Canada: Jane Squier and her unlikely Salt Spring empire of citrus
Squier currently grows over 35 varieties of citrus and four varieties of avocados.
By Cloe Logan
National Observer
March 18th 2021
Excerpt:
The greenhouse behind Squier’s wizardry relies on a hydronic wood gasifier — a high-efficiency wood burner that heats insulated pools of water in the greenhouse and uses less than three cords of wood annually. The water acts as a heat sink, releasing warm air into the space. Fans blow it around the greenhouse to guarantee an even heat.
“(There’s) a pool on the north side of the greenhouse and a pool on the south side. And when it’s cold out, I heat the (smaller pool to) 35 or 40 degrees,” she said. “And the other one to 25.”
To keep the warmth from escaping, she uses an energy curtain to reduce heat loss at night and heavy adobe walls to provide steady radiant heat.
Squier’s love for novel fruits has deep roots. A Montréal native, her first experience with plants was during a 1960s stint at a cottage in Québec’s Eastern Townships.
“My mom, she was from a farming background (and) she started a garden. I got carrots to plant and I got to watch the miracle of them germinating and turning into food,” she said. “I was just so absolutely thrilled by that experience and it sort of opened up thinking about things.”
