A project that we have been dreaming of completing for quite some time has finally come to fruition. Over the last year, we have been working to fund and construct our first high tunnel!
After receiving a grant from the NRCS’s EQIP program, we put a lot of effort into leveling our building site and providing the drainage necessary to grow with our high water table and heavy soils (as a result, our son discovered his love of excavators!). With lots of help, we worked on constructing the high tunnel this past summer. We now have a Harnois Ovaltech greenhouse with an inflated double layer of poly for additional insulation during the winter. We added lots of compost and gently worked the soil this fall, just in time to plant a winter crop of spinach and kale, which was established just before we dropped below 10 hours of daylight per day.
We have learned a lot along the way already. We have kept notes on planting dates and are getting a better feel for how to irrigate and provide ventilation to maximize our production. We’ll make improvements next year. But for now, we are happy to have fresh spinach and kale for our family table and a few local markets in our first season of winter growing on our homestead.
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