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  • From: Jay Sleichter <jaysleichter AT yahoo.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Winter's coming -- Hoophouses
  • Date: Thu, 29 Sep 2011 22:04:17 -0700 (PDT)

For me it is the ability to have 3 or more crops growing and using the same building.  For example, I planted onions this spring in one of my movable building on March 5th.  They were protected from the elements until we moved the building in Mid April.  Then I transplanted in Zucchini on April 18th ish. We had our last frost, which was very late on May 15th. I started to harvest Zucchini on May 25th ish. Then in late June, zucchini was winding down, I moved the building to cover the late tomatoes that I transplanted in.  Meanwhile, in spot one, the onions were being pulled to dry, the zucchini was being removed and compost worked in. Then I sowed carrots at the end of July.  After the tomatoes are froze, I will move the tunnel back over the carrots for the winter and start all over again next spring.  I am leaving space one open this year as it was overwintered last year.


This was just one building.

Jay

Jay's Jellies, Produce and More
Clay Center, Kansas
www.jaysjellies.com
http://highfarming.blogspot.com/

--- On Thu, 9/29/11, Nan Hildreth <NanHildreth AT riseup.net> wrote:

From: Nan Hildreth <NanHildreth AT riseup.net>
Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Winter's coming -- Hoophouses
To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Date: Thursday, September 29, 2011, 11:17 PM

What's the advantage of moveable tunnels?

Nan in 8b, east Texas

At 02:26 PM 9/29/2011, Jay Sleichter wrote:
>Sure,
>
>I have two movable tunnels. They are 16 by 32 each. I have three
>spaces that they cover. Each space is 512 square feet.  I have 5
>beds in each one with 1 foot walkways.  Yes this space is tight.
>
>They are homemade.  They are made out of 16 gauge, 1.315 diameter
>galvanized pipe that is 24 feet long.  It is very similar to
>chainlink fence top rail, but it was a heavier gauge than I could
>buy locally.  We bent them into a semi gothic shape using a 1.5 inch
>EMT pipe bender with a boot spacer.  There is 3 foot up piece of
>1.510 pipe attached to the baseboard.  The ribs slide into this pipe
>and are secured with a galvanized bolt.
>I added a 7/8 inch steel rod every 4 feet . This solid shaft rides
>on top of another baseboard that is lag bolted into 4 by 4 posts,
>4.5 feet in the ground.  Finally, I bolted the two baseboards
>together using bolts.
>
>To move these structures, I remove the baseboard bolts, pull up the
>endwalls and they slide along on the rail. Two people can move them
>very quickly. One on each side.  They can be pulled with a truck or
>tractor, if a spreader bar is used on the front.  Or I can move them
>by myself, but my wife calls me an "Ox". I would suggest two people.
>
>It takes me longer to remove the 12 bolts than it does to move them!
>
>I adapted ideas from Elliot Coleman, other movable tunnels and added
>them to my own ideas to construct them. I am extremely happy with
>these tunnels.  While they may seem small to some, they are plenty
>big for me and my markets.  In one year I will have this tunnel
>covering 2,048 feet with 4 different crops inside. I could probably
>have them cover 5 spaces/crops in one season if I pushed them harder.
>
>If you go to my website, www.jaysjellies.com, and click on movable
>tunnels, you can see them in action.
>
>Here are some pictures:
>
>Finished tunnel
>http://s587.photobucket.com/albums/ss315/jrslick/?action="view&current=IMG_1147.jpg
>
>Frame of tunnel
>
http://s587.photobucket.com/albums/ss315/jrslick/?action="view&current=IMG_1148.jpg
>
>Image of the roller:
>
http://s587.photobucket.com/albums/ss315/jrslick/?action="view&current=IMG_1150.jpg
>I have removed the roller assembly and opted for just the straight shaft.
>
>Image from last fall, crop inside, winter crops outside:
>
http://s587.photobucket.com/albums/ss315/jrslick/?action="view&current=IMG_4321.jpg
>
>Current Crop of late tomatoes.  Getting ready to pick any day now!
>
http://s587.photobucket.com/albums/ss315/jrslick/?action="view&current=IMG_1600.jpg
>
>Thanks for asking,
>
>Jay
>
>
>Thanks,
>Jay's Jellies, Produce and More
>Clay Center, Kansas
>www.jaysjellies.com
>
http://highfarming.blogspot.com/
>
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Nan Hildreth
Oak Hollow Farm in Oakhurst, Tx
936-377-3956
832-343-3766

3939 Luca St.
Houston, Tx 77021
713-842-6643

NanHildreth AT riseup.net

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