I remember hearing about the fall gardens going in at the White House and it kind of drew my interest so I watched the online video of the project, but being easily distracted as I am, I didn’t pay too much attention to the video because I noticed a popup ad from the USDA NRCS about a program for high tunnels, so that’s where I went.
Fast forward through all the phone calls, and stacks of paperwork, and Wild Things Farm was approved for a 20’x96′ square foot high tunnel—whoohooo!
Progress on the high tunnel has been minimal throughout the summer because its priority fell behind the CSA produce, so it’s been slow, but steady. Lo and behold yesterday the project was completed.
The frame is from Grower’s Solution in Cookeville, TN. It’s a great frame, met all the specs, and the price was reasonable. Oh, and they delivered it for free (cute college guy in a pickup truck!)
The local NRCS person came out to the farm and helped me lay out the rectangle–he had surveying equipment that made it much easier.
After that, I pulled strings, drove in the ground stakes (as straight as I could) then started assembling the bows and placing them in the stakes. Attached to that is the 2×6 baseboard. My friend Kim helped with some of the stake and bow project, but most of the job was just a minute or two here and there all season, by yours truly.
Once the bows were up, the purlin was to go on. I looked at the diagram on the net on how to install the cross connectors, and I interpreted the purlin to be on top, right? I get the whole purlin installed and I keep looking at it thinking that something just didn’t look right. I’ve been in hundreds of greenhouses and never paid any attention.
Okay, so I’m looking at the video and “uh-oh”, the purlin goes on the bottom. Oh yeah, I was wondering how that big hump was going to work out with the plastic. Under is much better 🙂 So, I get the ladder out again, go all the way through the greenhouse and move the purlin from on top to under. Lots of up and down and twisting with a rachet. Lesson learned.
Several trips to the local Lowe’s punctuated with spurts of carpentry work ended up being the ends of the house. The doors are 6′ wide x 8′ tall, just inches larger than my tractor.
The plastic goes on the ends first because the big plastic on the house is supposed to go on last, and they share the same wiggle wire channel along the end purlin. I used clamps to hold the plastic in place while I adjusted and attached the plastic to the ends.
Once the ends were on, it was time for the big plastic. The plastic made me nervous for some reason–I don’t know why, maybe because it’s SO BIG! Several people offered to help, but when I got outside yesterday morning, it was like, really still, and I thought “oh what the heck; I’ve got 2 ladders and 4 clamps, let’s go for it!”
Lots of trips up and down the ladder, dragging it from end to end several times, twisting clamps, and 2-1/2 hours later, the plastic was on! A slight breeze began to blow just as I was attaching the last side of the plastic–perfect timing!
The wiggle wire system is fun to use but makes my hands sore from so much gripping and pulling. It tightens up the plastic very nicely.
The roll-up sides were another story. I had a time getting the poles to roll up evenly from one end to the other. I redid the first side 4 times before I was satisfied with the results. The second side took only 1 try–thank goodness for small favors! The black webbing holds the side in place while it is rolled up and down, and the webbing plus the weight of the pole holds it all in place during cold weather. The roll up side sure cools off the inside of the house–it’s almost the same temp as the outside with the sides up–good decision to add that option.
It has changed the landscape of the farm, for the better, I think. There’s already a pile of leaves outside ready to be placed around the crops and in the pathways, and 2 scoops of chicken manure inside ready to be tilled in–yeah!
Being a CSA farmer means very long hours for several months of the year, and a welcome break at the end of the season.
So WHAT WAS I THINKING? High tunnel, extended season?
Why certainly! After a full summer of intensively gardening just over 4 acres, this little garden should be fun! (Once I figure it out!)
Wild Things Farm 
