Tomatoes set the pace High Tunnel Installation (part 4) - FarmTek 30x72 - top fabric This hoop greenhouse was designed for those seeking an economical price, without sacrificing any functionality. Keep your growing environment ideal with fans, automatic shutters, pre-wired thermostats, and a vented heater inside your cold frame or high tunnel. You have permission to edit this article. – May choose high tunnel type that follows contour of the land • Access to water for irrigation • Ease of access to site – Transporting materials to and from the tunnel – Access to site and inside tunnel with equipment . There was an error processing your request. • Our Sun Master® 6 mil 4 year Clear Greenhouse Film is made from strong copolymer resin, with tri-layer … This GrowSpan gothic greenhouse ensures dependability, durability and ideal growing environments. Poly-Tex, Atlas Manufacturing and Fred C. Gloeckner & Co. are among those that also do so. It’s fairly insignificant,” she said. High tunnels can give growing businesses the edge they need to produce profitable crops and keep their business growing. “The whole time they weren’t backing their product,” saying even before the collapse that additional parts were needed, Dawn Custer said. George Cuzzolino’s hopes for season extension came crashing down Dec. 14, the day 4 inches of snow collapsed the high tunnel he had completed only two months earlier. NRCS does not have any contractual arrangement with any high tunnel manufacturer or vendor regarding repair/replacement,” McDonough, the NRCS spokeswoman, said in an email. With joints at the top of the hoops, the point of the greatest load, the tunnel was poorly designed to hold snow, Hendricks said. Greenhouses & High Tunnels Harvest more and extend your growing season with Growers Supply's wide selection of greenhouses, high tunnels and cold frames. Hendricks, an alpaca and hay farmer who runs Crazy Moon Farm in Blairstown, N.J., bought the high tunnel from FarmTek, the same company that Cuzzolino used. High tunnel easily and smoothly moves on pipe track rollers. Not only could the government do nothing about the manufacturer, Cuzzolino either had to reassemble the high tunnel or repay NRCS the whole grant amount, more than $7,000. The collapse did not come as a surprise to the Custers, who said they had been working with the company on numerous design issues from the time they first unboxed the tunnel. Keep your growing environment ideal with fans, automatic shutters, pre-wired thermostats, and a … Whether you are a beginner gardener, hobby grower or a professional nursery owner, we have the growing shelter to meet your needs. High Tunnel Installation (part 5) - FarmTek 30x72 - finished Stay up-to-date with Lancaster Farming by signing up for our weekly re-cap newsletter. For decades, GrowSpan has been supplying growers with high-quality high tunnels and low tunnels that protect crops and boost business. As more and more producers build and grow in high tunnels in Alaska, there is more to share and more questions to answer. This year, NRCS will reimburse farmers $3.30 per square foot up to $7,187 after the high tunnel is installed, said Molly McDonough, an NRCS public affairs specialist. Go back to directory. Cuzzolino said he liked the idea of not having to spend much of his own money beyond labor, shipping and lumber, but “to do it for the price, it’s impossible, now that I realize it.”. Two months later, Scott Hendricks’ high tunnel suffered the same fate as Cuzzolino’s when snow collapsed the hoops of his 7-month-old tunnel. “NRCS is aware that vendors may not offer repair or replacement of high tunnels due to failure after installation. A GrowSpan Round Premium High Tunnel will enhance your crop yield, quality and profitability up to 50%. GrowSpan Round Premium High Tunnels *Available 14′-30′ wide and up to 96′ long *6 mil 4-year clear greenhouse film OR 5.2 oz. After the disaster, about 40 percent of the steel from the high tunnel was bent or broken, so the company offered a 40 percent discount on a replacement, Dawn Custer said. GrowSpan’s growing structures don’t just pertain to greenhouses. The “approved” designation only indicates that the structures comply with NRCS requirements, Osgood said. ESAPCO staff called customers in the Northeast this winter to remind them to maintain their plastic, Osgood said. Usually, the worst that happens is a corner of the plastic tears off and the company sends a replacement, no questions asked, she said. He can be reached at 717-721-4427 or pgruber@lancasterfarming.com. High tunnels do best when all four sides are either open or closed. Ideal for a wide variety of crops, these high tunnels offer temperature control and protection from wind, rain, disease and predators. That means snow and wind, the forces that did in the high tunnels in this story, are outside the terms of the warranty. All of Hendricks’ alpacas were fine, though some property under the tunnel was damaged. Read more, Farmers and the American Farmland Trust are working together to protect farmland from rapidly expanding development in New York state. Didn't have time to read the paper on Saturday? • Frames are manufactured from our USA-made, triple-galvanized structural steel tubing. It’s big–120×73. The farmers have not decided what they will do with their broken high tunnels. NRCS checks the high tunnel’s maintenance over the life of the grant contract, typically two to four years, and retains the right to check on it throughout the four years of the agreement, McDonough said. “There is nothing that would compel me to buy another high tunnel from them,” Rob Custer said. Regardless of wind, snow or tunnel design, though, the high tunnels’ warranties will not replace the broken structures. He said he wishes he would have checked with his insurance before building the tunnel. Some small, family-owned high tunnel makers say on their websites that their products are designed to hold up under snow, though the companies do not have their warranty documents online. Farmers are not required to disclose to vendors that they are working with NRCS, and the agency does not release grant recipient information to the companies, McDonough said. The guide says the listed companies, including the ESAPCO companies, have products that meet NRCS specifications, but NRCS does not endorse any products. High Tunnels or Hoop Houses are generally single layer polyethylene covered structures with no electricity. Upset that the company would not replace the tunnel, Cuzzolino called the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, or NRCS, which had provided a grant to help him purchase the tunnel. The Chinese cabbage and mustard under the tunnel were a loss, as were the early-season tomatoes the Custers had hoped to move into the tunnel. A lot of farmers saw the program as a way to get a basically free high tunnel, though, and many using the grant bought “very entry-level” products that may not have been suitable for their needs, she said. If you would like to be added to the directory, please email us at info@hightunnels.org. In short, the NRCS EQIP High Tunnel Initiative is a government program where qualifying farmers receive financial assistance for the purchase of a high tunnel. In an informational sheet for the high tunnel program, Oregon NRCS says that seasonal high tunnels come with warranties for wind and snow load. Read more, COVID-19-related constraints have caused farmers markets to become flexible in how they operate in order to keep consumers safe. Hendricks, who did not use the NRCS grant, spent more than double that to build a high tunnel with end walls. High Tunnels Growing in a high tunnel, or hoop house, provides an easy and cost-effective way to establish greater control over your growing environment and extend your growing season. The wind tore the plastic off a side of the NRCS-funded tunnel, and the trapped air flipped the tunnel out of the ground. Product offerings include farm supplies, aquaponic, poultry supplies, agriculture products, animal housing, home improvement, commercial high tunnels and hoop houses, fodder growing kits, livestock care and greenhouse equipment, including garden carts and poly film. The GrowSpan Rolling Premium High Tunnel Advantage includes: Rolling High Tunnels are an ideal options for those looking for a portable greenhouse that can be moved around a plot of land. Generally there is no heater but sometimes a portable heater may be used. High tunnels are surging in popularity in the Northeast, but after this snowy winter, the question of who pays for weather damage could be a significant one for farmers looking at using these temporary structures. 342 were here. High Tunnel FarmTek Greenhouse. Add one of our Rafter Kits to your High Tunnel or Cold Frame. High tunnels for growing vegetables and fruits are a production technology beginning to dot rural landscapes. 30' wide Gothic Premium High Tunnels … Read more. Use our Recycled Plastic Lumber as a base board for your cold frame. Based on the model number, he bought a “fairly premium product,” she said. Page 1 of 1: JLA FORUMS | Classifieds | FOR SALE - New York | FOR SALE - Plattsburgh - Adirondacks. In March, the wind tore Rob and Dawn Custer’s new FarmTek high tunnel out of the ground at Goodness Grows, the Custers’ organic farm in Bedford, Pa. The climate in Kansas presents challenges to growing and supplying produce during much... Introduction Regular pruning is an essential component of blueberry management, yet its importance... Ultra-Niche Crops are defined as exceptionally high-value crops that can provide a significant... A Resource for High Tunnel Berry Growers Berry growers in the Upper Midwest... Want to know more about crop biostimulants, especially their use in sustainable-organic vegetable... Grower’s Supply / Farmtek » High Tunnels Supplier Directory, Season Extension Activities in Kansas: Legal Issues and Local Policy Options, Ultra-Niche Crops Series: High Tunnel Winter Lettuce, Growing Berry Crops in Protective Structures, Our Bugs in a Jug Webpage – Ohio State University. They are designed for extending the growing season and providing a protected environment for the crops. Register | Login. Outfit a new cold frame or upgrade the existing, worn out film on your high tunnel, cold frame or hoop house. SOLUTION – Gothic Premium High Tunnel. Visit here for more on FarmTek High Tunnels; but bookmark this page first! South Windsor CT 06074 Home Phone: (800) 476-9715 www.growspan.com. Site selection and preparation . GrowSpan Gothic Premium High Tunnels GrowSpan Gothic Premium High Tunnels, with 6'H sidewalls, sufficiently modify the environment to enhance crop growth, quality and yield. High Tunnel & Cold Frame Accessories Gain additional, valuable growing space. All times are GMT - 5 Hours: Similar Topics; Greenhouse Supplies $1 . Categories: Drip Irrigation, Equipment, Greenhouse, Greenhouse Manufacturers … Our SunMaster's high tunnel and cold frame films, also known as agricultural plastic, poly film and greenhouse plastic, are ideal for your hoop house applications. The listserv is a great place to learn what growers are doing with high tunnels, what crops and varieties do best, and what practices have been successful on local farms. ESAPCO’s high tunnel frames come with a three-year warranty for manufacture defects, and the film is covered for degradation, Osgood said. Commercial and Hobby High Tunnels – Lengthen the Growing Season and Increase Profits. Gothic Premium Greenhouses . “Oftentimes, we will give very substantial appeasements,” like the big discounts offered to the farmers in this story, she said. So far, it looks like farmers are the ones who will be stuck with the bill. While she acknowledged that anything is possible, Osgood said it is very uncommon for high tunnels to be blown out of the ground as the Custers’ was. An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Don't bet your life on anything stated here, but know that everything comes from real life experiences. The warranty is considered implied because it is generally understood to come with a product when sold. All of the farmers in this story spent more time researching their high tunnel purchase than they actually spent growing under the product they bought, a situation that leaves them wondering what they could have done to prevent their problems. FarmTek cold frames and high tunnels greatly improve all of the vegetables that you grow, especially more delicate greens — exceed production with less space. It is legal to explicitly renounce the implied merchantability warranty in Pennsylvania and almost every other state. Cuzzolino’s high tunnel model is listed at $7,115 on FarmTek’s website. To reduce the risk of snow damage, high tunnel owners should tap the undersides of the plastic to knock the snow off, or prop the rafters with old boards, Osgood said. Grower’s Supply / Farmtek. Like Cuzzolino, the company offered Hendricks only a discount on a new tunnel. GrowSpan Gothic Premium Greenhouses blend an attractive appearance that fits perfectly on any property with superior functionality. Phil Gruber is the news editor at Lancaster Farming. This website is dedicated to sharing local experience, not necessarily scientific information. FarmTek offers the best customer service and most economical prices on products for the agricultural industry. “I think this winter was particularly difficult because of the extreme snow load,” she said. They may be required to refund payments if they remove the high tunnel or it collapses,” she said. High tunnels can help growers start growing earlier and help them grow later into the season. Error! No matter how the product was sold to them, the farmers need to keep the high tunnels standing, McDonough said. Share Remove Report: Sale 9931438118. On one hand, the ESAPCO warranties are similar to almost any other product warranty. “I’ve got to believe that there was something else going on” that contributed to the collapse, she said. Pennsylvania NRCS does not endorse or approve vendors, McDonough, the NRCS spokeswoman, said. 1395 John Fitch Blvd. My husband and I bought a Farmtek Clear Span arena. Interestingly, though, Osgood said Cuzzolino did not cheap out on his high tunnel. The NRCS Seasonal High Tunnel Initiative, which was added to the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, or EQIP, in 2010, was always intended to be a cost-share, where the government would pay a certain amount of the high tunnel cost and the grower would cover the rest, Osgood said. These greenhouses feature a versatile design and come in … Start growing earlier and grow late into the fall with a GrowSpan Series 500 Tall High Tunnel! An open side, like the one that tore open on the Custers’ tunnel, makes it more difficult for the tunnel to withstand the wind, Osgood said. The Custers have contemplated buying a used high tunnel. Both customers said NRCS later told them the agency does not endorse any products. GrowSpan Gothic High Tunnels, with 6'H sidewalls, sufficiently modify the environment to enhance crop growth, quality and yield. Greenhouse FarmTek Tunnel High Sponsored Link. • Available with our 6 mil 4 year Clear Greenhouse Film or our 5.2 oz., 12 mil Clear Greenhouse Covering. Snow is not the only weather-related danger to high tunnels. New taller high tunnels offer more growing space and increased ventilation! Home → Grower’s Supply / Farmtek » High Tunnels Supplier Directory. He called the manufacturer, who said the tunnel had no snow-load rating and offered him 25 percent off a replacement high tunnel. We have many styles and configurations of high tunnels to choose from to help you enjoy increase your crop growth, as well as to extend your season. Massachusetts NRCS offers an “approved products” list on its website. Follow him @PhilLancFarming on Twitter. If you would like to be added to the directory, please email us at info@ hightunnels.org. Available in 30’W frames. Despite Cuzzolino and Hendricks’ experiences, FarmTek does not get a lot of complaints about high tunnel collapses, said Kathleen Osgood, senior national account manager at Engineering Services and Products Co., or ESAPCO, FarmTek’s parent company. Cuzzolino acknowledged that he was looking to keep his costs down when he bought the high tunnel. New taller high tunnels offer more growing space and increased ventilation! The warranty documents for Cuzzolino’s high tunnel say there is no guarantee for wind or snow loads for ESAPCO products unless they are accompanied by stamped engineer’s drawings. “Participating producers must agree to operate and maintain the high tunnel for four years. It’s priced to the penny” for the NRCS grant limit, Cuzzolino said. Cuzzolino, of Casa Bianca Farm in Mount Bethel, Pa., lost all of the scallions growing under the tunnel along with the option to grow early-season tomatoes as he had hoped. Companies that reported supplying high tunnels in the region are Ledgewood Farms, Atlas Greenhouse Systems, Growers Supply/Farmtek, Zimmerman’s High Tunnels, Rimol Greenhouse Systems, Crop King, Haygrove Tunnels, H. Schawartz & Sons, Puckett Greenhouses, Beiler Greenhouses and homemade units. Add to Address Book. Back to top: Advanced Search. “I’d rather tell people about it than erect it again,” Cuzzolino said. Ideal for vegetables, small fruit, cut flowers and more, these structures will enhance your crop yield, quality and profitability by up to 50%. In most cases, the insurance more than covers the materials, Osgood said. Osgood said she was very surprised that his tunnel had collapsed at all, and especially under 4 inches of snow. VIEW MORE. A GrowSpan high tunnel allows growers to start growers to start growing earlier in the season, while also gaining an extra harvest at season’s end. Ventilation is achieved through the use of roll up curtains. Grower’s Supply / Farmtek » High Tunnels Supplier Directory. The [hightunnels] listserv comprises over 850 members, most of which are growers using high tunnels. “Four inches is a very light load. Experience larger, healthier yields due to the maximum usable space! The new GrowSpan Series 500 Tall Greenhouse being installed at our Dyersville, Iowa campus is now complete. Both Cuzzolino and the Custers said they liked that the FarmTek catalog says “NRCS Approved Vendor” with the NRCS logo on it. The listserv is a great place to learn what growers are doing with high tunnels, what crops and varieties do best, and what practices have been successful on local farms. “They’re priced perfectly. Hendricks said the texture of the plastic caused the snow and ice to bond to the plastic, which thwarted his efforts to clear the plastic by tapping on it. Hendricks said his insurance company would not cover the high tunnel because it was a temporary structure. Osgood said she understands the pain associated with a high tunnel collapse, as the tunnels take a huge amount of work to put up. On the other hand, the farmers said their high tunnels seemed manifestly ill-equipped to hold up to the elements. A high tunnel and low tunnel for any operation and any grower: Alaska: The Last Frontier features GrowSpan High Tunnels. “We try to be very customer-centric.”. Here's your chance to get the main stories delivered right to your inbox before the paper is on your doorstep. FarmTek cold frames and high tunnels greatly improve all of the vegetables that you grow, especially more delicate greens — exceed production with less space. They do not cover damage caused by natural events, according to Osgood and the warranty documents for Cuzzolino’s high tunnel found on the FarmTek website. Ideal for a wide variety of crops, these high tunnels offer temperature control and protection from wind, rain, disease and predators. Avoid soil nutrient depletion by rotating crops. Compare ClearSpan High Tunnels to the competition. Success! By opting into newsletters you are agreeing to our, High Tunnel Collapses Dash Farmers’ Dreams, Keys to De-Stressing Farmers and Improving Mental Health, Difficult Decisions: Splitting a Farm Business, Preserving New York Farmland Remains High Priority, Farmers Markets Go From Eventful to Essential.