Expanded greenhouses offer robustness against various weather conditions
Resilient Farming in Tornado-Prone Minnesota: Deep Winter Greenhouses Offer a Solution
Deep winter greenhouses are revolutionizing farming in unpredictable weather zones, particularly in tornado-prone areas like southeast Minnesota. These innovative structures, currently being researched and tested by the University of Minnesota, offer a secure and climate-controlled environment for continuous food production even during harsh winters and storm seasons.
One such farm benefiting from this emerging technology is Owl Bluff Farm in Houston County. In partnership with the University of Minnesota and Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships (RSDP), a brand new deep winter greenhouse was built on the farm, leaving it nearly untouched after a tornado swept through the area in June.
While the storm destroyed two high tunnels and brought down trees across the deer fence at Owl Bluff, the farm's deep winter greenhouse escaped with only minor trim damage. This resilience is a testament to the greenhouse's design, which harnesses solar power for heating and stores energy in thermal mass materials like soil or rock.
Owl Bluff's farmer, Carrie Calvo, has learned to navigate long days, cold winters, and unpredictable conditions. Despite the challenges, her customer base has grown significantly over six seasons, selling a vibrant variety of produce on less than an acre of land.
The University of Minnesota's role is to research and test this technology, with the goal of 'de-risking' deep winter greenhouses by thoroughly testing them with real farmers on real farms. The Agriculture Research, Education, our website and Technology Transfer (AGREETT) program supports this latest phase of research, which includes Owl Bluff's greenhouse and four more currently under construction.
Each structure will be equipped with continuous monitoring systems, provided by the University's GEMS Informatics Center, to gather data on its performance. This data will help scientists, gardeners, farmers, architects, and engineers understand how the design of deep winter greenhouses performs and determine their production potential.
Deep winter greenhouses offer resilience for farmers in unpredictable weather by creating a stable, protected environment that shields crops from harsh external conditions such as wind, hail, frost, and temperature extremes. Key factors contributing to their resilience include structural protection, climate control and thermal stability, thermal insulation and passive solar energy, year-round growing capability, and pest and disease minimization.
For local fruit and vegetable growers, the University of Minnesota's website offers resources beyond greenhouse tips, including pest solutions, harvest know-how, marketing advice, and weather and climate resources for building resilience and recovering from natural disasters.
Scientists, gardeners, farmers, architects, and engineers have come together to marvel at the possibilities of sustainable deep winter farming through the Deep Winter Greenhouse model. Pioneers like Carol Ford, who built a Deep Winter Greenhouse in 2004, are paving the way for a more resilient and sustainable future for farming in Minnesota.
[1] Climate battery systems: https://zack-hassenkam.com/climate-battery/ [2] Year-round growing capability: https://zack-hassenkam.com/deep-winter-greenhouse/ [3] Thermal Insulation and Passive Solar Energy: https://www.sustainableagriculture.net/growing/greenhouses/deep-winter-greenhouses/ [4] Pest and Disease Minimization: https://www.sustainableagriculture.net/growing/greenhouses/deep-winter-greenhouses/ [5] University of Minnesota's GEMS Informatics Center: https://zack-hassenkam.com/gems/
Science and environmental science have found a novel solution for farming resilience in the face of climate change and unpredictable weather, particularly tornado-prone areas. Deep winter greenhouses, often researched and tested by institutions like the University of Minnesota, leverage solar power, thermal insulation, and passive solar energy to provide a stable, controlled environment for year-round crop growth, minimizing the impact of pests and diseases, and bolstering resistance against severe weather events.
