We spend a lot of time talking about our greenhouse kits and what they can do. Next, we highlight our vision of a sustainable world, and lastly, we sometimes happen to mention who we are. The increasing attention paid to goods made in America has caused us to think back to who we are as...
Congratulations to the community of Animas Valley Elementary School in Durango, Colorado. With lots of hard work, especially in the category of fundraising, and lots of perseverance, this great project has come together. To read more visit the recent article posted in the Durango Herald newspaper: http://durangoherald.com/article/20111211/NEWS01/712119899/-1/s/Animas-Valley-raises-roof-on-greenhouse
If you missed it last month, we have it to share with you now! Puja Dhyan Parsons, Owner & CEO of Growing Spaces® LLC was one of 24 people representing her company in the Entrepreneur Showcase at the Slow Money National Gathering on October 13, 2011 in San Fransisco, CA. A hallmark of the Slow...
“For Puja and I, everything is connected, and we are ever awed by the complexity and beauty of the natural world. Offering a product which helps people enjoy and support this beauty and the bountiful ways of nature – while growing an abundance of food – is very fulfilling for us.” – Udgar Parsons, Co-Owner...
When the summer sun provides a daily flush of fresh produce we are lulled into a happy, comfortable state. Then the daylight begins to escape us and the warmth dissipates. In the last month or so you may very well be asking yourself, “Why are the spider mites, aphids, and white flies having a hay-day...
We’ve been keeping you in touch with the happenings at Galileo School of Math and Science in Colorado Springs, CO from the very start of their school garden program. You’ve seen many snapshots along the way including some great segments from the local Fox news station. All of those pieces were great fun to share...
Congratulations to Larry Berger of Winominee, WI on his gorgeous photo of his aromatic Brugmansia inside of his 22′ Growing Dome. Larry posted so many great photos throughout October and September that we had a hard time choosing. He may not have received the most votes on any single photo, but all combined definitely make...
Here’s a report on the National Food Day Celebration that took place in two different Growing Domes in Colorado Springs, CO from the Bent County Democrat: “A magnet school in Colorado Springs and a demonstration garden in Woodland Park were among 20,000 venues in all 50 states hosting events held in conjunction with Food Day...
Last month we posted a video filmed at the 42′ Growing Dome construction site at Galileo School of Math & Science in Colorado Springs, CO. This month we get to share the finished project! The collaborative efforts of Galileo School, Pikes Peak Urban Gardens, District 11’s Good Food Project, Pikes Peak Community Foundation and Colorado...
Reed City High School in Michigan is taking full advantage of their 51′ Growing Dome all of the learning opportunities available inside. They are experimenting with aquaponics, hydroponics, and barrelponics. They’re even making their own worm tea. The students help raise plants and food for sale and collect scientific data along the way. What a...
We always love when the school year starts as we get updates on how the school Growing Domes are doing. This year’s no exception. Roaring Fork High School and Yampah Mountain High School located high in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado were both featured in the Sunday news. After 2+ years of gardening, the programs...
On October 13th, tune in around 11:30am PST and wait to see Puja Dhyan Parsons present for 5 minutes at the Entrepreneur Showcase! We’re expecting her to be sometime between 11:30 and 11:45am PST (that’s 12:30m Mountain Time). We’re so excited and hope you have the chance to join us! We’re excited to share with...
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SUBJECT: Local Business Presents at Slow Money National Gathering Puja Dhyan Parsons, Owner & CEO of Growing Spaces® LLC has been one of 24 people selected to represent her company in the Entrepreneur Showcase at the Slow Money National Gathering on October 13, 2011 in San Fransisco, CA. A hallmark of the...
This month we have a “shocking” Growing Dome photo to share with you from Mike in Oklahoma. We like to see this shot as a symbolic representation of how powerful the Growing Domes are! Too bad we don’t have a way to harness the energy of lightning in the Growing Domes. Guess it would be...
Did you realize that Growing Spaces is a solar powered business? The solar panels installed outside our workshop provide enough to run our shop and offices while leaving power left to send back into the grid. Our staff also participates in energy saving activities that help us make the most of the sun power we...
We are excited to share this very valuable opportunity for our small community in southwest Colorado. Pagosa Springs will be hosting this two day conference offering small businesses owners educational and networking opportunities. The conference is extremely affordable at $30 per day or $50 per both days and includes tours of two companies in...
We’ve been mentioning and following the Farm-to-School program run by the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) and are very excited about an upcoming webinar they are hosting next week. It is in celebration of the upcoming “National Farm to School Month” in October. Here’s what’s in store for those attending the webinar: “USDA will...
As we celebrate the interest from children and young adults in growing organic food, we want to point to major influences over the last few years. I thank the efforts of Jamie Oliver, Will Allan, and Michelle Obama and many Moms and Dad’s who are convinced that learning “where food comes from” is the beginning...
As you may have already guessed, we’re all about education of all ages here at Growing Spaces and are always searching for new ways to empower people with knowledge about how to live and grow sustainably. We had an awesome opportunity this summer to hire an intern to work in our shop through the local...
You’ve been with us following Flagstaff Academy of Longmont, CO through 3 years of planning and fundraising, an exciting Growing Dome® build earlier this summer, and their recent Open House. We are excited to share an article about this unique program that appeared on the front page of the local newspaper. Everyone at Flagstaff...
Flagstaff Academy Randall Geo-Conservatory Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Tuesday, September 13, 2011@ 6:00 p.m. Join us Tuesday, Sept. 13 at 6 p.m. as we celebrate the completion of a project three years in the making. The Randall Geo-Conservatory is a living classroom for Flagstaff Academy K-8 students. The indoor, year-round garden will provide...
Congratulations to Isabelle La Souris of Quebec, Canada. Her stitched submission of the inside of her 26′ Growing Dome received the highest number of votes, and is altogether a lovely photo! For a complete slideshow of all the shapes and sizes of submissions for September visit our Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/GrowingSpacesGreenhouses?sk=app_106878476015645&app_data=page-4
I am not very good at baking….there I admit it. I love to cook but have a mental block on baking. It is challenging, to say the least, with all of my food allergies. (Wheat, gluten, eggs, dairy!) So I gave it up long ago but in the recent months the need has come back...
I have experienced it many times; in five countries, on three continents, blending multiple languages, cultures, and generations. I have felt the power and potential while working with indigenous peoples, schools, neighborhoods, communities, and families. I have shared in their celebrations and contributed my tears and shivers of gratitude and excitement. A Growing Dome build...
Have you noticed how the off-grid, sustainable living movement is increasingly wired in? You can subscribe to @HomeGrownDOTorg on Twitter and like Solar Living on Facebook. How strange is the small farmer with his hands in the dirt one moment and his eyes trained on YouTube the next? How odd is the gardener who chooses...
Wonderful article from Ed News Colorado on Colorado schools investing in what their children eat as well as teaching gardening and healthy eating habits early. The Growing Domes allow the children to garden during the school year which makes it part of their education and an experience that will stay with them for life. With...
Would you like to be in a warm, green oasis when it’s snowing outside? The optimum time for sowing cool weather crops in the Growing Dome is by the END OF SEPTEMBER. This will allow you plenty of time to get your greens, carrots, beets, radish, leeks, garlic, onions, and more established before the winter...
Partners Summit Prevention Alliance, Summit School District, the Dillon Valley community steering committee and Neils Lunceford have been working together to get a healthy eating initiative into Dillon Valley to increase community access to local fruits and vegetables. Their dreams came true this past weekend when they began construction of their new 22′ Growing Dome...
If you haven’t been on our YouTube channel lately, we’d like the chance to share with you the episodes from this Summer’s Gardening Tips video series. Our favorite is the most recent Hand Flower Pollination video: Also check out these fun videos on cooling your greenhouse in the summer:
Paul Renner of Gabrielle Cousins Living Foods program in Arizona pays a visit to Growing Spaces Greenhouses
Whether you buy your red bell peppers conventionally grown from Chili or organically farmed down the road, you are likely noticing that food prices are rising faster than inflation. This just adds another layer to the already complicated question of, “What am I willing to pay for my food?” Every time I’m at the grocery...
What an amazing vision and project that started in 2009 and is still growing strong. Fat City Farmers is “growing farmers and community for our local food economy”. Fat City Farmers is a “western Colorado non-profit, whose mission is to create educational opportunities for organic gardening and market farming, based on permaculture principles, for the...
To follow the theme of the Growing Domes®, we like to promote “going local”. You can’t get any more local than growing your food at home and we support local gardeners as part of this movement. In 2010 Udgar Parsons, Growing Spaces Owner & Founder, taught at a “Gardening & Beyond” educational program that was...
Show off your Greenhouse We are always accepting submissions for our Dome of the Month. Photos and stories will be accepted at any time, and will be considered for the next month or future months. All of our Featured Growing Dome’s are highlighted in our monthly newsletter “The Happy Grower“, Facebook, Instagram, and in our blog. The participants...
By Puja Dhyan Parsons, Owner & CEO Today, in June of 2011, a time of economic downturn and environmental degradation, it is difficult to watch the news. The kinship and symbiosis of community seems sometimes lost in our diversity of needs and interests as well as the focus on survival and livelihood. The loss of...
With so many innovative projects going on across the world today and so many ways to encounter the magic of communities coming together we have an endless supply of inspiration. Shifting our focus to this positive movement brings us to those who have opened the gateway to sustainability. One of our favorite stories comes from...
Living just 100 feet from the freeway, the Dervaes family lives a self-sufficient life in the middle of LA. They grow enough organic food on their 1/10 of an acre of available “farm” land on their 1/5 of an acre of property in Pasadena, to live year-round without going to the grocery store for food....
Spinach Loaf Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine: 4 cups or more of fresh chopped spinach White sauce (see below) 2 beaten eggs 1 sautéed onion ½ to ¾ cup shredded cheese (optional) Pour into buttered casserole dish and bake 35-40 minutes until inserted knife comes out clean. White Sauce: Wisk together in saucepan: 2...
I was looking at an old journal from January 2010 this morning and found that I had written “Growing Spaces has a new face! As we begin the new decade in times of uncertainty and challenge, Growing Spaces is restructuring to provide more education about the life-style our Growing Domes® support and our intent to...
Allan Werthan provides an outstanding account of his visit to Arizona to build a Growing Dome Greenhouse in Navajo Nation
Great idea! Teachers and parents have found that introducing children to hands-on experiences in food-growing gardens helps them to understand and appreciate where their food comes from, make better food choices, be better stewards of the environment, and fall in love with fresh vegetables. Check out these great ideas for getting started from Slow Food...
Reed City schools in Michigan Growing Spaces Growing Dome Greenhouse made the news! Way to go Reed City for doing such a great job with integrating the dome in your school curriculum and nutrition! Check out this inspiring video clip!
On May 26, 2009, Robert Lustig gave a lecture called “Sugar: The Bitter Truth,” which was posted on YouTube the following July. Since then, it has been viewed well over 800,000 times, gaining new viewers at a rate of about 50,000 per month, fairly remarkable numbers for a 90-minute discussion of the nuances of fructose...
Belfast Central School in New York finished their 33 ft dome and we wanted to share this slide show of the build. The dome looks great and was a great project for the students! To see a photo of the dome click the link to their Facebook page here.
View this brief introduction to our company and tour one of our Growing Domes. Also find out different resources that we offer to help you with gardening and living a more sustainable lifestyle.
Hunter Lovins, Author of Natural Capitalism Solutions, talks about how companies can save money by reducing their carbon foot print and increasing their profitability.
Growing Dome Greenhouses in Alaska and Canada stay 30 deg. F warmer in the winter than outside
With a joint mission of giving kids fun and engaging ways to learn about nutrition and the importance of fruits and veggies, “Yes To” and Whole Foods will be giving away five $2,000 Seed Fund Grants in each participating Whole Foods region to local schools, plus five $500 ‘Starter Garden’ grants to schools nationwide! All...
I am writing after the Japanese Tsunami, the upset in Madison, the revolution in Egypt, and many other newsworthy events. It is a time of questioning and a time of “upset” I am sure, to most of us and we all have to integrate new fears, like the potential for Nuclear Fall-Out from the power...
Over the next 6 months we will be offering a series of gardening videos on our You Tube channel
Many people are concerned that the Growing Dome® will be able to handle high winds. Basically the shape is such that the winds flow effortlessly around the Growing Dome®. They have been able to withstand recorded winds of 130 miles per hour in Browning, Montana, Alaska, and the front range of the Colorado Rockies. The...
Control Whitefly Infestation Naturally Whitefly infestations can be recognized when a plant is disturbed and a giant cloud of tiny flies fills the air. Although the Whitefly hatches and lives in the soil, it feeds on the undersides of foliage and often leaves a sticky residue. Unfortunately, this residue attracts aphids, and the aphid +...
Many Dome owners frequently ask us questions regarding pest control. Here are some ideas for doing aphid control: 1. Is the Dome planted really densely? Thin the plants by pulling the most infested plants first. 2. Spray the entire plant with an insecticidal soap or a mixture of dish washing liquid and water. Joy and...
We at Growing Spaces® are motivated by an awareness of the need for change in the ways mankind lives inside the Earth’s eco-system. Creative and intelligent use of resources is a prime value, as we realize that the earth is a finite system with finite resources. Respectfully, our company offers solutions to some of these...
Today’s announcement that Michelle Obama is authoring a book on the importance of school, urban and community gardening is another example of the mind shift that is happening in the United States and across the globe. Her support of healthier, more self-sustaining lifestyles is directly in line with Growing Spaces vision. Growing Spaces was founded...
The difference between the inside and outside of the dome on a cold winter night depends on how many sunny days you are having. With the domes 7 unique features for heating and cooling, we are able to grow year round, even in the Rocky Mountains, because we can keep the temperature at a decent...
We have talked in our previous posts about sowing a batch of cool hardy seeds for our spring crops. A few words about sowing seeds may be appropriate here. The first thing to note is the size of the seed you are using, as they vary quite enormously. The average depth to sow seeds is...
Spring is a very fun time in our Growing Dome greenhouses. Usually all the winter crops that we have been harvesting and eating over the winter are starting to go to seed. Do not despair! A lot of these vegetables have edible flowers. For example, arugula, tatsoi, mizuna, and a lot of edible greens also...
SPRING time in the Growing Dome, check out hint #13 ! Click the link below https://growingspaces.com/greenhouse-gardening-hints/
Please join us in celebrating as Growing Spaces was on Channel 9 news this morning! Growing Spaces was selected as one of Colorado Companies to Watch by the State’s Office of Economic Development. You can see the video that aired on February 10th below. If you wish to read the article, please click on this...
Growing Spaces will be featured on 9 NEWS broadcast, tomorrow 02.10.11, at 6:15 A.M. If you miss it or would like to see it again, we will have a link posted here, facebook , and on our website on Friday 02.11.11. Come check it out and see what we here at Growing Spaces have been...
