Crop Production

Farm to Hospital Toolkit

Tools farmers and hospitals can use to increase direct hospital purchases from local producers.

Using Low Tunnels to Extend the Growing Season for Organic Strawberries in Alabama

This project was designed to determine if the strawberry harvest season could be extended, potentially allowing farmers to get their strawberries to the market early for premium prices.

Comparing Four Ultra-Low-Cost Season Extension Structures on a Missouri Farm

This project compared winter production using four structures: EZ Build-n-Gro Cold Frames (Farmtek); cattle panel greenhouses; modified low tunnels; and standard small cold frames.

Organic Winter Production Scheduling in Unheated High Tunnels in Colorado

Colorado State University researchers and five farmers explored winter production scheduling for optimal yields of hardy organic vegetable crops in unheated high tunnels.

Winter Storage Options for the Northeast

To help farmers in the Philadelphia area learn about various winter storage options, the nonprofit Fair Food conducted site visits of well-established winter storage operations in Pennsylvania, Vermont and Quebec.

Organic Production of Blackberries in High Tunnels in West Virginia

The objective of this season extension project was to evaluate the feasibility of growing blackberries organically within a commercial high tunnel or hoop house in central West Virginia, including pest management, cultivar and management considerations.

New York Farmer Uses Hanging Gutters to Utilize Overhead Space in Hoop House

This project looked at increasing the productivity and cost effectiveness of growing more crops in a hoop house by utilizing the overhead space through innovative design.

Developing an Energy Efficient, Solar-Heated Greenhouse in Maryland

This project investigated the effectiveness of energy-efficient greenhouse design and the ability of water-heating solar panels to heat a greenhouse as a propane alternative.

On-Farm Fertigation Trials in Kansas City-Area Organic High Tunnels

Five certified organic farms in the Kansas City area did one-year comparisons of the use of compost, fertigation and foliar feeding on high tunnel tomatoes, with respect to quantity and quality of yields.

The Ogallala Aquifer of the Texas High Plains: A Race Against Time

As the drought in the Texas High Plains continues to intensify, a unique partnership of producers and researchers is working diligently to find economically viable alternatives to the region’s irrigation-dependent crop monocultures.