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Franklin & Co

REVIEW OF OPERATING RESULTS:

     The main goal of the Company has been to develop a commercially-viable hydroponics greenhouse complex capable of energy-efficient, year-around fresh food production in severely cold or hot climates. Canada imports 96% of its fresh produce from other countries, especially Florida and California. In the last decade, droughts, flooding, water quality problems, pesticides, and a low Canadian Dollar, has led to shortages and price increases.
     The economic benefits of achieving this goal would be very great. Mr. Wessell and Mr. Thomas, being pioneers of modern hydroponics, knew in the 70's that such greenhouse technology did not exist on the planet; but they were confident that they could discover and develop it.   After over two decades of global R & D, the Technology, Design, Expertise and Northern Climate Data Base leading to this goal was reached at the Miracle House Stage I Solar Hydroponic Research Module. [click - photo >> 24k ] located in N. Alberta in 1991:

     In existing, conventional hydroponics greenhouses in cold climates the usual case is:

1. The use of peat moss, gravel, or sawdust bag culture, which uses a cheaper, less accurate nutrient feeding system; but operating costs are higher and lbs. of harvest per plant are less.   A good bag culture tomato crop will yield 15 - 17 lbs. per plant per crop; while a good NFT tomato crop will yield 17 - 22 lbs. per plant per crop ( an increase of 13% to 46% ).
2.  It is nearly impossible to grow a third crop in existing Canadian greenhouses because of insufficient winter sunlight and high heating costs. Therefore, they usually shut down from November to February:
First Crop: plant in February -- harvest in May or June
Second Crop: plant in May or June -- harvest in September or October  

In the Miracle Farms Commercial Hydroponics Greenhouse Complex we add:

Third Crop: plant in September or October -- harvest in January or February.  This crop receives a premium price on the market because competing produce has to be costly shipped-in from tropical countries.   Three crops of tomatoes and four crops of English Cucumbers can be grown per year in addition to many other crops such as cucumbers, green, red, and yellow peppers, and lettuces.
     This is most advantageous during the cold, winter months in Canada, when the growing season is short and nothing can grow outdoors.

IN FACT, PLANTINGS ARE STAGGERED, SO THE COMPLEX CONTINUALLY HARVESTS YEAR - AROUND, SINCE ITS INSIDE TEMPERATURE, LIGHT & HUMIDITY, ARE PERFECT FOR PLANT GROWTH NO MATTER WHAT WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE OUTSIDE.

3. Most fruit-bearing plants such as tomatoes, green peppers, and strawberries, need sunny, warm, and dry days for fruit to pollinate.  If three or more cloudy days occur in a row, a percent of fruit will not set and harvests decrease. Inside Miracle Farms, with its H.I.D.( High Intensity Discharge ) lights and total drip control, it is a sunny, warm, and dry environment 365 days per year.  As a result we achieve perfect 100% fruit set or maximum pollination! It is truly unique to be in Miracle Farms during a Christmas blizzard and watch flowering, growing tomato plants being bathed under H.I.D. lights and look outside to see frozen -40 C snow drifts with nothing growing for months to come.
4. Since Miracle Farms have Total Drip Control combined with a sealed concrete floor, the costs of infestation from insects, algae, moss, fungus, weeds, and numerous soil-born plant disease virus, and bacteria are mostly eliminated. Pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, or other environmentally damaging chemicals are not necessary.  This advantage returns premium market prices from health-conscious consumers.

AUTOMATED NFT HYDROPONICS GROWING SYSTEMS:

     Franklin and Company has developed for License numerous State-of-the-Art automated NFT (Nutrient Film Technique) hydroponics growing systems, nutrient formulae, and equipment.
     1. Optimum NFT Nutrient Formulae
     2. A solar hydroponics seedling chamber where new seedlings are nursed from sprouts to transplantable seedlings under perfect growing conditions. This chamber is essential for fast growing and productive plants.
     3. A production-line lettuce operation which minimizes operating costs.
     4. Computerized plant control, monitoring, and testing instrumentation.
     5. Automatic hydroponics plumbing and nutrient delivery systems.
     6. Cost effective, advanced, building technologies.

HYDROPONICS PLANT SCIENCE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT: 

     Franklin and Company has been awarded Hydroponics Scientific Research and Experimental Development Grants from the Canadian Federal Government from 1984 to 1990.   This work has advanced upon the Hydroponics R & D pioneered in the 1960's by the late Mr. Bob Wessell, a former NASA engineer.  Much of this work is highly confidential because of its great economic potential, and the Company's commitment to maintain its competitive edge; yet, presently, his Miracle Farms Optimum NFT Formulae are available under license:
      1. The new Hydro-Tronics Computer-controlled NFT plant feeding/monitoring system (H.C.).  World record growth rates have been achieved :
            Tomato Plants : 2.5 inches per day
            English Cucumber Plants : 3.5 inches per day
            Yellow & Green Bean Plants : 11 inches per day
       2. Plant growth variable research is being conducted by Mr. Thomas in association with other researchers.  "Deciphering" certain plant growth variables using computer monitoring and advanced instrumentation electronics has only recently gained attention, and promises to greatly increase plant growth and maturity rates.    After over a decade of successful research in this field, Mr. Thomas is confident of another break-through in the near future which will make hydroponics even more profitable.
       3. The R & D Policy of the Company is to remain foremost in the science of hydroponics development and technologies.

MARKET POTENTIAL:

     There is an enormous, almost un-tapped market in Canada for Miracle Farm's hot house premium quality fresh produce:

1. Tomatoes
2. Long English Cucumbers
3. Romaine and Leaf Lettuce
4. Green, Yellow, and Red Peppers
5. Strawberries
6. Green and Yellow Beans
7. Spinach
8. and many varieties thereof.

     Approximately 96% of Canada's fresh produce is imported.  Toronto alone buys more than 125 million heads of lettuce every year and 90% of them are imported.  Canadians consume an average of 24 lbs. of tomatoes per person per year -- a staggering 1/2 billion lbs.!
     Now, with the advanced technology of the Miracle Farms Commercial Hydroponics Greenhouse Complex we can compete more effectively against high-priced foreign imports by:
     1. Lowering our production costs and increasing greenhouse productivity.
     2. Profitable, 365 day per year production.
     3. Reducing transportation and spoilage costs by siting market locations.
     4. Spending our fresh food dollars in Canada and avoiding weak foreign exchange rates ( $1.50+ to the U.S. dollar).
     The cost of fresh vegetables in Canada during the off-seasons is increased further due to weather changes and droughts in southern countries.  Some of these weather changes might be caused by global warming and could also affect the local growing seasons of outside summer crops.

Our Market Potential Studies indicate the demand in the Province of Alberta alone for more than 26 acres of Miracle Farm's productive capability.

THE POTENTIAL PRODUCTIVITY OF A TWO ACRE COMPLEX:
[Link to Productivity Page] 

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    Last Edit:   March 20, 2008 .**     .