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  • From: "Dave and Kathy Campbell" <dkcampbell AT southslope.net>
  • To: "'Market Farming'" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Greenhouse vs hoophouse
  • Date: Mon, 2 Mar 2015 08:43:20 -0600

Well, for what its worth…

I put up a 20’x20’ FarmTek polycarbonate “greenhouse” 4 years ago, and am very happy with it.  I extended it out onto a former concrete feeding floor from the big doors of my plant shed, and re-arranged the back (supposedly enclosed) to open directly into the shed.  It took me all summer to erect, working alone.  Most of that time went to cutting holes through the concrete floor where the greenhouse piers were to go.  It is important to measure and build everything exactly right so that all the parts, especially the poly sheets, fit properly.  With my kit, though, only some metal uprights and overlapping front and back sheets had to be cut to size.

I did not get the heat/vent stuff to make my extension into a true greenhouse, so it is more of a hoophouse with sturdy arched poly covering.  The sun makes it warm inside during the winter days, but my high-low thermometer tells me it gets about as cold as outside during winter nights.  If I were using it to start seedlings, or to grow winter produce, I would need an additional draped cover over my raised beds in there.  In summer it gets very hot inside, and we keep the doors open and water 1-2 times a day.  The result is a tropical climate in there, perfect to grow a fine crop of basil.

I also have built a FarmTek fabric covered building.  The fabric lasted for 7 years before holes wore through (constant rubbing as the wind worked it).  FarmTek sold me a new cover, now in place going on 4 years and holding up so far.  It is important to continually re-tighten the tensioning as the fabric works and stretches.  I now use that structure as a shelter for my beehives.

==Dave Campbell / Tiffin IA / Zone 5b

 

From: Market-farming [mailto:market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Road's End Farm
Sent: Monday, March 02, 2015 7:47 AM
To: Market Farming
Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Greenhouse vs hoophouse

 

ETA: what I put up was a polycarbonate. I wanted something less likely to blow apart as there's sometimes only me here to try to put anything back together; and, while it was more expensive to start with, it should be cheaper in the long run, as it won't need to be re-covered every couple of years.

 

Once we got it assembled, I like it fine. 

 

 

On Mar 2, 2015, at 8:40 AM, Road's End Farm wrote:



Sounds good to me.

 

I recently put one up from a Farmtek kit. Almost everything needed to be cut to size, which was very timeconsuming. I don't know whether other kits are easier to put up, but I'd look into that factor.

 

 

-- Rivka; Finger Lakes NY, Zone 6A now I think

Fresh-market organic produce, small scale

 

 

On Mar 1, 2015, at 9:01 PM, GarlicGrower wrote:



Hi, Folks!

 

Right now I’m doing seed starting in our spare bedroom, but I need more space.  Husband is looking at cost and wants to put in a kit hoophouse.  I’d like to convert space next to the barn to a small polycarbonate greenhouse.

 

Thoughts?

 

 

Dorene Pasekoff

Hill Creek Farm

75 Creamery Road

Pottstown, PA 19465

 

 



 

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