High Tunnel Alliance Connects Urban Farmers to More Efficient Growing

ByJill Stankiewicz

High tunnels, also known as hoop houses, help urban farmers to produce more food.  Penn State Extension in Philadelphia County in cooperation with the Department of Horticulture has established a High Tunnel Alliance in the City of Philadelphia with 10 partnership community based agencies. The tunnels are funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, and the alliance supports Philadelphia’s urban farms committed to increasing food security. Their simple yet effective design, basically a plastic-covered greenhouse, helps to insulate crops against low temperatures in the spring and fall.  This extends the growing season for many crops and adds more control to the growing environment which helps reduce pesticide use and retain the soil’s nutrients. 

Heritage Farm at Methodist Home is an active member of the High Tunnel Alliance.  Heritage Farm was established in 2011 to support the 200 children and adults affiliated with the campus.  Heritage Farm is in the process of executing its plans for a complete food growing operation, cut flower Community Sustainable Agriculture program, and community kitchen.  The addition of Heritage Farm to the Methodist Home campus will help to foster healthy eating and lifestyles among its residents while providing opportunities to build work skills.  Clients and residents will also be invited to take classes on vegetable and fruit growing, children’s gardening, and food preparation and nutrition. 

Interested in creating your own high tunnel?  Help may be available from the USDA.  Please visit http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detailfull/national/programs/?&cid=stelprdb1046250 for more information. 

Our Extension office has been integral to the process of Alliance building, since its inception about 3 years ago, and has been a steward from concept/design to construction and use. As this shape shifting has taken place, Master Gardeners have begun the process of volunteering at these sites, first with Overbrook Environmental Center and next hopefully with Methodist Homes. Want to help with this initiative?  Please contact Kim at phillymgcoordinator@gmail.com.    

A visit to Grumblethorpe in Germantown.

It's a beautiful autumn day and time to do something spur of the moment. I need to walk in a garden somewhere close and just enjoy the day. I have several choices in Germantown and Chestnut Hill. Penn State Extension has a high tunnel at Grumblethorpe.(click for map) let's go to Germantown. 

Upon arrival, my husbund and I are greeted by volunteer Richard Vogel and Heather Zimmerman who is the manager and has worked with the Penn State Extension Philadelphia Master Gardeners.  We photograph the chickens and hear the story of why they are here. It seems that the school tours gave the volunteers the idea to allow children to see where eggs come from and the types of eggs different chickens lay. No roosters, as they would wake everyone in the neighborhood. Not a good thing.

The garden is ready for winter and the leaves are falling from the many trees especially from the 250 year old ginkgo and over 100 year old crabapple. Moving along the paths we

hear the history of the gardens and what is being planned in the near future. There are beds of flowers, vegetables and a newly started orchard. There is a documented list of plants from the early gardens and it will be used as a reference to restore the flowers beds. The garden's vegetable beds provide for the farmer's market and other venues. Varities of Kale are still actively growing.

Kale and the huge Ginkgo with Richard

In the rear of the property is the high tunnel ((More information). It is providing the perfect setting for growing vegetables for the farmer's market year round as well as protecting plants in the spring before they are planted. Next to the high tunnel there are bee hives to provide honey and pollination.

Hair Agrometer

Weather Station

A view of the house through the massive ginkgo.

Cornus Mas / Cornelian Cherry Dogwood.

So what did I see today that excited me. The most interesting aspects of the garden for me were the beautiful trees shedding their leaves and showcasing the wonderful bark and structure. The massive ginkgo, the crabapple, maples, virburnum and cherry dogwood all getting ready for a winters sleep. This is the beginning of the winter interest in the garden that I love. 

Before touring the house, we walk through the kitchen herb garden and find Heather cleaning up for the winter. We talked about the gardens and volunteer opportunities including the school tours and of course, the general gardening chores.