BOONE, Iowa—Mike Salama, of Salama Greenhouse and Floral, will host a Practical Farmers of Iowa field day exploring succulent, houseplant and hydroponic production on Thursday, June 20, from 3-5 p.m., at the greenhouse located in Boone (204 S. Division St.)
The event – “Greenhouse Hydroponics, Succulents and Houseplants” – is free to attend and will include light refreshments following the field day. The event is sponsored by Iowa Farmers Union.
Guests will join Mike on a tour of his greenhouse to learn about growing hydroponic tomatoes and greens, and tips on harvest and packaging.
Mike will also discuss his various potted plant offerings, including succulents, houseplants and bedding plants. He’ll cover propagation, preferred media for different plants and container choices. He’ll also discuss contract seedling production. The Salama family also recently installed photovoltaic panels, and Mike will share information about the financing and installation process.
Salama Greenhouse and Floral is a two-generation, full-service florist and grower serving Boone and the surrounding communities with locally grown flowers, house plants, vegetables and bedding plants. In 2014, Mike Salama began growing hydroponic greens, tomatoes and cherry tomatoes, which he sells through grocery stores in Ames and Boone.
Community and sustainability are important to the Salamas. Greenhouse dinners featuring local products and chefs have become popular events, and in 2018, the family installed 150 kW of photovoltaic solar panels.
Directions to the field day are available on Practical Farmers’ website.
This event is part of Practical Farmers’ main 2019 field day season, which includes 40 events across Iowa, and the region, on topics spanning the agricultural spectrum. The field days are meant to help connect farmers with their peers for networking and farmer-to-farmer learning.
Practical Farmers’ 2019 field days are supported by several sustaining and major sponsors, including: Albert Lea Seed; Bio Till; Center for Rural Affairs; Gandy Cover Crop Seeders; Grain Millers Inc.; H.A. Wallace Chair for Sustainable Agriculture – Iowa State University; Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance; Iowa Beef Center at Iowa State University; Iowa State Department of Agronomy; La Crosse Seed; Man@Machine; MOSA Certified Organic; Niman Ranch; PepsiCo; Pipeline Foods; Premier 1 Supplies; River Valley Cooperative; Scoular; Sunderman Farm Management; Sunrise Foods International; Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education; Trees Forever; Unilever; Welter Seed & Honey Company.
