My High Tunnel 6 Pack Pictures

14 years ago

Well my wife pointed out that I have a "6 pack" well a High Tunnel "6 Pack"!

#1 Old Reliable 3 year old frame it has been through a lot. 12 ft by 20 ft.

#2 High Tunnel on its second year. Still need to redo the endwalls. I used cheap plastic and it broke down. I patched it up with some scrap plywood. 18 ft by 42 ft

#3 High Tunnel on its second year also. I fixed the endwalls last year. 18 ft by 45 ft

#4 New Frame for this year I still need to finish the endwalls, add metal ribs and cover with plastic. 18 ft by 40 ft

#5 New Mobile Tunnel #1 Still need to finish the door, vents and get ready to plant. I also need to finish the rails. 16 ft by 32 ft

#6 New Mobile Tunnel #2 Still need to finish endwalls, pull plastic, and get ready to plant. I also need to finish the rails. 16 ft by 32 ft

I still have spinach in hoop #1, I will be planting #2 to greens and many other cool weather crops. Probably replant some squash or other warm season stuff. Then replant for the winter crops. Hoop #3 I will be planting cherry tomatoes and peppers. Hoop #4 I will be planting tomatoes. Hoop #5 will have broccoli in position 1, cucumbers in position 2 and then some crops to winter harvest Hoop #6 will have potatoes in the position 1. Then zucchini in position two. Then some crops to winter harvest.

Thanks for looking.

Jay

Comments (9)

joe-il
14 years ago
Nice jay! How you do it all is beyond me. I am building a 18x44' ft tunnel now, hope to have it done minus the plastic on sunday.
myfamilysfarm
14 years ago
Jay, you do seem like you have alot of time/energy, especially working at school also. Be glad you're young and have some help.

Marla
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jrslick (North Central Kansas, Zone 5B)
Original Author
14 years ago
Marla: I really enjoy building and growing things. This last week was my schools spring break. I have been a one-man construction crew. I have been working everyday on getting everything done. It never seemed that I could get a full day of work in. I always had something, doctors appointments, pick up kids, run kids, watch favorite b-ball team, and many other things.

I expect to get the other two buildings finished in the next week. It will be a few late nights with halogen lights.

Jay
myfamilysfarm
14 years ago
Jay, you keep building you're going to run out of land.
jrslick (North Central Kansas, Zone 5B)
Original Author
14 years ago
I am surrounded by 160 acres of farmland, I will just have to make them a offer they can't refuse!

I am running out of somewhat flat ground, that is for sure. I think I am done, but I won't rule out one more big tunnel.

Jay
brookw_gw
14 years ago
Very impressive, Jay. I know exactly how you feel with the time constraints. I'm 48 with two teenagers and teach full time, but I gave up all extracurriculars a couple years ago to stave off burnout. I really miss the money, but I sure sleep a lot better. My biggest problem is my farm is 30 miles from my home and my wife blew her back out last year. About half of my production acreage is in perennials and fruit trees. Waiting for their maturity is tough as you get a lot of expense but no income for a few years. Still, I'm very optimistic on a great return, just like you are with your tunnels. I think those are great because my biggest problem is with ravenous wildlife.

Brook
jrslick (North Central Kansas, Zone 5B)
Original Author
14 years ago
Brook,

I am glad to hear I am not the only crazy market gardener/teacher. I do not do extracurricular activities at my school. I can make more money gardening. I would love to have more perennials and fruit trees, but I haven't got them started.

Since I am a teacher, I have to work on the garden around teaching and school. The high tunnels are a way I can beat the weather. I can plant, harvest, weed and water on my schedule, not mother natures. I have after school, days off and the weekends. If it rains on any of those times I am stuck waiting to the next time. I can not count the number of times I have been tilling, planting or harvesting in the rain inside the tunnels perfectly dry. It has allowed me the time to do this. My wife does say now the rain doesn't even stop me, I just move inside and keep working. Yes they are an investment, but as I see it it is the only way I can do this and make it work.

I just got my plastic up on the second movable tunnel on Sunday night. With any luck, I will finish the last tunnel tomorrow.

Jay
redo
14 years ago
Jay,
I like the tunnels. I'm wondering, can you post a picture-story of how they go together, demensions and what you've learned from your experience with them. I'm thinking of doing somethnig similar-I'm also a teacher. You say the one still needs metal ribs. I can't see where those are from the shots you have here. Nice photos, I just don't know what I'm looking at. Also are the sides designed to roll up in warm weather?
jrslick (North Central Kansas, Zone 5B)
Original Author
14 years ago
Yes the sides do roll up/pull up during the summer.

The metal ribs, improvement this year, go between every two plastic rib. So there would be an Endwall, plastic, plastic, Metal, Plastic, Plastic, Metal, Plastic, Metal, Plastic, Plastic, Metal, Plastic Plastic, Endwall.

I forgot to take pictures, but I will go and take some today if it stops raining.

Jay