FarmTek Greenhouses

Thanks Highlands that was a good read

Here is a link to the off gassing issue and pvc frames

http://agdev.anr.udel.edu/weeklycropupdate/?p=4816

I'm wanting to build something like this for the cows - not sure how it would do in your conditions.

24.154.167.53:8888/greenhouse/greenhouse.html

Or you can laminate white oak strips:

Has the white oak strips one been up for long? Photos of it covered and present?

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SugarMtnFarm.com -- Pastured Pigs, Poultry, Sheep, Dogs and Kids

Not long. Built it last fall. But white oak will stand up to moisture for a LONG time.....reason it was used for water barrels and cabin shingles. It has a closed cell structure, known as tyloses.








I got the idea from greenhouse tomato growers down in Grainger County, TN. Since my hoophouse is only 20' wide, I used no center support. I do have 3 pcs of 1/4" cable tying across the hoops in 3 places to "draw" them inward so they don't push my kneewalls outward.

The tomato growers use much wider houses.....about 40' wide. They run a series of 4x4 posts down the inside, dividing the house in roughly four 10' wide 'bays' across the width. The posts are topped with a beam made up of couple 2x6's running the length of the house. Top of the beam was something like 9-10' for the two left/right side rows, and about 12-13' for the center row.

Then from their outside walls ( which are 6' tall ), they took 1x6 treated boards, laid them on flat side (6 " width) from outside wall to the 1st beam, arching on over the top beam, back down to the other side beam, and to the other outside wall. They used 3 laminations, breaking the joints, of course, at different places to form a laminated arch. I don't think they glued them ( I did glue mine....Titebond 3 waterproof glue ), just nails or screws.

Worked real well. Since you plan to support your inside anyway, I would go all wood and just skip the tubing.

I have hoop shade houses and flat top shade houses, but I do not have to worry about snow..ever, if I do I have bigger issues like thousands of dead palm trees. I have seen greenhouses from up north, you may want to order a catalog from Stuppy Bros. they have LEGIT greenhouses for up north that are done with tubing that look more like what TNAndy has put up.

If you do it yourself you are going to save a wad of money over what the kits are. I really liked the way TnAndy did his but I just don't have his carpentry skills. So I did the next best thing and went with the chain link tubing. I'll have to second what everyone else has told you about Lost Creek. When you call and talk with him and explain what you want to do he can advise you.

I spent over an hour one day standing in the field telling him what I wanted to do and how I wanted to do it. He not only took the time to help but he acted as if I was the only customer in his world then. Now living in the south I know we don't get the snow loads that you do but we do get the wind. So far I've seen 40 mph + and everything held together fine.

My ground was not level and I really wanted the extra height so I built up one end out of material. All my post were drilled with the tractor post hole digger and filled with concrete. On the high end each post was also set & bolted to treated 4"x4" post. If they come out of the ground I'll have much more to worry about than a greenhouse.

We went back and cut braces for every other hoop and stored them in the tractor shed. If we have a forecast of heavy snow and ice we will use them for bracing under the hoops. Along with a long handle soft shop broom to rake snow off, we should be fine.





Next on my list is to order an extra roll of poly (or two) just in case something does tare it all to pieces.

And a side note Nolt's sells kits also.

Man, that looks SHARP, Tarheel !

What are you doing with the black barrels ?

Started out when it was way too cold so I used them full of water as heat sink. Saved lots of gallon jugs from work and filled them with water and sit on the outside rows (coldest) as poor mans wall of water.