WINDHAM, Maine — An Arundel businessman has proposed building a 37-acre complex of greenhouses in Windham that would create about 170 jobs.
John der Kinderen says the business would raise hydroponic vegetables and fish to sell to food distributors throughout the Northeast.
Der Kinderen hopes to start construction this spring, begin operations by the end of the year, and have it completely up and running in 2013.
The Portland Press Herald reports that Der Kinderen has been working with Windham officials, and Planning Board member James Hanscom said the board could hold extra meetings to expedite the permitting process.
He told the planning board the 1.6 million square feet of greenhouses would be powered by natural gas engines, and waste would be processed by a bioreactor and turned into fertilizer.
this is a great idea! hopefully the plan goes through and the company won’t use GMO seeds.
OMG!! shhhhh….. Don’t say that word “green” You’ll end up having a huge and unwanted Tea Party to deal with. And the guests won’t be very nice.
I wonder if this project will get the same oposition as the lobster facility in searsport… Does this greenhouse fit harmonously in the community? will there be any additional traffic to nearby homes…. Or does any of that matter to a “green” development, we know it doesnt apply to Wind turbines.
Yum!
Plenty of Illegal Criminal Aliens roaming the state looking for work under the table. Plenty of Illegal Aliens in Milbridge Maine, maybe they can bus them to Windham every day or better yet, maybe they would move to Windham.
The vast majority of immigrant workers living in the
Milbridge area are here LEGALLY. I am
proud to call them my neighbors!
I hope this succeeds beyond anyone’s imagination. The Canadians do this in a far colder climate. It makes sense to grow food more locally, even if for a large part of the year it is in a controlled environment. I hope the greenhouse design incorporates solar heating, as Maine has a surprisingly strong solar heating potential with the proper design.