Full Circle Farms, a family-owned organic operation in Longmont, CO, practices green farming on more than 2,000 acres of land in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Since 2003, the farm has been growing more than 100 varieties of USDA-certified organic vegetables, specializing in fresh, handpicked, and naturally grown produce. Geoffrey Hess, the Sales Manager at Full Circle Farms, oversees greenhouse production, wholesale sales, quality control, and food safety. In the photo gallery below, he lists three of his go-to tools/equipment at the operation.
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Vegetable Vacuum Cooler (Southern Vacuum Cooling)
“Vacuum cooling is the rapid evaporation of water in a vacuum processing chamber at a lower temperature under vacuum conditions. In the process, more heat is consumed, and in the absence of an external heat source, a cooling effect is generated in the vacuum chamber. The vacuum pre-cooling technology is simple in principle and widely used in vegetable products preservation, transportation, and storage. A vacuum cooler represents a significant investment; however, the fast-cooling times achieved may preserve quality and extend storage life. This is particularly important for products such as baby spinach or lettuce but may also be critical for broccoli during warm harvest conditions.”
Photo: Full Circle Farms Rocky Mt Pumpkin Ranch/David Asbury
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The Weed Zapper (Old School Manufacturing/The Weed Zapper)
“Electric discharge weeding works by forcing an electrical current through a plant’s stem. The current boils the water inside the plant’s cells, bursting the cell walls. This immediately kills the plant. The less water a plant has, like those of grasses, the longer The Weed Zapper must be touching it — slower speed and/or extra pass — for it to be effective. The Weed Zapper is non-selective in killing plants.”
Photo: Full Circle Farms Rocky Mt Pumpkin Ranch/David Asbury
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Peracetic Acid (PAA) Test Kit (Various manufacturers)
“Testing our pre- and postharvest water is essential to producing high-quality, safe produce. We use SaniDate in our irrigation and wash water to keep the water clean and safe. Regularly testing the water’s PAA with either an extensive combo test kit or simple PAA test strips keeps our products safe and free of contaminants.”
Photo: Full Circle Farms Rocky Mt Pumpkin Ranch/David Asbury
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Vegetable Vacuum Cooler (Southern Vacuum Cooling)
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The Weed Zapper (Old School Manufacturing/The Weed Zapper)
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Peracetic Acid (PAA) Test Kit (Various manufacturers)
Fed by the region’s watershed, with Longs Peak to the west, the operation uses every type of irrigation system, including drip, pivot, solid set, and flood. These different systems allow the farm to conserve and manage its crops and their varied needs.
June 12, 2024 
