2/19/07 Tunnel Farming

Now I have heard it said that farmers can have tunnel vision when it comes to implementing new technology, yet tunnel vision is preciously what it is needed to be successful with a new style of farming gaining popularity. Looking more like a huge moth cocoon from a sci-fi, tunnel farms are large plastic tunnels that serve as a greenhouse of sorts for row crops like carrots, lettuce and strawberries. Called High Tunnels these devises used to control the elements, are typically 90 feet long and 20 feet wide with wood or aluminum frames. The tunnel affect serves to control temperatures without supplemental heat or cooling and while they take considerable management to get it right, they can extend the growing season for crops like carrots, beets and spinach to nearly year round harvests. Tunnel farming is catching on in a big way so I expect High Tunnels will begin popping up in the Northwest given the fact that the recent workshop sponsored by Ohio State drew farmers from five states. So, it is safe to say that there is no tunnel vision allowed if you want to attempt tunnel farming