years. “The reality is that we need more produce at the winter market,” Khalsa asserts. To address the issue, he is expanding by beginning soil reclamation in his neighbor’s two cold houses. Arugula and kale will grow will grow under Reemay® row covers. These spunbonded, reusable polyester row cover blankets float directly over row crops without the use of support hoops. He is also designing a
new greenhouse that he will build to provide necessary insulation to take advantage of the earth’s thermal mass and reduce plastic use. Additionally, Khalsa hopes to create a learning academy where apprentices are given the time to study, apply learning, and work. Ideally, students would work four to five hours a day helping Khalsa in the greenhouse. They would use the remaining time to study old and new farming techniques; organize and plan crop logistics such as when to amend soil, sow various plants, and rotate crops; Managing the greenhouse climate. and learn the economics of farming by creating business plans and developing bookkeeping skills. But if Khalsa is to tackle such a project, he wants to guarantee it is created right. Intern housing is a main concern. Having students come and camp for a few weeks while they learn to build their own adobe, straw bale, or other sustainable housing structure could be a solution. Stop by and visit Khalsa from October through May at the Santa Fe Farmers Market, or look for his produce in La Montanita Co-op, Los Alamos Cooperative Market, or Cid’s Food Market. For tech-savvy users, be sure to check out Khalsa Greenhouses on Facebook and support its online presence. Khalsa ensures that Northern New Mexicans will have access to fresh, sustainably grown produce all year long. Khalsa Greenhouses facebook.com/pages/Khalsa-Greenhouses/147143671993999
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