Planning should be your first step in formulating a framework for orderly greenhouse expansion. Starting from the facility master plan, consider topography and drainage systems, building locations, parking spaces for customers and employees, access to vehicles and equipment, and utilities (including water and electricity).
1. Since material handling is one of the biggest costs in greenhouse operation, the layout of the new greenhouse and its relationship with the ceiling should be mainly considered. The headhouse is the key nerve center, which contains work areas, offices, germination and growth rooms, common areas, processing, transportation and storage. Usually, the ceiling occupies 10% to 20% of the total greenhouse space.
2. The choice of the plant movement system is very important, and it is related to the plants planted, the distance moved and the altitude difference. You should evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of conveyor belts, trolleys, and pallets.
3. The master plan also helps to obtain zoning, wetland and building permits. You should submit a master plan at the initial stage of any multi-stage expansion or expansion. This then becomes part of the approval process. If committee members and moods change, the expansion phase has been archived.
4. Expansion space for all areas should be planned. It is best to plan on paper so that multiple alternatives can be evaluated. The greenhouse is a large modular installation, and if planned in advance, it is easy to expand. The size of fuel supply, electricity, water service and ceiling layout should take into account expansion.
5. Free-standing greenhouses can have quonset (hoop), gothic or gable roof shapes. Gothic designs are most popular because they provide higher light transmittance and are easier to sprinkle snow. When glass is used for glass, the A-shaped frame design is standard. The free-standing design is usually the best choice for small growers with a planned area of less than 10,000 square feet. As more space is required, it is easy to build additional greenhouses. Each house can provide a separate growth environment. Individual greenhouses can also be closed when not in use. The construction cost of a free-standing greenhouse is usually lower because of the lower cost of site preparation and installation.
6. More than 10,000 square feet of planting space is best provided by a greenhouse connected to a drain. The width of each compartment varies from 12 feet to 30 feet, and there is a gap of 12 feet to 20 feet at the drain. The compartments can be built to achieve the required width. When more planting area is needed, the greenhouse can also be built in modular parts. The length can reach 300 feet. The greenhouse connected to the drain provides maximum flexibility. A higher gutter height is better because it provides air cushioning and space for energy trusses and energy/shading screens. Heating can be centralized, and the heating cost is 25% lower than that of an independent greenhouse of the same area. The utility is centralized and easier to install.
7. The glass window has the highest light transmittance (about 90%), but the heat loss is the largest. When one or two energy screens are installed in the greenhouse, the heat loss is about the same as that of double poly (two layers of 6 mil plastic film separated by air from a small blower) or double wall polycarbonate (a rigid material). Ribs between two layers of hard plastic). The tax on greenhouses covered with low-cost, four-year poly is generally less than the tax on greenhouses with more permanent materials. The light-diffusing glass will provide more uniform coverage and deeper penetration into the plant canopy.
8. The peninsula-style bench layout will provide more growth space than traditional benches. It also allows the separation of individual plant species. The main aisle below the center of the greenhouse or cubicle should be wide enough to allow two carts to pass through (usually 5 to 6 feet wide, but may be up to 10 feet wide in a greenhouse connected to a drain). The vertical side aisle can be 18 inches to 24 inches wide.
9. The movable bench can increase the available planting space to 90% of the total greenhouse space. These can be set near the floor to provide the largest plant height area or to provide a convenient working height 30 inches above the floor. Only a 20 inch to 24 inch working channel is required.
10. In order to save valuable greenhouse planting space, mother plants and early vegetative growth can be carried out in a separate room of the shed. Good temperature, humidity and lighting control can provide an ideal environment.
11. Energy is one of the largest cost items in production, and the installation of high-efficiency heating systems is extremely important.
12. Compare heating fuels at the cost per million BTU (British Thermal Unit). Natural gas is usually the cheapest, but if you add summer demand costs, the price will be higher. Some growers have found that installing propane heaters in response to peak demand will reduce overall heating costs.
13. Hot water boiler is the best choice for heating system. The water temperature can be adjusted to meet the needs of the air or root zone system at different times of the year. The distribution can be low-cost water-to-air unit heaters or finned tube radiation. Hot air heaters and furnaces are suitable for greenhouses that may be closed in winter.
14. Heating the bottom of the flowerpot, the floor or under the workbench can provide a uniform root zone temperature and make the air temperature lower. This saves fuel. Domestic water heaters or instant in-line water heaters using natural gas or propane as fuel are suitable for small greenhouses. You can use cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) or ethylene propylene diene rubber (EPDM) tubing or low-output fin radiation under the workbench for distribution. It is best to limit this type of heat to no more than 25 BTU/sq. Feet, because otherwise excessive drying of the growth mixture may occur. The water temperature should not exceed 110°F. In cold climates, the heat of the air provides the difference.
15. Installing energy/shading screens can reduce fuel costs by up to 50%. This movable screen is turned off at night to maintain heat. In summer, it provides shade to reduce plant leaf temperature and saves electricity by reducing fan operation. 40% to 60% shading and 50% energy savings are common materials used in cannabis production.
16. The fan and shutter system will provide the most active ventilation. Although the operating cost is higher than that of a natural ventilation system, it can provide better temperature control. The system should be designed to provide a ventilation rate of approximately 2 cubic feet per minute (cfm)/sq. Floor area in winter and 8 cfm/sq. feet in summer. The multi-stage ventilation capability of multiple fans is the best. Choose the largest diameter fan and smallest motor to get the lowest power consumption (cfm/watt). Evaporative cooling, whether it is a fan, mat or fog, can lower the internal temperature by up to 20°F in summer.
17. If the size is right, natural ventilation through side and roof vents is effective. The side vents should account for 15% to 25% of the floor area. The same applies to roof vents. If insect screening is required, side and roof vents require a larger area because screening reduces airflow.
18. The horizontal air flow (HAF) system provides good air flow, uniform temperature and reduces the possibility of disease. Use a 12-inch to 20-inch diameter fan with 1/10 horsepower. The spacing depends on the fan design, but the fan should provide a minimum air mass speed of 100 feet per minute to ensure adequate air circulation.
19. If a separate thermostat is used for the heating and cooling system, choose a thermostat with a /-1ºF difference (meaning that the temperature can only swing 1 degree from the set point). This will provide better temperature control and save energy. A better option is to use an electronic controller that integrates heaters, fans, evaporative cooling systems, irrigation systems, and auxiliary lights. Many controllers also have temperature and power alarm functions to warn growers of problems in the growing environment. Computer control is most suitable for multiple greenhouses or drains to connect multiple parts of the greenhouse.
20. In order to overcome the changing weather conditions and still meet the production plan, some supplementary lighting is usually required. High-pressure sodium (HPS) and light-emitting diode (LED) lamps are the most efficient. Since hemp is a short-day plan-the total daily light points (DLI) is 30 to 40 moles of sunlight plus supplementary light that must be accumulated within 12 hours-you may need to install 500 to 600 moles of supplementary lighting to achieve this . Let the lighting equipment supplier use its computer program to design the lighting layout to get enough intensity and uniform coverage for your location.
21. Automatic watering can save a lot of labor. The system should be designed to provide uniform watering. Drip irrigation systems, whether it is a separate emitter for container crops or tape for crops grown on a bed, are usually the best choice. (When the water flows between the containers and away from the leaves, the overhead sprinkler wastes more water.) Due to the low flow rate, a large number of plants can be irrigated at a time with a small amount of water supply. Adding one or more syringes can provide irrigation and fertilization. This can be a portable device with an integrated thickening tank, or it can be a central location in the top house where mixing tanks and fertilizers can be stored.
John W. Bartok, Jr. is an agricultural engineer, professor emeritus of extension at the University of Connecticut, and a regular contributor to the publication Greenhouse Management of the GIE Media Horticulture Group. He is an author, consultant, and certified technology service provider who conducts greenhouse energy audits for a USDA grant program in New England.
Practical solutions can help you build or modify your structure for optimal performance.
Michael Armstrong, a professor at Brock University’s Goodman School of Business, believes that Canada’s packaging laws around cannabis will fuel the black market. He said that ordinary labeling requirements will lead consumers to believe that the quality of legal cannabis is lower than that of black market cannabis, and they will continue to make illegal purchases. Source: London Free Press
The Arizona Court of Appeals ruled on June 27 that the state’s medical marijuana laws do not allow the use of cannabis extract products, such as oil boxes, which frustrated business owners and patients. Arizona chairman Dave Wisniewski, who advocates for safer coalitions, told Cannabis Business Times that the ruling is yet another setback that the industry must deal with. Source: Cannabis Business Times
Alberta will not allow garden centers to sell cannabis plants or seeds, but choose to sell them in cannabis stores. Lisa Silva, marketing manager for Bluegrass Nursery in Calgary, Alberta, expressed regret that nurseries missed the opportunity to participate in the industry. Source: CCTV News
MedPharm Iowa State Owner Dr. Chris Nelson stated that the medical marijuana program in Iowa will be launched on December 1, but is not yet ready to provide adequate services to the state. His comments came after the state announced on June 29 that only Iowa Relieve, LLC in Cedar Rapids would be granted a second license to grow and process cannabidiol (CBD). Source: KCRG-TV9
The new repeat series of Cannabis Business Times reports on past cover story themes, including their business today, lessons learned, and market trends that have the greatest impact on growers and are the most exciting.
Scott Reach, founder of RD Industries/Rare Dankness, reviewed the two years since the award-winning story about his company was published in the Cannabis Business Times. He focuses on working with his family, the company's price matching capabilities, and the international partnership with Maricann.
Scott Reach: The brand is bigger and more diversified. We have become one of the most recognized cannabis brands in the world. The facility is incredible and will always evolve into a larger and more advanced version than when I started.
We are also expanding into other markets on projects with strategic partners. These projects allow us to expand our market share and possibly incorporate franchise rights into the seed-to-sales model. In Canada, we are working with Maricann on a proven genetics project. In Switzerland, we are cooperating with Maricann on the CBD/cannabis project as an alternative to tobacco cigarettes.
I recently found an equal sharing partner for Colorado's plantation and pharmacy, which cleared me of debts related to facility construction and left Rare Dankness as a brand, unaffected and in control and ownership , So I have been sleeping better than I have been for years.
Arrival: I absolutely still believe it. It is pleasant to see all the technological transformations taking place in our own state facilities. I am often called by competitors to inquire about technical needs. Rare Dankness has been able to enter a fully-fledged market in Colorado, where I used to be a local producer and grower known for high-quality, large-scale production. We actually created a large portion of the market for ourselves, and at the same time changed the way operators across the country set up and run their facilities [automation and workflow].
Reach: I have recruited more college graduates for all my management and department head positions. According to my personal experience, my college graduates need minimal micro-management or weekly training courses. All these positions currently have university graduates.
As far as architectural design is concerned, we all have our own 20/20 moments. I will not cooperate with at least two companies because I know they overestimate their abilities. A common flaw in our society is to "pretend to succeed" instead of working hard, failing and learning to succeed.
Reach: To be honest, our pharmacy model is unique; we can match the current market price of our higher quality products in price, only due to lack of management costs [this is usually due to] overstaffing and having better Work flow and process. [Once] There was a period of time [my wife] and I chose to lower the price, [and] I said, "You don’t have to lower the price so low." But if you look at the production costs and management expenses, we are still profitable, so why Don't transfer the saved money? I am not going to drive a Ferrari anytime soon; I like my truck.
Reach: Don't take work home (well, as little as possible). When we were in the Colorado facility, she was responsible for daily operations as the CEO in the office space above our pharmacy, and I was behind to help my main facility lead any daily help gardens we might need. Pamela and I met on the way to work, on the way home, and in the evening. I rarely see her during the day unless she scrubs and returns to the garden.
Editor's note: This interview has been edited for length, style and clarity.
The first part of this two-part series explores the different extracts and concentrates that processors can create and how they can be used in product formulations.
In the past five years, the cannabis concentrate industry has developed at an accelerated rate. In fact, in the past five years, the progress of specialization, large-scale equipment and related methods has exceeded the sum of all previous years, which is largely due to the influx of research and development funds.
This unprecedented acceleration has generated a completely different focus on centralized manufacturing. As with all other agricultural products, today’s focus has shifted from simple production to reducing production costs without compromising quality—that is, satisfying customers’ needs for the best possible products at the most affordable price.
Recently, I have been seeing the market moving in the direction of wet plant extraction. This method does not require pruning, drying or curing plant materials, thereby saving pruning labor costs and dry environment construction and maintenance costs. Moreover, since terpenes do not evaporate during the drying process, the final product has the highest monoterpene content. Combining this method with large-scale extraction equipment and processes, you can produce high-quality products at preferential prices. That is to say, the various concentrate forms produced therefrom have specific and targeted uses, from odorless distillates for the manufacture of food to full-flavored, high-cannabinoid oils for vape cartridges , And everything in between.
The first part of the extract series clarified the different extraction methods and the resulting extracts, and explored the cannabinoid and terpene characteristics of each concentrated product and its intended end use.
Today, a variety of large-scale extraction methods are available, and more methods are being developed to facilitate large-scale extraction of CBD from hundreds of acres of hemp fields grown in many states in the United States, Canada, and Europe. Medium-scale methods are being used to manufacture most connoisseur-quality and mass-produced consumables in various concentrated forms, but large-scale processing and manufacturing will soon reach this quality.
Less than 10 years ago, cultivators had almost no extraction equipment to choose from, let alone large extractors or ultra-refining equipment. During the ban, manufacturers are reluctant to sell equipment or provide advice to anyone in the cannabis industry. In fact, monks have five choices:
Today, some of these methods have been scaled up and perfected to produce high-quality products, and many other equipment manufacturers have emerged. Competition among these manufacturers has accelerated development and innovation, leading to more diverse equipment that is usually borrowed from existing industries that produce extracts and equipment for decades (for example, US Patent No. 4,276,315, filed in 1979). A patent for a method of decaffeinating). Other equipment manufacturers have expanded the capabilities of their large equipment and focused on efficiency through automation.
The following is a breakdown of the currently used methods and rapidly evolving extraction equipment.
Carbon dioxide extraction has been used for decades, but due to the prohibition, carbon dioxide extraction cannabis is relatively new. Therefore, as already mentioned, manufacturers have only recently begun to perfect equipment and practices to produce high-quality extracts, rather than the labor-intensive super-refining of crude extracts into marketable products. Nevertheless, CO2 extracts usually require further refinement, depending on the end use or desired product purity and potency.
CO2 extraction requires the hemp material to be dry-the drier the better. Therefore, most of the available monoterpenes (myrcene, α-pinene, β-pinene, limonene, linalool, terpinolene, to name a few) evaporate during the drying process, resulting in the terpene content of the product Much lower than the plant material it comes from. This is not to say that all terpenes have been eliminated, but most of the terpenes that are responsible for the full expression of plants have been eliminated. This makes it the perfect concentrate for manufacturing foods, especially those that don't taste or smell like hemp, which is preferred by many consumers and patients.
CO2 extraction is a good way to extract cannabinoids, which can then be super-refined through wintering, filtration and distillation. Many extractors use CO2 as the main extraction method, and then further refine the extract into compounds required for various uses and products, from edible to external use and oil boxes (usually infused with non-cannabis or hemp-derived terpenes, added to the excerpt) . The yield depends on the percentage of available cannabinoids/terpenes in the plant material being processed and the skill of the technician/operator.
For decades, hydrocarbons, whether butane or propane (or others), have also been used as an extraction form in other industries. However, the large-scale extraction of cannabis from hydrocarbons is relatively new.
Ten years ago, cannabis processors extracted with butane used canned lighter liquids in a process called "open explosion", and a closed-loop extraction system (which does not evaporate the solvent to the environment) was just a dream. The unprecedented growth in demand and sales of hydrocarbon extracts has determined the rapid development of available closed-loop extraction systems, which greatly improves safety and efficiency. Production costs are lower, partly because the new equipment can recover butane or propane instead of evaporating it.
Dry plant material or wet plant material can be used for hydrocarbon extraction. (If the processor wants to focus on the preservation and extraction of monoterpenes, use wet materials.) The process is fairly basic: pass the super freezing solvent through the plant material in a sealed container, strip the cannabinoids and terpenes from the plant material, and They are bound to the solvent. The solvent is then removed from the cannabinoid/terpene-rich liquid and returned to the original containment from which it came. (Each manufacturer and equipment manufacturer uses a different temperature depending on the reaction required, whether it is a freezing solvent, a double-jacketed tower cooled with liquid nitrogen, or a dewaxing tower and filter that is also cooled with liquid nitrogen.)
The resulting concentrate remains in a collection container, and the concentrate can be further refined or made into many different forms of products, including:
These are appropriate terms for the various extraction forms, but as the cannabis extraction industry developed, it invented its own terms to describe the different final forms of its extracts. Most of these cannabis-specific terms are based on observations, such as color composition, form, or effect. E.g:
In addition to these forms, the industry has further refined cannabinoids into the purest form, from crystalline extracts of CBD to THCA, Delta 8, THCV, etc., with a purity of 90% or higher.
Although the above-mentioned main concentrate forms have become popular in the past five years, other extraction methods have existed for hundreds or even thousands of years.
For example, hand kneading or dry sieving is a method of hashing using a sieve of a specific size. In this method, the hemp is stirred on the screen and the resin glands are separated by size.
The water-extracted hash is produced in a manner similar to the sieve method, except that the hemp is immersed in water, and gravity allows the resin glands to sink and separate. Dry sieved hash has a higher terpene content than water extracted hash, because part of the water-soluble terpenes is lost in the water.
Rosin is a relatively new concentrate. The manufacturing process involves applying heat and pressure to the dried cannabis buds. When pressurized and heated, the usable resin containing cannabinoids and terpenes is squashed and gathered together.
Recently, liquid nitrogen (LN2) has become a common initial extraction form. In this method, wet or dry hemp is immersed in a large cone and stirred. The separation and collection of resin glands is similar to water-hash separation. The terpene-rich extract produced by this method can be further processed into any other form (such as pressing hash, rosin, extracting carbon dioxide for refining, extracting hydrocarbons for refining, or further refining to oil by distillation) , Depending on the final concentrate required.
Large-scale ethanol extraction is another industrial application that is only now available in the cannabis industry. In this process, the cannabis is soaked and stirred while being immersed in ethanol, and the alcohol absorbs cannabinoids and terpenes (and some undesirable compounds that need further refinement to eliminate). The ethanol alcohol rich in cannabinoids and terpenes is overwintered and filtered, and then refined by rotary distillation or other forms of distillation to remove the ethanol from the extract and recover it for reuse. After refining, the resulting concentrate is an oil with a high content of THC, which varies in color from transparent to amber. This oil can then be used in various products and formulations similar to CO2 extraction products.
Distillation (thin film, wipe film, or short-range) is also a popular method, which was rare even five years or so ago. The process usually involves heating the concentrate to remove any non-cannabinoid impurities. Usually, it is used for the super-refining of cannabinoids, whether it is THC or CBD. CBDA or THCA cannot be produced by distillation (unlike hydrocarbon extraction) because the acid form of these cannabinoids is converted to the conventional form at high temperatures. In most cases, distillation is used to remove and recover alcohol from the extract and target the boiling point of specific cannabinoids. The distillate can be used to formulate or manufacture most desired products or be incorporated into e-cigarette cases.
All of the above products have one thing in common: the output usually depends on the quality of the starting material, the skill of the operator, and whether the output target is quantity or quality. Ultimately, the extraction method you choose should be based on the final concentrate form you need.
So which form should you make? The second part of this excerpt series (to be published in the September issue of Cannabis Business Times) will help you understand the factors you should consider when making this decision. stay tuned.
Kenneth Morrow is a writer, consultant; owner of Trichhome Technologies™. Facebook: TrichhomeTechnologies Instagram: Trichome Technologies k.trichometechnologies@gmail.com
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