Part II: Planning & Construction

Construction | Cool Season Vegetables | For Growers | General | Growing in High Tunnels | Managing Soil | Marketing & Economics | Part II: Planning & Construction | Pest Management | Resources | Small Fruits | Warm Season Vegetables & Melons

Growing Under Cover: A Kansas Grower’s Guide
ByKimberly Oxley December 13, 2016

Growing Under Cover 2 is here!! Written by Tom Buller, Kansas Rural Center; Dr. Cary Rivard, Kansas State University, Fruit and Vegetable Extension Specialist; and Kim Oxley, Research Extension Associate, Kansas State University, Growing Under Cover: A Kansas Grower’s Guide, provides success stories from Kansas farmers who use tunnels on their farms, additional general management strategies,…

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Construction | Construction Considerations for Organic High Tunnels | Part II: Planning & Construction | Warm Season Vegetables & Melons

Managing Stress in High Tunnels: Shade Cloth
ByKimberly Oxley June 30, 2016

The early onset of high temperatures in June has kept us on our toes as we manage our high tunnel production systems at the ISU Horticulture Research Station. While high tunnels bring many benefits to high value crop production, including season extension and increased produce quality, we find that one major downfall is the increase…

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Construction | Construction Considerations for Organic High Tunnels | General | Part II: Planning & Construction

Daylength Calculator
ByKimberly Oxley December 18, 2014

Shows the hours of daylight received during the year for an observer at a given latitude. This is an important factor contributing to the seasons. flash animation

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Construction | Part II: Planning & Construction

Growing Under Cover: A Guide to Polytunnel Options for Kansas Growers
ByKimberly Oxley December 15, 2014

Polytunnels, such as high or low tunnels, offer growers innovative tools to extend the growing season, help reduce risk, and increase yields, while mitigating extreme and “normal” Kansas weather conditions across all seasons. However, plastic-covered tunnels are no silver-bullet solution. They require significant financial investment, can be labor intensive to manage, and may be damaged…

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Construction | Construction Considerations for Organic High Tunnels | Organic | Part II: Planning & Construction

Siting High Tunnels
ByKimberly Oxley March 10, 2014

Introduction A high tunnel is not, by definition, a permanent structure. Nonetheless, site selection will play an important role in its performance. Considerations in siting a high tunnel include orientation, airflow, shading, windbreaks, drainage, soil quality, weeds and other pests, and purpose. Purpose The purpose of the high tunnel is one of the first considerations…

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Construction | Part II: Planning & Construction

Rainwater Catchment from a High Tunnel for Irrigation Use
ByKimberly Oxley April 10, 2012

By the Iowa State University Extension Office This program describes how to build a system to catch, store and reuse the rainwater for irrigation in a high tunnel. Shawn Shouse, ISU Extension and Outreach ag engineer, runs us through the process. The cost of installing rain gutters, rainwater storage tanks, and an electric pump is…

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Construction | For Educators | For Growers | Part II: Planning & Construction

Natural Ventilation in High Tunnels
ByKimberly Oxley March 23, 2012

Roll-up sides and drop-down curtains are low-cost vent systems that can be installed in most high tunnels. These systems operate on the principle that heat is removed by a pressure difference created by wind gradients, so no energy is required to operate fans to move air. A wind speed of 2-3 miles per hour is…

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Part II: Planning & Construction

Materials & Construction
ByKimberly Oxley June 5, 2010

Terminology & Diagram The following diagram denotes basic terminology associated with high tunnel framework. LINK: How to Build a High Tunnel, by Amanda Ferguson, University of Kentucky Rib, Hoop, Arch, Bow Purlin , Ridgepole End Wall Hip Board Side Wall Baseboard Frame & Framing Materials The frame supports the structure and must withstand various stresses…

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Part II: Planning & Construction

Site Planning Case Study
ByKimberly Oxley June 5, 2004February 26, 2026

Jane Drake, owner of Full Moon Farm, is an organic vegetable grower in Riley County, Kansas. In the past the outlet for her produce has been local farmers’ markets and wholesale sales to small retail markets in the surrounding area. This year Jane intends to start a subscription vegetable service in which local residents…

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Part II: Planning & Construction

Orientation & Structural Considerations
ByKimberly Oxley June 5, 2004

Light Shadows are cast by the structure’s frame Orientation to optimize for light is not as critical for a high tunnel as it is for a greenhouse structure that will be used for winter production and has a more substantial frame Above 40°N latitude, orient the length of a single high tunnel east to west…

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