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  • From: Nan Hildreth <NanHildreth AT riseup.net>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Winter's coming -- Hoophouses
  • Date: Thu, 29 Sep 2011 23:17:13 -0500

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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