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
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