In 2016, we expanded our commitment to solar energy with a new 2,040 panel solar system to offset the power needed for irrigation usage. Our first system installed in 2011 supplies 84% of the power required by our tomato packing operations. The two systems generate solar power in excess of 1.35 kilowatt hours each year.
The sustainability gains of the two systems are equal to annually eliminating two million pounds of carbon dioxide from the earth’s atmosphere; removing 200 cars from the road; or reducing 340 tons of waste sent to landfills.
Farming is a Year Round Process
While it takes only about ninety days from the time a tomato or pepper is planted to the first harvest, planning begins many months earlier. There’s preparation of the land that can begin years earlier, as cover crops help build the health of the soil.
All of Live Oak’s tomatoes and peppers are produced using drip irrigation, allowing optimum plant health with the right balance of nutrition. And, because water is applied only to the plant, we don’t need to rely on herbicides to control weeds, and we’re aggressively conserving water.
Throughout the three month growing process, our tomatoes and peppers are monitored to ensure they’re nutritionally balanced and that pests are being controlled by beneficial insects. If pests or disease threaten the crop, we turn to the University of California’s Integrated Pest Management Programs for fresh tomatoes and peppers, which minimizes pesticide use.
For a more detailed look at how we grow, visit Live Oak In the Field, at the packinghouse and our Food Safety Program.
