UVM Extension Ag Engineering

The resources on this page are an attempt to consolidate some of the many resources available on winter growing practices.  The list is based on input from farmers and service providers about what they use regularly. I had the pleasure of teaming up with Corie Pierce of Bread and Butter Farm to deliver a Winter Growing Workshop and we wanted to make this information more available.  If you have resources you like that are not listed here, let me know.

Workshop Slides and Handouts

From 2016 Vermont Technical College Winter Growing in Cold Climates

• DAY 1
  • Introductions – Group
  • Workshop Objectives – Chris and Corie
  • Energy Basics – Chris – Slides
  • Crop Basics – Corie – Handouts: Winter Crop Chart & Year Round Plan
  • Lunch
  • Field Trip – Shelburne Farms – Shelburne, VT

• DAY 2
  • Recap Day 1
  • Structures
  • Environmental Controls
  • Case Studies
    • Slides
  • Preparing for Severe Weather – Discussion
  • Lunch
  • Field Trip – Jericho Settlers Farm – Jericho, VT

Publications

Books

• Four Season Farm Books (Barbara Damrosch and Eliot Coleman):

Papers and Reports

• ANSI/ASAE EP406.4 Heating, Ventilating and Cooling Greenhouses. (2008). ANSI/ASABE.
• Bartok, J., & Aldrich, R. (1994). Greenhouse Engineering, NRAES – 33. Natural Resource, Agriculture and Engineering Service (NRAES). Retrieved from http://blog.uvm.edu/cwcallah/files/2021/03/NRAES-33_Web.pdf
• Bartok, J. (2014). Root Zone Heating Systems for Greenhouses. USDA Forest Service Proceedings, RMRS-P-72. Retrieved from http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_p072/rmrs_p072_062_065.pdf
• Blomgren, T., & Frisch, T. (2007). High Tunnels: Using Low-Cost Technology to Increase Yields, Improve Quality and Extend the Season. USDA NE SARE and University of Vermont Center for Sustainable Agriculture. Retrieved from http://www.sare.org/Learning-Center/SARE-Project-Products/Northeast-SARE-Project-Products/High-Tunnels
• Brockman, T., Cummings, C., & Hake, J. (2015). A Guide to Season Extension for Illinois Specialty Crop Growers. The Land Connection. Retrieved from http://thelandconnection.org/sites/default/files/TLCSeasonExtensionGuide-forweb_0.pdf
• Callahan, C. W., Sawyer, S., Vandette, J. J., DePillis, A., & Galbraith, S. (2014). Farm Energy Success Stories. Dairy Farm Energy Efficiency, Dairy Processor Energy Efficiency, Heating with Biomass, Solar PV, Wind Power, Biodiesel & Digesters. Retrieved from http://www.vtfarmtoplate.com/assets/activities/files/Energy%20Success%20Stories_Feb-2015.pdf
• Callahan, C. W., & Grubinger, V. (2015, September 4). Promoting Adoption of Biomass Fuels for Heating Vegetable Greenhouses in Vermont. UVM Extension. Retrieved from http://www.uvm.edu/vtvegandberry/Pubs/BiomassHeatingVermontGreenhouses2015Report.pdf
• Ebert, K., & Rivard, C. (2012). Kansas State High Tunnel Video Series. Kansas State University and USDA NC SARE. Retrieved from http://www.sare.org/Learning-Center/SARE-Project-Products/North-Central-SARE-Project-Products/Kansas-State-High-Tunnel-Video-Series
• Karlsson, M. (2014, November). Controlling the Greenhouse Environment, HGA-336. The University of Alaska Fairbanks. Retrieved from https://www.uaf.edu/files/ces/publications-db/catalog/anr/HGA-00336.pdf
• Maynard, D. N., & Hochmuth, G. J. (2007). Knott’s Handbook for Vegetable Growers, Fifth Edition (5th ed.). John Wiley & Sons , Inc. http://extension.missouri.edu/sare/documents/KnottsHandbook2012.pdf
• Runkle, E. (2014). LEDs vs. HPS Lamps: A Reality Check. Greenhouse Product News, 54. http://www.gpnmag.com/sites/default/files/14_TechnicallySpeaking_GPN0614.pdf
• Upson, S. (2014). High Tunnel Hoop House Construction Guide (An Agricultural Division Publication. NF-HO-14-01). Noble Foundation. Retrieved from https://web.extension.illinois.edu/bcjmw/downloads/54183.pdf.

Websites

• Vermont Vegetable and Berry Growers Association (VVBGA)- http://www.uvm.edu/vtvegandberry/
• VVBGA High Tunnel Conference 2012 – http://www.uvm.edu/vtvegandberry/HighTunnelConference2012.html
• VVBGA High Tunnel Conference 2014 – http://www.uvm.edu/vtvegandberry/WinterGrowingConference2014.html
• Calculating Greenhouse and High Tunnel Heat Loss – http://blog.uvm.edu/cwcallah/2015/04/01/calculating-greenhouse-and-high-tunnel-heat-loss/
• NOFA-VT and UVM High Tunnel and Greenhouse Tour 2013 –http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwGgmXsdmFP7H6MmOBy5eGuIT_D9d5Vaa

Vendors

• Johnny’s Seeds High Tunnel Guide – http://www.johnnyseeds.com/t-winter-growing-guide-high-tunnel-scheduling.aspx
• Harnois Greenhouses – http://www.harnois.com/en
• Ledgewood Farm Greenhouse Frames – http://www.ledgewoodfarm.com/
• Rimol Greenhouse Systems – https://www.rimolgreenhouses.com/
• Zimmerman’s High Tunnels – http://www.zimmermanshightunnels.com/
• Poly-Tex High Tunnels – http://www.poly-tex.com/high-tunnels/
• Grower’s Solutions – www.growerssolution.com/
• Hoop Benders – http://www.hoopbenders.net/
• Hoover Fence (for 1-3/8″ Chain Link Top Rail to bend your own) – http://www.hooverfence.com/catalog/cpage9.htm
• Greenhouse Megastore – http://www.greenhousemegastore.com/

Calculators

• Virtual Grower – http://ars.usda.gov/services/software/download.htm?softwareid=309
• Basic Greenhouse Heat Loss Calculator – http://igctest.commercev3.com/greenhouse_btu_calculator

ListServ’s & Facebook

• Vermont Vegetable and Berry Grower’s Association – Listserv access comes with membership.
• Kansas State High Tunnels List – http://listserv.ksu.edu/web?SUBED1=HIGHTUNNELS&A=1
• Four Season Farming and Winter Production – Facebook Group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/869847579741683