GREENHOUSES

The following is the FIRST part of an informational page on GREENHOUSES, posted 11/28/07:

Steve Moore has been called the "Greenhouse Guru" for his
innovative biointensive growing inside of greenhouses year round.

Just recently, the University of Vermont has published a very valuable
and free manual (77 pages) that contains a lot of his greenhouse designs
as well as those of other successful commercial growers in New England.
I highly recommend it to those thinking about greenhouse growing as I am
certainly going to scour it thoroughly. Here is the link to the manual:

http://www.uvm.edu/sustainableagriculture/HighTunnels.pdf

The manual was written by Ted Blomgren of Cornell Cooperative Extension
and Tracy Frisch of the Regional Farm and Food Project, with
Pennsylvania farmer Steve Moore. It was published by the University of
Vermont Center for Sustainable Agriculture. This project was made
possible with funding from the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture
Research and Education (SARE) program.
There is an accompanying DVD that features 6 farmers from 5 Northeastern
states explaining how and why they constructed their high tunnel system,
what they grow in it, and how it helps sustain their farming operation.
You can order the video online, or call (802) 656-5459. The cost is $15
(includes shipping and handling). Make checks or money order payable to
'UVM' and mail to: Center for Sustainable Agriculture, University of
Vermont, 63 Carrigan Ave., Burlington VT 05405.
The manual is provided in a PDF format - you will need to use the Adobe
Acrobat Reader, a free download, to view the publication. If you prefer,
a print version of the manual is available for $15 by contacting the
Center.

More of Moore in the news from Willits:
From the latest issue of "Willits Economic LocaLization (WELL)" I see
that they've invited him to California to teach them his ways.
http://www.willitseconomiclocalization.org/files/well/CurrentNewsletter.
pdf

Steve Moore to speak at Ridgewood Ranch September 21
"The Principles and Practices of a Sustaining Food System"
On Friday September 21st from 7-9 pm Steve Moore will give a PowerPoint
presentation in the auditorium at Ridgewood Ranch, sharing his
experiences during 30 years of sustainable food production.
During many of these years, Moore was a farmer in Pennsylvania, using
draft horses to work the farm and growing organically before it became
popular. He then moved on to become Director of the Center for
Sustainable Living at Wilson College in Pennsylvania, where he and his
wife operated a successful 135-family Community-Supported Agriculture
(CSA). In a CSA, people pay the farmer a specified amount of money ahead
and in return receive a weekly bushel basket of the farm's produce
during the growing season. This allows the farmer to focus on growing
food, rather than on marketing. The Moores spearheaded CSA development
in their region by founding the Robyn Van En Center.
In time they moved on to Sonnewald, a 60-acre educational farm in
Pennsylvania that has been teaching interns about organic farming since
the 50s. Here Steve was the farmer for Sonnewald's natural foods store.
He became proficient in passive solar greenhouse production, including
the use of high tunnels (rounded pipes over the growing beds with
coverings that can be adjusted according to temperature changes). In
this way Moore was able to grow produce year-round-in Pennsylvania.
Moore is an experienced teacher. He has taught over 3000 people in
workshops on Biointensive farming and greenhouse production. Several
years ago he taught a three-day Biointensive workshop in Russia. Moore's
most recent research is what he calls his "energy work." He has compiled
data on caloric input and output for a diverse set of crops, including
comparing the input costs of farming with fossil fuels versus human
power, in addition to such subtleties as the use of steel and plastic
versus wooden equipment. Some of the results of this research are
presented in an article "Energy Use in Biologically Intensive Farming,
which Moore co-authored with John Jeavons. The article is in the Fall
2007 issue of Synthesis/Regeneration magazine
Moore states that his presentation will highlight the principles and
practices of a sustaining food system such as land use, energy
conversion, soil building, nutrition, and the evolution of organic and
local marketing.
This event is being co-sponsored by Ecology Action and Church of the
Golden Rule and is free of charge. However, donations for the Golden
Rule Garden would be appreciated.