The name ‘Jongwe’ reflects Julian Long’s Zimbabwean heritage, translating as “Rooster” or “Beautiful Peacock”.  Fittingly, Julian Long is fascinated by the ability to grow premium fresh food while also dealing with the challenges of sustainability and climate volatility. His children Sean, Ryan and Storm are increasingly playing a more dominant role in the business which has always been the intention.

One of the secrets of their success has been growing the crop with AIS Greenworks greenhouse technology.

Since 2005, Julian has commissioned AIS Greenworks to design, project manage and install each of the three greenhouses totaling 8.4 hectares of a climate controlled growing system.

Jongwe is the third and latest installment to grow consistently uniform, Syngenta Perino snacking ‘Blush Tomatoes’ for the Costa Group exclusively for Coles, on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland.

“I keep going back to AIS Greenworks because we have worked with them for 14 years on three projects, they have the experience and in particular are familiar with our expectations as to the type of equipment we are accustomed to and confident in their after sales service” says Julian.

What’s the same since 2005 and in the three snacking tomato greenhouses?

• AIS Greenworks project management from concept to completion
• Young plants are supplied by Tomato Exchange in Grodan Plantop NG 2.0 blocks (available exclusively from AIS Greenworks). These are then placed on Grodan GT Master 2.0 slabs in the Meteor GM7 hanging gutters which have a 170 mm wide profile and is rolled onsite by the Greenworks team
• Priva climate control system
• Sustainable, recirculating irrigation treated with UV sterilisation
• CO₂ injection from pressurised liquid CO₂ tanks and a LPG gas fired boiler
• High-pressure fogging to cool and humidify
• Dutch irrigation mixing unit supplied by AIS Greenworks
• Retractable thermal screens
• HAF fans in each 12.8m bay every 20m under the centre growing gutter

What’s changed since 2005 and in the latest greenhouse?

• Location – 10 minutes away – council and neighbours – all supportive
• 0 Ha Richel Greenhouse endorsed by AIS Greenworks
• Water Supply – No longer a combination of local river and greenhouse roof run off supply but still greenhouse roof run off with bore water and a lined 66 Ml dam pumping water to 500 kL fresh water tank with a pH stabilising system
• Sole ownership