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boulderbelt

Putting Up a High Tunnel

boulderbelt
10 years ago

We got an NRCS/EQIP grant to put up a high tunnel and have been doing so for the past 5 weeks.

We are just about done at this point. Still have to get plastic on the south end and over the length of the tunnel and put on the roll up sides. than we are all done with the thing

It is 96' x 24' we still don't know what we will plant in it this spring (okay, late winter). I guess we need to think about that and make some decisions soon

Comments (29)

  • randy41_1
    10 years ago

    looks to be a good job putting it up. i've got a 26x48 ht. biggest challenge is ventilating in the summer. unless its fairly breezy roll up sides are not enough. does it come with gable end vents?

  • boulderbelt
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    No, it has no gable end vents but I don't know how much we will use it in summer as we are big on growing this time of year so would be planting it in August for fall/winter harvests. So venting probably won't be a huge issue.

    But we can always cut vents in and install fans.

  • boulderbelt
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Yesterday we got our inspection and the funds have been approved.

    We will be removing the grassy areas this coming weekend and will transplant lettuce that is growing outside under row covers on hoops. I believe the tomatoes, peppers and eggplant can all fit in this too as we should be able to cut back by 2/3rds or more and get the same or better yields. But than ginger and peanuts would also be cool crops. And raspberries and strawberries would do super as well. So many options...

    I think we need several more high tunnels.

  • randy41_1
    10 years ago

    its beautiful. have fun and yeah, having these is very addictive.

  • myfamilysfarm
    10 years ago

    Lucy, you're hooked.

    Marla

  • jrslick (North Central Kansas, Zone 5B)
    10 years ago

    Hook, Line and sinker. You are caught now!

    That is why I have 6.

    Looking nice.

    Jay

  • jrslick (North Central Kansas, Zone 5B)
    10 years ago

    Hook, Line and sinker. You are caught now!

    That is why I have 6.

    Looking nice.

    Jay

  • cole_robbie
    10 years ago

    It is indeed very nice! I am jealous of those trussed hoops. I would really like to have trusses like that for my top rail hoops.

  • tomatoesandthings
    10 years ago

    Who did you get your high tunnel from? We were approved for one too through the NRCS and have been shopping around. Looks good.

  • boulderbelt
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    The Tunnel is through
    CVS Supply (Greenhouse Manufacturer)
    (877) 790-8269
    2455 CR 200, Dundee, OH 44624.
    They are an Amish outfit.

  • paflowers
    10 years ago

    Boulderbelt, I am just starting to put up a high tunnel very similar to yours. Purchased from Amish here in PA. They recommend putting on the baseboard before setting the bows. Is there a reason to do this that you can think of? I have built three other greenhouses and always placed the baseboard on after all the bows are in place.

  • randy41_1
    10 years ago

    i can see how that would help keep the ground posts in place when erecting the bows, but i don't see much difference in which is done first.

  • myfamilysfarm
    10 years ago

    We put the baseboard on after, also. That way if our bows weren't exactly where we thought it would be (a rock or two). Worked for us.

    The order that we used (my son has installed several hoops for the local greenhouse). ribs, center perlin attached after each rib (helps keep the ribs upright), the baseboard, then the ends. After all, the plastic. We always cover each and every joint with duct tape, to help protect the plastic from any burrs that will ruin the plastic if the plastic snags.

    My son had a friend that worked with him help (as the main knowledgeable people, and we also had about 6 others as low-end helpers.

    Marla

  • paflowers
    10 years ago

    Ground posts are pounded in three feet. I don't think they are gonna move.

  • boulderbelt
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    a shot with the sides rolled up

  • tomatoesandthings
    10 years ago

    That looks great. How many weeks total did it take to put up and how many people were doing it? What were your main reasons for going with the gothic style vs. the round hoops?

  • tomatoesandthings
    10 years ago

    Also did you just use one layer of plastic?

  • myfamilysfarm
    10 years ago

    Gothic is better for the snow load, where I'm at (north of boulderbelt), it only makes sense to go gothic if you can afford the extra.

    Many people just use 1 layer, only use 2 layer if you don't need/want to remove during summer. Or the cost.

    I see your cat is enjoying the house. Mine do too, especially during the colder months, when I don't have stuff growing. they help keep the mice population down.

  • randy41_1
    10 years ago

    i agree about the gothic roof. i always go out during the snow to get it off of the top of the regular hoophouses. the gothic roof with the trusses can handle the load.
    my cat likes to go in the tunnels and try to scratch me when i'm working. if you don't let him in he climbs up the outside digging his claws into the poly. he does do a good job controlling rabbits outside during the summer. he's lucky cat doesn't cook up too good.

  • boulderbelt
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Like the others said, Gothic is for snow load.

    The NRCS that gave us money for this wants only one layer of plastic in the tunnel and since it is their call for the next 4 years what we do with this thing, we go with 1 layer of plastic.

    The cat (one of 6) loves the high tunnel and hopefully will not try and climb it. But she does enjoy sitting on top of the home made hoophouses. She is a great mouser/voler so we allow her free access to the tunnels so she can get them before they decimate new crops and steal all the pea seeds and hide them under row covers. She also runs down rabbits with ease as she is built like a cheetah and can go at least 35mph (she used to race the other cats until it was clear to them she was twice as fast and they quit trying)

  • randy41_1
    10 years ago

    your cat looks like my cat.

  • boulderbelt
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I did not answer how long it took. For the most part it was just my husband putting it up, though we had help on 3 different occasions. the first occasion we had 1 person helping us for a 7 hour day. Second was 1 additional person helping for 2 hours getting the door frame up and level and finally we got 4 additional people out to pull the plastic over which took about 45 minutes, most of that was spent tossing ropes over the structure and securing the plastic with wiggle wire after it was on.

    It took about 6 weeks to put it up working maybe 5 hours a day. Had this gone up in June or July when the days were 14 hours it would have been done in about 2 weeks as my Husband could have worked 14 hours a day instead of 5 to 6 hours a day (assuming he had nothing else to do such as plant, harvest and weed). A crew of 4 people who know what they are doing would have one of these up in 2 or 3 days. And I believe when we build another one of these it will take DH half the time as he now knows what to do and what the idiosyncrasies are with constructing one of these.

  • little_minnie
    10 years ago

    I have a cat that looks just like that too. There are many with that coloring. It is probably the most common coloring. I think it is because they are so camouflaged that they survive better.
    {{gwi:1046956}}
    {{gwi:1046957}}

  • myfamilysfarm
    10 years ago

    I don't have a gothic shape. My cats climb all over it. The film is stretched quite tight. Over the last 2 years (with old film found elsewhere) and a shade cloth, the cats have poke holes with their claws, but the film has held up nicely. Only problems were a human error and a split along a fold. this hoop has held up from below zero to the hottest day of the drought year. Also held up to about 80 mph winds from our nearby tornado breakouts.

    Biggest problem with the cats is they think all the beds are their personal litter boxes. We now screen all dirt before using in pots.

  • brookw_gw
    10 years ago

    Minnie, your cat and my cat Foo are identical down to the calico belly. Foo's not good for much other than amusement, but she excels at that.

    Lucy, nice high tunnel. I wouldn't mind borrowing your cat as I've been overrun w/voles this year. I played "whack a vole" the whole time I dug sweet potatoes, and they damaged my asparagus as well. That's why I fall till anymore. I can't believe with all the predators we have that vermin are in surplus.

  • randy41_1
    10 years ago

    here's knuckles stalking prey in the high tunnel a couple of years ago.

  • kennys_garden
    10 years ago

    please be accurate in the statements. the NRCS does not provide "Grants" the programs offered through the EQUIP are "cost share" for some the difference is trivial but they are different.

    funny about your NRCS requiring single lay plastic, in colorado they told me i would need to use the double layer and keep it inflated

    i would cover every square foot of grow bed with high tunnels if i could.

  • myfamilysfarm
    10 years ago

    Each area can have different requirements, and do.

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