By Mary Massey
Greenhouse students at Early College Opportunities High School will be in high demand if they choose to pursue careers in aquaponics and hydroponics, which are food production systems that don’t use soil.
“This is the future of farming. It’s a smarter way of farming that is better, faster, cleaner and easier,” Pedro Casas Cordero, Greenhouse Instructor at the Santa Fe Community College told 10 ECO students touring the SFCC greenhouse Sept. 30.
He explained that careers are already expanding in states such as Colorado and Florida. If students stay in New Mexico, they can start their own businesses to produce fresh food. One of his former students started a business that supplies food to schools and senior centers.
“We need to feed ourselves better,” Cordero told the ECO students. “We need to eat more fresh and more healthy food.”
Locally produced food also doesn’t have to be transported to New Mexico when it isn’t yet ripe so it tastes better.
During the tour, Cordero showed how SFCC college students grow a variety of fruits and vegetables including strawberries, cucumbers, lettuce and kale.
Students were thrilled to watch Cordero scoop up a tilapia from a huge tank. White tilapia waste is used in the aquaponics system to fertilize many of the greenhouse plants.
“My fish are the healthiest and cleanest fish,” he said. “We treat them right.”
Daniel Valasco, junior, said he enjoyed the fish the most. Even if he doesn’t pursue a career in food production, “it’s a good skill to learn.”
Damianl Lopez, junior, echoed Valasco’s sentiment. “It would be a good skill if my parents need organic food,” Lopez said.
Paul McKeller, junior, is currently enrolled in a greenhouse class at ECO for dual credit with SFCC. He is taking a wide range of classes before deciding on a career path, adding the tour was very interesting to him to see how food is produced.
All the food grown at the SFCC greenhouse is given away rather than sold because of restrictions on the funding the college receives. Food is distributed to students and faculty and used in the college’s culinary department. It is also available for free at the college’s food cupboard.
Cordero exclaimed, “We feed everybody!”