LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
Earl Browning is hoping to bring fresher produce to the Fort Simpson area.

This is the experimental greenhouse Earl Browning has been using to test crops in until he builds a larger one. - photo courtesy of Earl Browning

Browning has set up an experimental greenhouse to see what plants grow best before going forward with the construction of a larger, year-round greenhouse near the airport.

"(There's a) need for reasonable produce in the North," Browning said, explaining why he decided to seek out this new project.

So far Browning has bought all the material needed for the construction of a larger 6,000 square-foot greenhouse greenhouse and said it shouldn't be long before people will see some of the fruits of his labour.

"I estimate a year," he said.

Outside of the construction, Browning said the biggest obstacle between now and the completion of the project is obtaining the land to build on, something Browning also said he expects will have done soon.

Lately, he and his son, Ryan Browning, have been busy off-site with the experimental greenhouse and the purchase of livestock.

Earl said he wants to grow strawberries, raspberries, cucumbers, lettuce and watermelons.

The pair have also purchased and raised 24 Dexter cows and six Berkshire pigs for breeding purposes.

This isn't the first time a Browning has attempted something similar in the North.

Earl's father owned a farm at the mouth of Trout River back in the 1950s but decided to give it up to pursue other business ventures.

Earl said he began researching how to make the larger greenhouse

five years ago.

"I found it's probably feasible to have a commercial greenhouse up here," Browning said.

Browning has also been busy with continuing education in the field, attending the conference of hydroponics at the University of Guelph in 2015 and the Indoor Gardening Conference in Las Vegas in 2016.

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