Energy Conservation

 

We need to use energy to produce and transport our vegetable products. Most of the energy we use comes as electricity and fuel. How efficiently we are in using these energy resources has a direct impact on the economic sustainability of our farm.

Although our energy consumption might not have a direct impact on the farm ecosystem, we know that it does have an impact on the environment globally. That is why we go to great lengths to reduce the use of electricity and fuel in all our production and transport processes. Our overall goal is to produce more with less. Some of our energy conservation initiatives include:

Use of highly efficient electric motors

We use electric motors to operate a number of water pumps in the farm. Moving water to different locations in the farm is one of the activities that consumes a great amount of energy. Our electric motors use variable drives and computer controllers.This means that the motors can sense how much power is required in every situation, and deliver exactly what is needed avoiding waste of electricity.

Well-developed work flow systems

Tractors and other heavy farm equipment use a lot of fuel. Without careful planning, we would end up moving tractors and equipment very inefficiently, increasing fuel consumption. Our sheds are purposely located in the middle of our farm to minimise travelling. At our farm we plan all our activities in detail to ensure the work flow is logical and highly efficient. We do not use our machinery just to move a few boxes. We ensure we move full loads all the time. If our tractors and equipment are not going to be fully utilized, they stay in the shed.

Minimum tillage

The practice of minimum tillage to manage our soil means we save a great deal of energy compared to more conventional ways of working the ground.

Well-designed and maintained coolrooms

Running coolrooms at the wrong temperature can greatly increase the use of electricity in the farm. Even 1-2C can have a significant impact. We have correctly designed our coolrooms to maximise insulation and efficient airflow, and also maintain them well to make sure energy is not wasted.

Carbon Dioxide Absorption

Even the most efficient operations cannot avoid releasing some carbon dioxide into the atmosphere contributing to global warming. We are doing everything we can to reduce the electricity and fuels we use in the farm, but we know we can do more. We are fully committed to planting trees on our farm in all non-cropping areas. Currently, we are planting 1,000 to 2,000 trees every year to help absorb carbon dioxide and to create a more natural growing environment for our crops.