Code,999083 Subject,Jim Van Arsdale Date,6/28/2011 Interviewer,Ken Valore Abstract,"Jim Van Arsdale comes from a long line of greenhouse farmers. Due to this early experience in the business, he chose to study horticulture at Ohio State. He comments on the development of the greenhouse business, specifically crop growing. He discusses how national trends and movements in environmentalism, consumerism, and agriculture have affected the greenhouse business. Van Arsdale describes the incorporation of new technologies into food production and notes how those technologies affected greenhouse owners and the environment. " Tags,"greenhouse industry, agricultural revolution, environmentalism" Special Notes, minutes:, 0,Introductions 1,Bio 2,Comments of family involvement with greenhouse industry 3,Started as market gardeners in Cleveland on Schaaf Rd. built first greenhouse there 4,Moved to Columbia Station in 1924 to get more land 5,Operated both locations for a time - started selling off own wagons later sold thru food brkers 6,Grandfather started as farmer on Schaaf Road 7,Life of greenhouse industry for vegetables last about 50 yrs started at Ohio State originally studied horticulture 8,Got in Greenhouse business 9,"Vegetable crops Tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and radishes" 10,Rational for industry to provide fresh vegetables in the winter 11,Premium prices were charged 12,Interstate highway systems started the decline of the greenhouse industry for vegetables 13,Greenhouse design description 14,Reason for design control disease and control energy usage 15,Changes over time in design 16,Tomatoes growing conditions 17,Comments on heating systems originally coal fired boilers 18,Needed a night fireman in winter for 12 hours 19,In beginning maintaining temperature was done manually 20,Over time became more mechanical 21,Labor saving 22,In 1970 EPA came along comments on coal usage and changes 23,Changes lead to demise of the industry 24,Factors that lead to demise of industry 25,"Comments on 1970's ""natural gas"" shortage" 26,Change in market for father's product 27,Sons worked in greenhouses and sisters did in different aspects if 28,Jim worked same hours as workers when worked 10hours days 29,Comments change in labor force- Puerto Ricans permanent workers were provided with housing for family 30,Changes over time in types of tomatoes produced 31,"Changes in types of fertilizer helped to increase yields when from 50,000 to 60,000 lbs/acre to 240,000lbs/ acre" 32,New fertilizers changed way it was applied 33,Wooster Ohio research center of Ohio State was helpful in disease control and types of tomatoes 34,Research center introduced use of carbon dioxide to increase plant growth 35,There were CO2 generators - Jim used gas fired space heaters 36,Had to be careful not to produce carbon monoxide The industry supported the research 37,Canadians came down in 70's to learn about the greenhouse industry Still viable in Ontario 38,Jim attended annual sessions at the research center 39,Ohio at one time had the largest greenhouse industry in the world as well as in th US 40,Today Pettiti owns greenhouses that Jim's father owned grow flowers 12 + acres 41,Comments on how business during the depression 42,Did okay during - 43,Some family history of grandfather and his brother 44,During WW11 price controls and labor problems 45,Some Japanese worked in the greenhouses either during or after the war 46,Were exempt from draft until near end of war - prices in the 70's were the same as they were during the war with higher costs 47,Question about women working in greenhouses during war 48,Recounted an exception 49,Comments on economical size of a green house 50,Difficulties in greenhouse industry and comments on pest ontrol 51,Difficulty in maintaining fertility of soil 52,Water supply primarily Rocky River caused problems because pollution of river 53,"Hydroponics were tried, talked about difficulties" 54,Closing comments 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60,