ELIOT, Maine – Sweet Dirt LLC, a Maine-based cannabis company, and ArchSolar, a national provider of environmentally sustainable greenhouses, have partnered to build out a state-of-the-art 32,800 square foot extreme-light deprivation greenhouse.
Construction on the greenhouse will begin January 2020 and the facility will be located at Sweet Dirt’s headquarters in Eliot, Maine, where voters last November overwhelmingly approved an ordinance and licensing procedure allowing for adult use cannabis cultivation, manufacturing and retail operations.
Optimized for harsh climates, the multi-bay greenhouse will feature exceptional thermal performance, best-in-class snow and wind load capacity, an automated louvered intake and exhaust system, an automated light-deprivation (shade) system, and more. As sustainability is a critical consideration in all of Sweet Dirt’s decisions, the ability to leverage natural light to reduce electrical usage, was a large part of Sweet Dirt’s decision to partner with ArchSolar.
Portland, Maine-based ArchSolar brings over five years of greenhouse experience and growing expertise to the project. ArchSolar is committed to continual improvement and to lowering energy inputs and is the only greenhouse provider offering 50-foot span bays. These bays provide a higher percentage utilization of planted space over traditional greenhouse designs.
“We are pleased to be working with Sweet Dirt to build out what, to our knowledge, is the largest cannabis greenhouse in Maine,” says Tony Kieffer, president and founder of ArchSolar. “ArchSolar clients have a proven track record of growing year-round in 20-below winter weather or 90-degree summer weather in a greenhouse that uses about a third of the energy required by a traditional indoor operation.”
“Sweet Dirt is fortunate to have partnered with ArchSolar as we embark on this exciting high-growth phase of our business and we are thrilled to be breaking ground on this new facility which will allow us to deliver year-round, sun-kissed, organically-grown artisanal cannabis to the Maine market,” says Hughes Pope, president and founder of Sweet Dirt.
Sweet Dirt is a fully vertically integrated organization with employees, contractors and partners spanning cultivation, distribution, retail, administration, legal, compliance, IT, security and finance. With all of these aspects combined, Sweet Dirt is poised to be a leading Maine-based provider of high-quality, health-conscious, mature, and organically grown cannabis and cannabis products.
About Sweet Dirt, LLC
Sweet Dirt is a Maine-based grower and producer of uncommonly clean, organically grown cannabis flowers and products. The company’s focus on the creation of its proprietary soils and small-batch gardening practices have earned it the MOGFA-certified organic designation achieved by less than 1% of all licensed cannabis growers in Maine. Sweet Dirt’s heirloom strains are carefully crafted to deliver a broad range of discrete benefits for both body and mind. Sweet Dirt staff are united by their shared commitment to promoting personal happiness, communal wellbeing, and a more sustainable world.
