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Hightunnels

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We grow tomatoes in high tunnels.  What is a hightunnel?  It is a plastic covered hoop house that sits over the field.  It allows us to protect the young plants during the cold part of the spring. We are able to control the temperature inside by opening the sides, ends and a portion of the top.  The best way I can explain it to gardners is a larger scale version of the "milk jug over your tomato plant" trick.  Plants are grown in the same spot, in the same dirt, just with adjustable protection.  They are expensive and considerably more work than planting outside but worth it.

Below is a slideshow of our tunnels to give you an idea. (click play button on right side of picture to start)

Hightunnels

We are about to put up our first of three tunnels
The 30x96 tunnel components fit on my trailer
The basic framework of bows
There is a vent at the top for better ventillation
Covering the tunnel with plastic
Pretty much done after building an endwall
The next year we decided to expand
We added on to our existing tunnel making it 200'
This way we could use the existing endwall
Two years later we built another one
Laid out the area
Megan Brown helping install sidewall posts
We put together the bows on nice flat concrete to make them square
Tunnel 3 taking shape
This part of the field is quickly becoming "inside"
Plastic on and attached
Constructing the endwalls
Pretty much complete, you can see the vent at the top

Read 4031 times Last modified on Thursday, 13 February 2014 17:31
Toby Brown

Toby is the owner of Lingley Bros. Sweetcorn since 2000. A 1989 graduate of Hoopeston East-Lynn High School, he began farming in 1993, the sixth generation farming the ground he lives on. He and his wife Paige have four children:  Jenna, Katie, Josh and Megan. Together they raise 48 acres of sweet corn, 900 tomatoes and a half acre of green beans. In addition to farming, Toby is an Elder at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Hoopeston, an officer on the Rossville Area Fire Department, assistant 4-H leader of Hoopeston Boosters 4-H club and a beekeeper.

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