Greenhouse
Brush Creek Greenhouse
Authentically Grown. With Modern Help.
The length of our growing season, coupled with the quality of soil in the Rocky Mountains, makes accessing local produce difficult. This is why we established the Brush Creek Greenhouse, made up of three greenhouses, scaling over 20,000 square feet total. Our goal is to give our guests access to the freshest food and beverage program possible. Our indoor growing space allows us to plant and harvest with precision, calculating the time needed to achieve peak flavor and quickly transfer them to the hands of our chefs for your delectable meals.
We cultivate upwards of 30 different kinds of produce with 8-10 varieties per genus, totaling 80 different types of crops no matter the season. Our hydroponics system conserves water that is otherwise wasted in traditional farming methods, and using greenhouse controllers, we’re able to maintain the temperature needed for optimum growth. We could go on and on about our high-pressure misting system, supplemental lighting, and moisture sensors, but we’ll save that for our Greenhouse tours. Prepare yourself for the most exceptional farm-to-table experiences the West has to offer.
Sustainability
When you have a greenhouse, seasons don’t dictate the growth and harvest of a crop. You can grow whatever you want, whenever you want. This can come with its own set of issues, such as wasting water or raising an over-abundance of produce that spoil long before consumed. Systems like hydroponics that recirculate nutrient water save 80-90% of water over traditional farming methods that would be used if we grew our crops outdoors. In-floor heat and shading/energy curtains also reduce the need for cooling and heating, lowering gas consumption – all in an effort to be as sustainable as possible.
Harvesting about 500lbs of produce per week, the Greenhouse first supplies each restaurant at Brush Creek Ranch, as well as herbs for the distillery. Remaining fruits and vegetables then go to our Cookshack to provide employee meals. In the event of a surplus, we hold community Farmer’s Markets, offer produce to local restaurants, and supply the regional Food Bank. Any leftover plant waste goes to feed our herd of goats at the creamery or composted for landscaping, our outdoor berry garden, or sold locally.
Growing Philosophy
There are two things we keep in mind: taste over quantity, and utilizing technology when necessary. It would be disheartening to grow a variety of fruits or vegetables that go to waste solely because they’re not tasty. We take our time because taste matters, and wasting the valuable energy needed to raise crops isn’t consistent with our spirit of sustainability. Technology is equally important. Studying the data we collect, we’re able to make the necessary adjustments on the amount of water or fertilizer used in the growing process. This keeps our produce healthy and cuts down on operational costs.