The Trowel Goes on a Field Trip

Ann has been trying to get me to meet Karen at the local community college for a while now. Life has been busy. We finally met yesterday.

Karen invited me to the college greenhouses to see what she has been up to.

Amazing!

WOW!

I was seriously impressed.

It was like visiting Eliot Coleman of 'The Four Season Harvest' fame.

The first greenhouse is heated and currently housing a collection of tomatoes trellised nearly to the peak. Karen mentioned that these will produce until Dec. 21 and then it is time to yank them and tidy the greenhouse in time for spring planting. She also mentioned that greenhouse space will be available for the public to grow their own seedlings/transplants. This was such a success last year that the demand for space has grown to the point of needing to hold a lottery for the available space.

The second greenhouse is unheated and featured many raised beds draped in a double layer of Remay cloth for further cold protection. The greenhouse offers about a 5 degree buffer and she estimated that the cloth offers another 3-5 degrees. These plants were seeded on about September 15 and were growing well. Various lettuces: romaine, mesculun, endive, and another I can't remember, pok choy, radishes, turnips, beets, spinach etc.

Made me want to start cooking :o)

Karen was hoping that commercial growers in the area would take up the challenge and use these methods to extend their seasons and thus extend our ability to eat locally.

She also mentioned they have 12 foot wide Remay for sale by the running foot. Good to know.
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Why no pictures? I have a teenager. 'Nuff said. If I ever get custody of my camera again I'll sneak back to the greenhouse for a photo shoot.