In Hillsboro, WV we sit around 2,300 ft in elevation and at High Rocks we are at an even higher elevation. We currently grow in one 30 ft x 96 ft high tunnel in Hillsboro and are set to build another high tunnel of the same size at that same location. We also grow in a 30 ft x 60 ft high tunnel at High Rocks. We use high tunnels to make our seasons more efficient and extended. These high tunnels are great tools to extend the short growing seasons in many portions of Appalachia.
This season the Hillsboro high tunnel has mainly housed bell peppers, cherry tomatoes and heirloom tomatoes. The High Rocks high tunnel has mainly had cucumbers growing in it. These crops proved to be good summer crops for the high tunnels. The temperature gets very high in the tunnels during the middle of the summer and only so many crops can thrive in that type of heat. Another advantage of the high tunnels for tomatoes and cucumbers specifically was that we can trellis these crops from the high tunnel structure. Our main sales outlets of our crops for this season have been at local farmers markets, our five county schools and local food pantry. A few other sales outlets include internal sales to our other High Rocks programs such as High Rocks Academy and The Hub Cafe.
We are grateful to have the opportunity for these high tunnels. They are an investment in your time, energy and money in the front end but have proven to be very effective once implemented. We are excited to start construction again this fall!
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