he greenhouses at JCGEP are heated with a dual-fuel boiler that runs on methane gas from the former Dillsboro landfill, with bio-diesel as the backup fuel source. Approximately 1500 sq ft of the space is used to grow landscaping plants for the county, which translates into tremendous savings.

The two smaller houses are home to plants being propagated and raised by the County Grounds & Maintenance Dept. for landscaping projects. The four larger houses (approximately 6000 total ft2) are being rented by Ray Nations, owner of Ray's Florist and Greenhouse. By renting the greenhouse space at the Green Energy Park, Nations is able to expand his retail and wholesale businesses without having to invest in greenhouse construction. His increased wholesale customer base will include local landscapers and large private developments.

Among the annuals and perennials that Nations plans to grow throughout the year are native plants, mums and pansies, flowering shrubs, hanging baskets, ferns and herbs. One of the highest costs a grower can incur is fuel to heat the houses in winter, so JCGEP will be including the landfill methane used to heat the houses in the cost of rent. Nations will be taking advantage of the benefit of this free fuel to be able to over-winter plants that require warmer conditions and would therefore be too expensive to grow in his current houses. As part of his lease agreement, Nations has hired two full-time employees to manage the project, and he will facilitate two educational workshops per year. Plants grown in the JCGEP greenhouses are available for purchase at Ray's retail location in Dillsboro.

  


Recycled Greenhouses — In early 2006, JCGEP received a donation of abandoned greenhouses from former local growers Coy and Chris Melton. The greenhouses were disassembled from the original site and transported to JCGEP by the Jackson County Maintenance and Grounds Departments and the Haywood Community College Horticulture Club, restoring what had been an eyesore for over ten years, to a beautiful meadow. 

Reconstruction of the new 7500 square foot greenhouses was recently completed using steel from the donated framework, saving the county roughly $25,000 in materials.