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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] straw bales as greenhouse heat source??

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  • From: road's end farm <organic101 AT linkny.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] straw bales as greenhouse heat source??
  • Date: Mon, 16 Jan 2006 22:09:43 -0500


On Jan 16, 2006, at 11:56 AM, Steve Diver wrote:

Straw bales are top-covered with a layer of
compost-based potting so the roots can get
established. The straw eventually serves as a
massive growing media that also gives off CO2
and biothermic rooting warmth as it undergoes
biological decomposition.

[. . . ] greenhouse
growers also relied on the warmth and CO2 generated
from nutrient-saturated straw bales as a result of
thermophIic decomposition. I

Do you think this technique could be used as a heat source for a small unheated greenhouse?

I just need to keep it a few degrees warmer on cold nights. Transplants are in trays on shelves and on a table; I could put a few straw bales under the table. (Suppose I could plant something in them too, as long as I was at it; maybe take the table away after most of the spring transplants were out in the field.)

-- Rivka; Finger Lakes NY, Zone 5 mostly
Fresh-market organic produce, small scale



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