High tunnel growing videos available to farmers and educators

[August 26, 2015]  URBANA - Through an Illinois Department of Agriculture Sustainable Agriculture grant, University of Illinois Extension in partnership with Lincoln Land Community College (LLCC) conducted high tunnel vegetable production research during the winter of 2014 and produced a series of videos on topics for building beds, planting, growing, pest management, and harvesting. The videos are available to educators and farmers wanting to teach or learn how to start production in a high tunnel.

High tunnels are minimally heated, low-cost, plastic-covered greenhouses that use little or no energy from fossil fuels to heat or ventilate the structure. Within the structure, solar energy is trapped and used to warm the air and soil. Crops are grown directly in soil without the use of artificial media.

Benefits of using high tunnels include extending the growing season of many high-value crops such as melons, peppers, tomatoes, and strawberries; protecting crops from weather extremes such as temperature, sunlight, strong winds, driving rain, and destructive hail; and protecting crops from harmful insects, wildlife, and diseases that can lower marketable yield. High tunnels can be used to intercrop many vegetable species. On a small plot of land, high tunnels permit intensive production of food crops.

Experienced growers Gus Jones and Andy Heck of Small Axe Market Gardens managed the daily farming practices in the high tunnels. The project used a diverse crop plan to demonstrate a practical scenario for local direct market farmers. The project goals looked at utilizing existing high tunnel technologies for sustainable farming research of winter production in order to increase the diversity and year-round availability of local produce, while giving farmers the tools they need to increase winter profits through season-extending high tunnel practices.

View the videos at the U of I Extension YouTube channel playlist Winter High tunnel Project or at  www.llcc.edu/llcc-garden.

Additional information about high tunnels, such as the publication, “Growing Under High Tunnels in Illinois and the Midwest” by Zachary Grant, a local food systems and small farms Extension educator can be found on the U of I Extension Local Food Systems and Small Farms website (go to Information and Resources for You and click on High Tunnels).

For more information about the videos and the project, contact Marnie Record at [e-mail] or Deborah Cavanaugh-Grant at [e-mail]

[Deborah Cavanaugh-Grant, University of Illinois]