Students at Prairie Central High School in Fairbury, IL have a new outdoor classroom in the form of a hoop house funded by the Spence Farm Foundation. Hoop houses, also known as high tunnels, are used on farms across the country as valuable tools for season extension. Similar to greenhouses in structure, hoop houses are typically unheated and designed so that crops can be planted directly into the soil.
Over several blustery weeks in January and February, students in the construction, horticulture, and landscaping classes at Prairie Central worked to build their hoop house from the ground up. Setting the posts in place, connecting the hoops, attaching baseboards and purlins, raising the plastic covering, and framing the endwalls took skill and teamwork, and we tip our hats to the students and their teachers for doing an impressive job.
The Foundation hopes to continue collaborating with Prairie Central to develop curriculum content featuring the hoop house, with a focus on sustainable agricultural practices. Stay tuned for more news about our educational outreach activities as 2012 unfolds.
This is great! I will be putting mine up soon!
Hi Tim, It’s Tom Leavitt. I’m a board member for Spence Farm Foundation & I live near your farm on Aptakisic Rd. I understand that you visited Marty and Kris in Fairbury not to long ago.
Best,
Tom
Hi Tom, Yes I did!! I am a big fan of the operation that they have going out there. I am trying to learn as much as I can from different farms. Great Minds Think alike! I am doing my best to be up and running this year with Heirloom Vegetables, Honey, even more eggs!
Tim