6-9-10

GOOD GOD JEN NEEDS NEW PANTS

BEFORE SOWING

KALE SEEDS

AARON SOWING

POST SOWING

Greenhouses and hoophouses saved us yesterday; it was pouring, but we were still doing work on the farm. These structures provide shelter and a place to work during the lousy weather when outdoor farming otherwise can't be done. They also protect the plants and create an ideal environment for growth. The heat, humidity, and watering are all regulated, so plants have the best chance for survival. Many places we've gone have had these structures in place and they wouldn't be able to produce crops in a timely fashion without them. For a farmer who is selling either at a Farmer's Market or for a CSA, having these structures allows for nearly year round sales. Depending on your geographical location, if you are growing food only outside without any protection it is likely your crops won't flourish until summer and your selling season could end at fall's first frost. However, if you utilize greenhouses and hoophouses, you can start crops inside and provide as close to perfect conditions as possible for germination and first growth without possible late frosts destroying everything. Also, your growing season is extended further into the fall with greenhouses and hoophouses, as conditions inside them are near optimal for plants whereas outside the conditions are becoming cold and wintery.

For all the pros of greenhouses and hoophouses, there are some negatives, as with everything in life. Growing crops in these structures easily creates a false sense of what is growing locally; if you are growing tomatoes in a greenhouse all year long, they are no longer a summer crop. As a result, consumers believe tomatoes grow nearby all year. But this is an inherent contradiction to local agriculture. In an ideal community, local agriculture provides as many food products to their community, utilizing only local tools. However, when using greenhouses and hoophouses in geographical areas that are colder, many if not all of the tools are coming from outside the community. Is a local tomato still "local" if it requires thousands of gallons of fuel, glass or heavy plastic (to construct the greenhouse), and water to irrigate? Don't misunderstand: we advocate greenhouses and hoophouses for their fabulous benefits and realize if we try to grow foods back East, we will most likely utilize them. These structures are vital if you're growing anywhere that isn't tropical. It just makes us wonder though, how much energy, resources, and time does it take to grow and ship a tomato from the South to the North versus having the tomato growing in a greenhouse already in the North? If anyone knows results of comparative studies like this, we're curious to see them.

Regardless of studies, to us, it seems that the best thing to do is eat local, organic, in season foods. Just because it's one of the three doesn't give it a free ride to overpower the other two, very important criteria. An organic tomato from far away is just as ridiculous a local greenhouse grown tomato in the winter which is just as ridiculous as a local, in season tomato that has been sprayed horribly with RoundUp and many other toxic chemicals and pesticides. Tomatoes will be incredible soon...have patience!