adds the “chef’s touch” to all of their products. Their daughter, Amanda, also an assistant manager, is using her business degree from St. Mary’s University to help streamline the business side of the operation. Both of these next generation “farmers” continue to add their personal touches that will ensure the uniqueness of their business. Hydroponics comes from the Latin term meaning “working water.” It describes the science of growing plants in a controlled nutrientrich, water-based solution rather than in soil. The benefits of growing hydroponically include: complete environmental control; the elimination of chemical pesticides and herbicides; water efficiency; reduced land surface usage and an increase of the quality of the produce that is grown. This type of farming can be used in areas with poor soil conditions and being locally produced, it can greatly reduce the cost of shipping and ensure a higher degree of freshness to the end-user. “Hydroponics has been around for centuries but with the technology rapidly expanding in the last 25 years, it has grown exponentially. We use an environmental control system that maintains the greenhouse air and water temperatures, air movement and water nutrient and pH levels. Our re-circulating water supply is pumped through PVC tubing that continuously provide the plants with the same minerals that are naturally found in rich soil,” Anderson said. All of their produce are germinated in a separate germinating area of the greenhouse from topquality seeds purchased from Johnny’s Seed Company in Ohio and placed under special lighting to encourage growth. Once the seeds have germinated to a viable
height, the young plants are then transplanted to the PVC tubing and placed into the greenhouses. After that they are monitored using the most up-to-date controls to feed the plants, which are then sold “still living” to the retail and food service industry throughout San Antonio, Austin and Houston. “We sell most of our live produce to mostly high-end hotels, white tablecloth restaurants, caterers and country clubs in our market area because the freshness and quality of the product is the best around,” Anderson said. “You will also find our lettuces and herbs in large grocery store chains such as HEB, Whole Foods and Krogers that we deliver almost daily. Unfortunately, you won’t find us at your local Farmer’s Market mainly because all of our product is sold at the wholesale level and we do not sell directly to the public,” he said. Bluebonnet Hydroponic Farms grows a large variety of produce each week including about 25 different varieties of lettuce, 30 types of micro greens and several varieties of herbs such as basil, arugula and watercress to keep up with demand throughout the year. Each week they sell approximately 200 cases of live mixed greens that is used by chefs all around South and Central Texas. Other items such as zucchini squash blossoms, heirloom tomatoes and edible flowers are grown only during the cooler times of the year. According to Anderson, in one year they will produce and sell approximately 100,000 pounds of lettuce and around 50,000 cases (12 live plants each) of basil. The popularity of their basil to area chefs and retail consumers represents about 65% of their total sales. “The basil has been absolutely
David and Catherine Anderson among the plants. phenomenal. HEB has asked us to do basil demonstrations at most all of their new store openings, and I have traveled all across Texas doing this,” said Anderson. Also, quality control is done consistently throughout the year by a few simple tests, Anderson said. “We are very dedicated to a high-quality product and service. I can usually taste if something is off – if the lettuce is bitter it could be the nutrient is a little off or too much sun or heat. Also, we get our water supply from the City of Schertz and we send off a water sample twice a year to a local water analysis company to ensure water purity and nutrient balance.” He added that they are a very clean facility — leaving only a small footprint on the plant and use no chemical fertilizers or pesticides on any plant. Instead they chose natural pest repellents such as garlic oil and ladybugs to handle any bugs that may damage their product. “We order approximately 12,000 ladybugs every three weeks or so from a supplier in the Pacific Northwest and occasionally use
beneficial insects such as wasps and praying mantises as a precaution against any unwanted visitors. If our beneficial insects are gone in a couple of days it’s because they don’t have a food source within the greenhouse and have to leave to look for food elsewhere,” Anderson said. Over the years, Bluebonnet has been visited by groups as far away as Western Europe and as close as Texas A&M and the local campus of the Culinary Institute of America to learn more about what hydroponics is and see first-hand what makes it a success. “It’s a learning experience for all of us and we put in long hours 7 days a week but we love what we do and our employees share in that as well. There is a pride in putting out the quality of product that we do and one that the customer appreciates. It’s always great when one of our customers opens a box of ‘living’ lettuce and there comes that ‘wow’ factor,” Anderson said. For more information visit www.bblettuce.com or call (210) 659-9300.
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