ST. PAUL, Minn. – High tunnels and quick-hoops are unheated structures used to extend vegetable production. Many beginning vegetable farmers see these structures as an immense investment. This project compares production and profitability differences between the two unheated season extension systems. They want to determine if inexpensive and portable quick-hoops are more profitable than productive, but costly, high tunnels. Vegetable farmers operate on tight margins and a quick-hoop system may in fact be more desirable with lower overhead costs. Project findings will provide Stone’s Throw Urban Farm and other vegetable farms an understanding of profitability expectations for high tunnel and quick-hoop season extension systems.
Attendees will tour two urban farm lots in South Minneapolis. The tour begins at 2:00 p.m. with an explanation of the experiment. At 2:30 p.m. the tour visits site one at 2820 15th Avenue South, followed by a walk to site two and a tour of the second part of the experiment. Snacks are served at 4:00 p.m. during a season extension discussion. Courtney Tchida, University of Minnesota’s Cornucopia Student Farm Coordinator, shares her experiences during the past two years with a similar experiment.
What: Free, on-farm field day showing comparison of production and profitability of heat-loving crops in high tunnel and quick-hoop systems.
Who: Project Contact: Robin Major 802-380-5156
When: Saturday, September 13, 2014: 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Where: Stone’s Throw Urban Farm: 2820 15th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN
Stone’s Throw Urban Farm’s project is supported by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration Grant Program.
Source: Minnesota Department of Agriculture