At Cultivate’17, a ceremony to mark a 10-year milestone since D.S. Cole Growers became involved with More Profitable Sustainability (MPS), as the first U.S. grower to achieve MPS certification, took owner Doug Cole by surprise. Separate celebrations also recognized Metrolina Greenhouses and Dümmen Orange for achieving MPS certification.

When Michael VanWingerden and his wife Courtney heard through their work with the Make-A-Wish foundation that 11-year-old Jason wanted a greenhouse to grow vegetables in, they knew Metrolina Greenhouses could help.

Metrolina wanted to promote plants, gardening, and creating a sense of community, so it decided to host Dig & Swig events at a local brewery.

Metrolina Greenhouses’ York location in South Carolina has undergone a series of water retention pond construction projects in recent years, with more planned for the future. Here’s how planning and logistics make resources and labor go further.

When it comes to reinvesting in structures, Art VanWingerden of Metrolina Greenhouses says it’s important maintain the longevity of the building so it will last to the next generation and the generation after that.

A Greenhouse Grower Top 100 Grower says investing in automation can reap several long-term benefits, as long as you do so for the right reasons.

The most successful growers in the future will be those that are willing to accept and invest in new technology.

Investing in technology to become more sustainable “always goes hand in hand,” says Abe VanWingerden, co-CEO of Metrolina […]

Sustainability started to become a keyword in the horticulture industry in the late 2000s, when growers began converting […]

See the 2015 field trials results for Metrolina Greenhouses in Huntersville, NC.

Heralded as one of the most automated greenhouse operations in the U.S., Metrolina Greenhouses continues to build in Huntersville, N.C., and York, S.C. Art Van Wingerden, chief operating officer and co-owner of Metrolina Greenhouses, estimates that as his big box customers continue to grow at a 3 to 5 percent rate, so will Metrolina Greenhouses’ growing facilities to keep up with demand.

Director of Growing Ivan Tchakarov, Greenhouse Grower’s 2014 Head Grower of the Year, shares how Metrolina Greenhouses’ commitment to clean water has paid off for the 187-acre North Carolina operation.

Metrolina Greenhouse’s Director of Growing Ivan Tchakarov was named Grower of the Year at Greenhouse Grower’s Evening of Excellence, held July 14 at Cultivate’14 in Columbus, Ohio.