Market Farming

["Glen Eco Farm" <glenecofarm AT planetcomm.net>]

Several years ago I got ahold of some wooden pallets whose two sides were 
nailed into wooden blocks instead of 2 by 4s like most are put together.  A 
good place to find this kind of stuff is at some machinery dealers or 
motorcycle places where inventory comes in  shipping crates which are 
designed to be easily knocked apart.  If you are really lucky you may find 
some made of bamboo slats, really great stuff for greenhouse bench tops.  It 
was easy to knock the sides apart and then the blocks off, making me two 3 
1/2' by 4' pieces from each pallet which are basically 2" by 1/2" slats 
about 2" apart with three 2"slats across the ends and middle.  These half 
pallets are much lighter and easier to handle than whole pallets and plenty 
strong enough to serve as bench tops.

I have supported these off the ground two ways.

One was to set up sawhorses with long 2 by 4s laid across the tops and lay 
the half pallets on top with the cross member sides down.  Slide the 2 by 4s 
out til they notch nicely against the cross members.  No nails needed to 
secure them.

In another greenhouse I had lined up 15 gallon plastic jugs filled with 
water along the side walls to serve as a heat sink and secured them to the 
walls by running 20 foot lengths of steel rebar through the handles on top 
of the jugs and then tying the rebar to the bows.  I laid 2 by 4s on top of 
the jugs next to the handles and tied them at intervals to the rebar.  On 
the sides next to the center isle I butted three foot 2 by 4 pieces up 
against long 2 by 4s about every six feet or so and set it up vertical. 
(Picture a low stud wall set up with 3/4 s of the studs missing)  Notching 
the half pallet pieces across the 2 by 4 lying along the top of and tied to 
the jugs and the supports next to the center isle completes the setup.  An 
eight penny nail driven through the pallet pieces and into the 2 by 4 inside 
support every ten feet or so secures it.

Both systems are easy and quick to set up and dismantle (when I want to fill 
the greenhouse with chickens) and are mostly made of scrap material and or 
things that will by used for other purposes when not being used for 
greenhouse benches (eg the sawhorses).

Marlin Burkholder
Virginia  Shenandoah Valley

> Can someone remind me? I have to build a half-dozen greenhouse tables
> shortly and I'm wondering what a good stiff inexpensive material is
> for topping them. >