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market-farming - Re: Hoop house snow load test

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  • From: marc AT aculink.net
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: Hoop house snow load test
  • Date: Sun, 11 Feb 2001 13:10:43 -0700


We planted used telephone poles with a backbone made out of
used 1-1/4" galvanized well pipe. The backbone can support a
small car down the center of our 30' by 95' PVC greenhouse.
It survived 100 plus mph winds that came from several
directions over a 3 day windstorm situation until the
covering shredded. It survived winds that demolished
professionally erected very expensive metal buildings and
metal close spaced hooped greenhouses set in concrete pads
our neighbors had. It looks cool and rustic too.

http://www.aculink.net/~marc/greenhouse/greenhouse.htm

Marc Nameth

robert schuler wrote:
>
> If you use pvc or 1/2" steel plumbing pipe, set your hoop into the ground
> then have
> someone weighing 120 lb. go to the center of the hoop and do chinup"s, if
> the hoops don't
> bow or twist then the hoop house will support at least 12" of snow load if
> spaced no more
> than 4 feet apart, most folks are tempted to widen the span as far as
> possible but at
> least for steel a 1/2" x21' plumbing pipe can only be safely bent to 14'
> wide. 3/4" can go
> to 16' wide, I don't know anyone who seriously uses pvc but if you do its
> not a bad idea
> to have center 2x3 sticks under each bow when snow threatens, most guys
> around here with
> holding houses have air blast sprayers to blow off the snow as it settles.
> I wish it would snow here in south NJ so I can do some xc skiing, if not
> then next week
> starts plowing and lettuce field planting...
> Sunny Meadow Farm
> Bridgeton, NJ.




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