Tunnel talk today

If any of you folks out there are somehow connected to agriculture, then it is probably likely you have read or heard about high tunnels. They seem to be the rage these days, and given their value, it is unlikely they will disappear any time soon. Growers across the country are realizing that high tunnels are just what the doctor ordered for growing many vegetable crops, cut flowers and even small fruit.

High Tunnel Interior

High tunnels become a grower’s insurance policy against high winds and storms, insect infestations and countless plant diseases that can decimate field crops. Inside the high tunnel you will find a controlled environment, much like any greenhouse, except for the fact that the high tunnel is not heated. In addition to protecting plants form Mother Nature’s wrath, it also serves as a season extender, and this is probably where the greater value lies. Growers can harvest crops earlier in the spring and later in the fall, when produce prices tend to be much higher.

There are several types of high tunnels available in the marketplace. You will find high tunnel ads in most agricultural magazines, or look them up on the web. Most growers we know tend to be quite innovative, so designing and building your own high tunnel is a fairly simple task. The important element to remember is to be assured that your high tunnel is easily moved from one location to the next every couple of years in order to practice crop rotation. The Harris Seeds Company lists several models in our High Tunnel brochure... just ask for one – it’s free!

Home gardeners can practice this “season extender” technique with the use of garden tunnels. Hoops are made from heavy gauge wire and inserted in the ground every four to five feet. The height of the tunnel depends on the crop you are growing. For early tomatoes, the hoop tunnel would have to be 4 to 5 feet high. Tunnels for peppers would be much lower. One can walk inside a grower’s high tunnel to tend to his plants, but the garden rendition should allow the sides to be rolled up for easy access to the plants.

Live and learn... experimenting is the key to success. The more experience a professional grower or home gardener has with high or low tunnels will ultimately lead to greater growing success.

That one bad apple… or melon

There is a melon crisis going on in this country, and it has hurt too many very good grower-shippers. Needless to say, the real tragedy was the loss of 29 lives to Listeria poisoning, all due to the harvesting practices of just one farm. Every produce farm - whether a big grower-shipper or a smaller, local fresh market grower - has to be very conscientious of food handling techniques. This is new to the marketplace, but rather has been an industry concern for quite some time. Quite frankly, food safety hazards can develop right in your own back yard garden.

My beef is this. One guy makes a mistake, and the entire industry takes a huge hit in prosperity due to the media coverage. This time melons were the problem, but with just one farm. One bad apple – or melon - does not necessarily ruin the whole barrel, unless you do not take it out.

But, in Florida a year or so ago, the media was spreading rumors of tainted tomato crops, when the culprit was a pepper. There was a huge loss of income for Florida tomato growers, and it was due to no fault of their own. The media did not have their facts straight.

I have a good friend in South Texas who is one of the top 5 melon growers in the USA. He’s an excellent grower who does an outstanding job of preparing produce for wholesale markets. His melon business is now in the tank because US consumers now believe that melons are dangerous. Who will be on the media’s hit list next?

The fact that poorly-handled produce can make you sick is a viable concern. Good growers with exemplary handling food techniques are able to mitigate food safety risks, and they continue to provide top quality, healthy food for the consumer.

Growers in New York have a couple of good ways to respond to consumer concerns, I believe. First, Cornell Cooperative Extension – like many other State University Extensions – offers extensive resources on growing and post-harvest practices that maximize food safety. Growers can use these Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) to self-audit their operations, even if they don’t decide to pursue GAP certification.

Second, the New York Farmers’ Market Federation recently pulled together a consortium of growers and industry professionals to address food safety at market. They came up with a proactive series of guidelines for handling produce at Farmers’ Markets, CSA pickup sites, Farm Stands, U-Pick Operations, and more. To view these recommendations, click here.

Makes sense…doesn’t it! It’s much better to be pro-active than re-active, like the melon farm in Colorado. A lot of good growers will suffer because of this melon scare, but they can also use the opportunity to improve their own practices…and let their customers know it!

Bad Blogger Dick...

I am one of those guys that is cut from an old piece of cloth… somewhat of an Andy Rooney type. I have shirked my blogging duties in the past, allowing some blog posts to be up on our web site way too long – according to the experts. It’s not because I do not care – I just forget as I move on to other duties. I am also not one of the most tech savvy guys, but I do get by. I guess that complicates the situation too.

Sorry.

In any event, let the blogging season begin. Some people can write about anything, and sometimes they bore the living daylight out of the reader. I really don’t want to do that. I try to comment on things that have meaning and interest for the reader. That’s very tough these days, as I have to compete with millions of fellow bloggers. Maybe I just bored you?