Hidden Track Farm (North Saanich)
Small-scale growers and backyard keeners are invited to a fun and practical workshop that will demonstrate how to build a sturdy low tunnel for cold-season planting.
IFGC Members will discuss the benefits of these useful structures to their crop management and get into the nitty gritty of bed prep, soil amendments, and plant support, as well as which flowers do well when fall-planted under cover. (Ranunculus!)
And then it’s a hands-on demo of basic low-tunnel construction: bending hoops, pounding rebar, stretching plastic, and stringing ropes. We’ll have 3 types of benders to show you on site. And with several farms represented—and our range of ages, physical abilities, and resources—we’ll speak to variations we’ve made over the years, and why and how we’ve opted to tweak things.
We’ll talk about how to adjust tunnels through the seasons—tightening plastic during a West Coast winter and venting when the winter sun shines—and go over ideal hoop spacing, bed width options, irrigation, and more!
We’ll send you back to your plot with:
- A diagram of a low tunnel and its component parts;
- A parts list for building a tunnel;
- A resource list for purchasing tunnel materials locally and economically.
Cozy drinks and goodies will be served in the barn.
We hope to have plenty of pre-sprouted Italian ranunculus and other special cold-hardy annuals available for purchase so you can get started!
Registration: 145.00 + taxes per person (payment due on receipt of invoice)
