This weekend course is geared toward those interested in small-scale greenhouse growing, design, and construction. Over two days we will dig deep into scalable techniques for food security and sovereignty through four-season growing. We’ll cover the basic design elements for siting, installation, and maintenance of high tunnels, greenhouses, and low tunnels.
Using operational greenhouses at Eleven Acre Farm, we will explore several simple-yet-resilient heating systems, ventilation, cooling, construction systems, germination chambers, and much more.
The course will culminate with the hands-on installation of a low-tech, low-budget, family-size greenhouse. Participants will build and install a gothic-style wooden greenhouse to be used in the 2018 growing season.
Curriculum
Day One:
-Tour of the farm - greenhouses and passive solar multi-use shelters.
-Brief overview of heating options, ventilation and irrigation.
-Chris will present powerpoints on different techniques and options, in varying ranges of effectiveness, costs and space requirements for seasonal extension in the Northeast. Discussion includes poly-high and low tunnels, basic passive-solar designs, glass “bioshelter” and sunroom design; mostly focused on the small-to-medium scale, applicable to urban and peri-urban backyard usage.
-Lunch Break
-Discussion of the greenhouse growing system.
-Layout and creating the footprint for the “strapping-style” gothic arch hoop house.
Day Two:
-Construct bows/arches for the greenhouse frame.
-Install bows/arches onto the grade beam.
-Attach purlins.
-Construct greenhouse endwalls.
-Lunch Break
-Skin the newly-constructed greenhouse.
Cost:
We’ve priced this course on a sliding scale in an effort to bring in a wide range of audiences. $100 - $180 per person. Please register on our EventBrite page (https://www.eventbrite.com/e/introduction-to-greenhouse-design-and-construction-four-season-[...]516). Space is limited to 20 attendants, so register soon to guarantee your place!
We are also seeking a limited number of work-trade volunteers - please e-mail us (burlingtonpermaculture@gmail.com) and tell us a bit about yourself if you would like to be considered for work-trade. We’re seeking a few people to prepare and serve lunches on both Saturday and Sunday (we will provide all of the ingredients and kitchen space), and to assist with course preparations on (tentatively) April 8th - BYO carpentry tools.
Eleven Acre Farm will include lunches and snacks throughout the day. Please let us know if you have any food allergies we should be aware of, and BYO water bottle, gloves, closed-toed shoes, and sun protection (hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, etc.).
Address: Eleven Acre Farm, 2044 Prindle Road, Charlotte, VT.
About Chris:
Chris is the founder of Eleven Acre Farm and Wild Branch Foods. He has been designing, building, and operating different greenhouses for over 20 years.
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