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ROCKINGHAM COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Rockingham Community College (RCC) has woven principles of the edible greenhouse throughout several of its curriculum classes. Using the technology underlying the edible greenhouse, RCC will demonstrate the latest growing food production technologies and methods to local farmers and small businesses to improve community access to health local foods. RCC’s Small Business Center will offer courses for local farmers related to the food system, promotion of healthy food, and the healthy food economy.

Cultivating Innnovation

In the edible greenhouse, Brad Overby, Program Coordinator/Instructor in Horticulture Technology is working with students of Horticulture,  Industrial Systems Technology, and Computer Information Technology to optimize the nutrition of greenhouse-grown produce.

 

Nutrition film technique (NFT) hydroponic systems utilize computer-monitored nutrient tanks, which cuts down chemicals, prevents bugs, and increases the quality of the produce.

 

In the greenhouse, students are able to demonstrate and compare different approaches: soil-less media, hydroponic, and traditional natural soil, learning these innovative techniques hands-on.

These learnings are not confined to the greenhouse by any means. RCC works with the Rockingham County Cooperative Extension to provide specialty classes and workshops showing how these techniques extend to nourishing farm animals, optimizing space for a new generation of farmers, and strengthen sustainable business practices.

 

In the fall of 2016, RCC will begin offering the Certificate in Greenhouse/Nursery Assistant, a daytime program open to the public, targeted for Occupational diploma students to gain job related academic and soft skills, with particular college experience in agriculture and natural resources. 

 

Local farmers, vendors, families, and the ecnomy at-large stand to benefit from the shared learning and innovations at RCC.

 

 

 

 

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