WVa: High Tunnels and Community Gardens

West Virginia, a neighboring state, has the same short growing season I have... only shorter! This year West Virginia State University via the Douglass Institute has helped get some high tunnels in place to extend the garden season.

A high tunnel is basically a long greenhouse, usually covered in plastic, and sometimes called a hoop house. I wrote here about building a 100' long one with community efforts, for about $300, although it used PVC for the hoops. The cost in WV, using more permanent metal framing, is said to be under $1,000. By using a high tunnel, the air just above the plants can be maintained above freezing for both early frosts, and late frosts, extending the growing season on both ends.

I have considered building a short hoop house here, maybe 20-30' long, and just wide enough for about 4 rows of vegetables. The cost would be minimal and I could have more early and/or late veggies. Maybe next year, after I get a chicken coop (and chickens!).

The institute has also been instrumental in getting more community gardens going, where the cities provide the land and the locals work to raise their own vegetables. The obstacle remains bringing citizens and cities together to establish community gardens. A dozen or more have been established in the Charleston-Huntingdon area, and the program is expected to expand into southern counties in the state. This is a great learning experience for many city-dwellers who have never seen a garden, much less raise a tomato.

A by-product of the programs is an interest in growing ethnic vegetables, and raising goats for meat.