• Available with our 6 mil 4 year Clear Greenhouse Film or our 5.2 oz., 12 mil Clear Greenhouse Covering. They may be required to refund payments if they remove the high tunnel or it collapses,” she said. “We try to be very gracious in instances where people have collapses,” Osgood said. No matter how the product was sold to them, the farmers need to keep the high tunnels standing, McDonough said. Both Cuzzolino and the Custers said they liked that the FarmTek catalog says “NRCS Approved Vendor” with the NRCS logo on it. Farmers are not required to disclose to vendors that they are working with NRCS, and the agency does not release grant recipient information to the companies, McDonough said. He called the manufacturer, who said the tunnel had no snow-load rating and offered him 25 percent off a replacement high tunnel. FarmTek is hardly unique among high tunnel makers in disclaiming the warranty of merchantability and other related warranties. All of the farmers in this story spent more time researching their high tunnel purchase than they actually spent growing under the product they bought, a situation that leaves them wondering what they could have done to prevent their problems. All times are GMT - 5 Hours: Similar Topics; Greenhouse Supplies $1 . A high tunnel and low tunnel for any operation and any grower: Alaska: The Last Frontier features GrowSpan High Tunnels. On one hand, the ESAPCO warranties are similar to almost any other product warranty. 30' wide Gothic Premium High Tunnels … The listserv is a great place to learn what growers are doing with high tunnels, what crops and varieties do best, and what practices have been successful on local farms. GrowSpan Gothic Premium Greenhouses blend an attractive appearance that fits perfectly on any property with superior functionality. They are designed for extending the growing season and providing a protected environment for the crops. Don't bet your life on anything stated here, but know that everything comes from real life experiences. It’s priced to the penny” for the NRCS grant limit, Cuzzolino said. “They’re priced perfectly. High tunnels do best when all four sides are either open or closed. The [hightunnels] listserv comprises over 850 members, most of which are growers using high tunnels. All of Hendricks’ alpacas were fine, though some property under the tunnel was damaged. “The whole time they weren’t backing their product,” saying even before the collapse that additional parts were needed, Dawn Custer said. “There is nothing that would compel me to buy another high tunnel from them,” Rob Custer said. FarmTek offers the best customer service and most economical prices on products for the agricultural industry. “NRCS is aware that vendors may not offer repair or replacement of high tunnels due to failure after installation. Snow is not the only weather-related danger to high tunnels. Osgood said that makes things challenging for her and the sales staff, who all have experience using high tunnels and greenhouses. Experience larger, healthier yields due to the maximum usable space! Home → Grower’s Supply / Farmtek » High Tunnels Supplier Directory. 12 mil clear woven fabric *Galvanized steel tubing frame *NRCS Funding approved *Rollup sides and ends. High tunnels can help growers start growing earlier and help them grow later into the season. Cuzzolino, of Casa Bianca Farm in Mount Bethel, Pa., lost all of the scallions growing under the tunnel along with the option to grow early-season tomatoes as he had hoped. Site selection and preparation . We have many styles and configurations of high tunnels to choose from to help you enjoy increase your crop growth, as well as to extend your season. SOLUTION – Gothic Premium High Tunnel. These greenhouses feature a versatile design and come in … Read more, Farmers and the American Farmland Trust are working together to protect farmland from rapidly expanding development in New York state. Keep your growing environment ideal with fans, automatic shutters, pre-wired thermostats, and a vented heater inside your cold frame or high tunnel. Two months later, Scott Hendricks’ high tunnel suffered the same fate as Cuzzolino’s when snow collapsed the hoops of his 7-month-old tunnel. Based on the model number, he bought a “fairly premium product,” she said. Avoid soil nutrient depletion by rotating crops. The “approved” designation only indicates that the structures comply with NRCS requirements, Osgood said. – May choose high tunnel type that follows contour of the land • Access to water for irrigation • Ease of access to site – Transporting materials to and from the tunnel – Access to site and inside tunnel with equipment . ESAPCO staff called customers in the Northeast this winter to remind them to maintain their plastic, Osgood said. Osgood said she understands the pain associated with a high tunnel collapse, as the tunnels take a huge amount of work to put up. As for NRCS, the USDA agency that provided Cuzzolino and the Custers with grants to buy their high tunnels, its policy toward high tunnel vendors is hands-off. NRCS does not have any contractual arrangement with any high tunnel manufacturer or vendor regarding repair/replacement,” McDonough, the NRCS spokeswoman, said in an email. A GrowSpan high tunnel allows growers to start growers to start growing earlier in the season, while also gaining an extra harvest at season’s end. Osgood said she was very surprised that his tunnel had collapsed at all, and especially under 4 inches of snow. GrowSpan Series 500 Tall High Tunnels offer superior ventilation and maximum usable growing space due to their increased sidewall height. South Windsor CT 06074 Home Phone: (800) 476-9715 www.growspan.com. “I thought I did due diligence,” Hendricks said. “I’d rather tell people about it than erect it again,” Cuzzolino said. The in-ground anchors seemed too short to hold the tunnel down. Register | Login. The new GrowSpan Series 500 Tall Greenhouse being installed at our Dyersville, Iowa campus is now complete. High Tunnel & Cold Frame Accessories Gain additional, valuable growing space. Interestingly, though, Osgood said Cuzzolino did not cheap out on his high tunnel. George Cuzzolino’s hopes for season extension came crashing down Dec. 14, the day 4 inches of snow collapsed the high tunnel he had completed only two months earlier. Ideal for a wide variety of crops, these high tunnels offer temperature control and protection from wind, rain, disease and predators. Usually, the worst that happens is a corner of the plastic tears off and the company sends a replacement, no questions asked, she said. This year’s virtual Mid-Atlantic Women in Agriculture Conference covered topics that ranged from mental health to educating consumers. My husband and I bought a Farmtek Clear Span arena. “We don’t have the time to think about that right now” because of spring planting, Dawn Custer said. GrowSpan Gothic High Tunnels, with 6'H sidewalls, sufficiently modify the environment to enhance crop growth, quality and yield. Ideal for a wide variety of crops, these high tunnels offer temperature control and protection from wind, rain, disease and predators. • Frames are manufactured from our USA-made, triple-galvanized structural steel tubing. Poly-Tex, Atlas Manufacturing and Fred C. Gloeckner & Co. are among those that also do so. You have permission to edit this article. Your one-stop shop for agricultural, growing and storage supplies. The wind tore the plastic off a side of the NRCS-funded tunnel, and the trapped air flipped the tunnel out of the ground. New taller high tunnels offer more growing space and increased ventilation! In most cases, the insurance more than covers the materials, Osgood said. Generally there is no heater but sometimes a portable heater may be used. Hendricks said the texture of the plastic caused the snow and ice to bond to the plastic, which thwarted his efforts to clear the plastic by tapping on it. The NRCS Seasonal High Tunnel Initiative, which was added to the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, or EQIP, in 2010, was always intended to be a cost-share, where the government would pay a certain amount of the high tunnel cost and the grower would cover the rest, Osgood said. Start growing earlier and grow late into the fall with a GrowSpan Series 500 Tall High Tunnel! ESAPCO’s high tunnel frames come with a three-year warranty for manufacture defects, and the film is covered for degradation, Osgood said. Pennsylvania NRCS does not endorse or approve vendors, McDonough, the NRCS spokeswoman, said. • Our Sun Master® 6 mil 4 year Clear Greenhouse Film is made from strong copolymer resin, with tri-layer … In March, the wind tore Rob and Dawn Custer’s new FarmTek high tunnel out of the ground at Goodness Grows, the Custers’ organic farm in Bedford, Pa. An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Tomatoes set the pace The warranty is considered implied because it is generally understood to come with a product when sold. Read more, COVID-19-related constraints have caused farmers markets to become flexible in how they operate in order to keep consumers safe. GrowSpan Round Premium High Tunnels *Available 14′-30′ wide and up to 96′ long *6 mil 4-year clear greenhouse film OR 5.2 oz. The listserv is a great place to learn what growers are doing with high tunnels, what crops and varieties do best, and what practices have been successful on local farms. It’s fairly insignificant,” she said. Outfit a new cold frame or upgrade the existing, worn out film on your high tunnel, cold frame or hoop house. Back to top: Advanced Search. He said he wishes he would have checked with his insurance before building the tunnel. Page 1 of 1: JLA FORUMS | Classifieds | FOR SALE - New York | FOR SALE - Plattsburgh - Adirondacks. He can be reached at 717-721-4427 or pgruber@lancasterfarming.com. This year, NRCS will reimburse farmers $3.30 per square foot up to $7,187 after the high tunnel is installed, said Molly McDonough, an NRCS public affairs specialist. Go back to directory. Cuzzolino said he liked the idea of not having to spend much of his own money beyond labor, shipping and lumber, but “to do it for the price, it’s impossible, now that I realize it.”. Greenhouse FarmTek Tunnel High Sponsored Link. The farmers have not decided what they will do with their broken high tunnels. “I think this winter was particularly difficult because of the extreme snow load,” she said. There was an error processing your request. Growers typically insure their high tunnels, and ESAPCO works with the insurance company on the replacement cost. High tunnels are surging in popularity in the Northeast, but after this snowy winter, the question of who pays for weather damage could be a significant one for farmers looking at using these temporary structures. Follow him @PhilLancFarming on Twitter. The guide says the listed companies, including the ESAPCO companies, have products that meet NRCS specifications, but NRCS does not endorse any products. While receiving financial assistance for a high tunnel sounds too good to be true, the program has been around for a number of years with tons of success stories across all states. Available in 30’W frames. Use our Recycled Plastic Lumber as a base board for your cold frame. After the disaster, about 40 percent of the steel from the high tunnel was bent or broken, so the company offered a 40 percent discount on a replacement, Dawn Custer said. Greenhouse (Humboldt) $1. Despite Cuzzolino and Hendricks’ experiences, FarmTek does not get a lot of complaints about high tunnel collapses, said Kathleen Osgood, senior national account manager at Engineering Services and Products Co., or ESAPCO, FarmTek’s parent company. For decades, GrowSpan has been supplying growers with high-quality high tunnels and low tunnels that protect crops and boost business. 342 were here. Grower’s Supply / Farmtek » High Tunnels Supplier Directory. Product offerings include farm supplies, aquaponic, poultry supplies, agriculture products, animal housing, home improvement, commercial high tunnels and hoop houses, fodder growing kits, livestock care and greenhouse equipment, including garden carts and poly film. With joints at the top of the hoops, the point of the greatest load, the tunnel was poorly designed to hold snow, Hendricks said. He ended up housing the alpacas under the deck of a home he is building. Some small, family-owned high tunnel makers say on their websites that their products are designed to hold up under snow, though the companies do not have their warranty documents online. Hendricks, who did not use the NRCS grant, spent more than double that to build a high tunnel with end walls. “We kind of knew it wasn’t going to hold,” Dawn Custer said. Phil Gruber is the news editor at Lancaster Farming.