To start off our 2021 Grower’s Stories, we talked with Sean Garinger who works at the Humboldt County Office of Education greenhouse as well as the AmHydro R&D greenhouse. Sean first started working at the HCOE greenhouse as part of an elective class his school offered.
The hydroponics class taught students how to run a commercial hydroponic growing system and all of its components such as plant health and management, propagation and harvesting, and nutrient management. The class also taught broader life lessons such as job readiness skills like how to fill out a timecard and the importance of showing up to work on time.
After graduating, Sean continued to work with the head grower and instructor at the HCOE greenhouse. His training at the HCOE greenhouse covered hydroponic terminology, proper plant management, how to check and adjust nutrient levels, and food safety procedures.
As part of the AmHydro seminar, guests are invited to work at the HCOE greenhouse to get hands-on experience in a working commercial greenhouse. During a summer seminar, Sean was working in the greenhouse and that is when he met Jenny (CEO of AmHydro) and she told Sean they were looking for someone to work in the R&D greenhouse.
