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  • From: Bill Shoemaker <wshoemak AT illinois.edu>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] High Tunnel Winter Growing
  • Date: Tue, 24 Nov 2009 07:53:45 -0600 (CST)

To take the idea another step, perhaps you could use hoops and clear plastic
over the trenches to keep the compost cooking, while planting between the
trenches. The crops would receive the benefit of additional heat and rich
nutrients nearby. The system could be covered with spun-bonded poly at night
to hold the heat in.

Hmm, I may just have to experiment with this! Any other ideas to leverage
this model?

Bill

>I wonder if you could use compost that is not quite done "cooking". Perhaps
>you could band it in trenches and plant crops between the trenches.
>
>Bill
>
>
>> This is an interesting idea for heat - taking a hotbed and expanding
>>the idea to an entire tunnel. The biggest issue I could see is salt
>>buildup. High tunnels typically are covered the entire 4 years (or
>>more) that the plastic lasts, and there is no rainfall to leach salts
>>downward. Even using animal manures in just amounts necessary for
>>fertility can cause salts to buildup over time.
>>
>>Alison Wiediger, Au Naturel Farm, SC KY
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org
>>[mailto:market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Mike Rock
>>Sent: Monday, November 23, 2009 5:44 PM
>>To: Market Farming
>>Subject: Re: [Market-farming] High Tunnel Winter Growing
>>
>>A 'what if'.
>>If ground temp is important, make a hot frame under the growing beds.
>>Fresh horse manure or freshly made horse manure compost will take months
>>to work and can heat all or most of the winter. My draft horses supply
>>enough for a huge hi hoop. More work, but a two foot deep composting
>>frame, wall to wall, with a step up to working level will generate a
>>winters worth of heat.
>>
>>Mike
>>
>>
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>>
>William H Shoemaker, UI-Crop Sciences
>Sr Research Specialist, Food Crops
>St Charles Horticulture Research Center
>535 Randall Road St Charles, IL 60174
>630-584-7254; FAX-584-4610
>_______________________________________________
>Market-farming mailing list
>Market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
>http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/market-farming
>
William H Shoemaker, UI-Crop Sciences
Sr Research Specialist, Food Crops
St Charles Horticulture Research Center
535 Randall Road St Charles, IL 60174
630-584-7254; FAX-584-4610




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