appendix c
Tools and Supplies
The six-row seeder, the four-row pinpoint seeder, quick hoops conduit bender for metal conduit, 10-foot-wide row cover and clear plastic for quick hoops, greens harvesters, Victorinox harvest knives, the broadfork, the Tilther, a 30-inch-wide Austrian grading rake, the collineal hoe, the wire weeder, the three-tooth cultivator, the soil block makers, the right-angle trowel, a propane flame weeder, the tomato clips and twine, an excellent European-style scythe (with a folding blade for safe storage), a variety of potting and soil blocking mixes which now includes the entire line of Vermont Compost products, and many other tools are all available from:
Johnny’s Selected Seeds
955 Benton Avenue,
Winslow, ME 04901
(877) 564-6697
The 45-inch-long and 4,000-pound-rated ground anchors we use to secure our mobile greenhouses are available from:
A. M. Leonard
PO Box 816
Piqua, OH 45356
(800) 543-8955
The best mousetrap to use as a vole trap is “The Better Mouse Trap” from Intruder Inc.
230 W. Coleman St.
Rice Lake, WI 54868
(800) 553-5129
One source of granular pellets soaked in predator urine is www.critter-repellent.com. Go to their Web site and click on vole.
PO Box 101
Canisteo, NY 14823
(866) 802-8837
To make our wire wickets we purchase 76-inch-long straight lengths of number 9 wire made by Ken-Bar Inc. from our local greenhouse dealer. To locate a dealer for Ken-Bar Inc. in your area contact:
Ken-Bar Inc.
Summit Industrial Park
Peabody, MA 01960
(800) 336-8882
We purchase Agribon row covers for both the greenhouse inner layers and for covering the quick hoops from:
Johnny’s Selected Seeds
955 Benton Avenue,
Winslow, ME 04901
(877) 564-6697
We also have experience with another fabric called Covertan Pro 17 from:
Suntex CP, Inc.
PO Box 21633
Sarasota, FL 34276
(888) 786-8391
We collaborated with Rimol Greenhouse Systems, Inc. in the design and development of a mobile greenhouse on wheels. They are selling this greenhouse under the name “Rolling Thunder.” Rolling Thunder’s design utilizes a heavy-duty wheel with bearings at each set of hoops attached to a specially designed “base post.” The wheel/base-post combination is seated on a rail that allows the greenhouse to move along the desired growing areas. Rolling Thunder’s design allows for easy movement of a larger greenhouse (such as 30-by-96 feet) with an ordinary tractor. It takes just two individuals to move smaller greenhouses.
When the greenhouse is constructed, the rail is laid out flat according to the desired width of the greenhouse. The rail does not have to be pinned or staked, but should be set on a solid base to prevent sinking into the soil. The first few hoops are the trickiest, requiring several sets of hands due to the fact that the wheels, base posts, and hoops are all erected simultaneously. However, once a few hoops are erected, and diagonally braced, the rest of the greenhouse goes up quickly. There is significant bracing in the greenhouse to prevent any movement with the wind, and temporary bracing is used on the end walls of the greenhouse for stability purposes. The Rimol design allows for flexibility with various height options available through the use of different length base posts.
Rimol Greenhouse Systems
Northpoint Industrial Park
40 Londonderry Turnpike
Hooksett, NH 03106
(603) 629-9004
We have also worked with Four Season Tools on the design of their mobile greenhouse that incorporates drop-down side technology on both sides and a full-length roof opening for ventilation. These houses will be available in either wheeled (two options) or sled models. They offer conversion kits to make stationary greenhouses mobile. They are also designing efficient tools for the small farm. Consult their website for the latest developments.
Four Season Tools
602 Westport Road
Kansas City, MO 64111
(816) 444-7330
(816) 561-5052 (fax)
info@fourseasontools.com (e-mail)
Lost Creek Greenhouse Systems invents and develops simple solutions for the do-it-yourself greenhouse builder, large or small. Their innovative Quick-Hoop Bending Tools are in use around the world and are saving do-it-yourselfers up to 60 percent of the cost of building greenhouses by enabling them to bend their own hoops. From their small 4- and 6-foot-wide row-cover hoop benders, to their original tunnel benders, producing 10-, 12-, 16-, and 20-foot-wide greenhouse hoops, building your own hoop house just doesn’t get much easier.
Loy and Shirley Robinson
Lost Creek Greenhouse Systems
245 C.R. 265
Mineola, Texas 75773
(903) 569-8541
herbs@lostcreek.net (e-mail)
The pure cellophane box liners and bags that we use in our packaging have to be ordered ahead and in sufficient quantity to justify the special sizes. They are available from:
ATLAPAC
2901 East Fourth Ave.
Columbus, OH 43219
(800) 888-7019