Farmers’ Perspectives on Challenges and Opportunities Associated with Using High Tunnels for Specialty Crops

Abstract

<jats:p>High tunnels are an increasingly popular part of the infrastructure among small and diversified farms that market their products directly to consumers. In addition to extending the growing season, research has strongly indicated that high tunnels can increase yield, enhance shelf life, and improve the quality of crops grown. The objective of this study was to gain a better understanding, from the perspective of farmers, of the challenges and opportunities associated with adopting high tunnels for specialty crops in Indiana. We collected information through a case study that included questionnaires and in-depth interviews with 20 farmers. We found that the additional labor and time requirements of high tunnel production, the increased complexity of high tunnel production, soil fertility, and disease management, and limited winter markets posed the greatest challenges. The ability to differentiate their products based on higher quality and longer shelf life, the ability to obtain a premium price, the ability to have a source of income during the off-season, and the ability to produce complementary crops were the most important opportunities for using high tunnels. This research implied ways to expand opportunities and reduce barriers to maximizing the potential of high tunnels. Understanding the human dimensions of managing high tunnels is important for providing extension educators and Natural Resources Conservation Service field staff with better knowledge of the common difficulties and benefits of this technology so they are better able to advise farmers considering investing in a high tunnel. A focus on the human dimensions is also helpful for identifying research priorities to evaluate new approaches to decreasing problems and increasing benefits. Consequently, this study provided an in-depth understanding of farm-level challenges associated with high tunnel adoption to improve future research in diverse fields.</jats:p>

Farm Type and High Tunnel Management: Connections between Farm Characteristics and High Tunnel Outcomes in Indiana

“…In this article, we focus our analysis on the results from the case study, using descriptive data from the survey to identify three approaches to high tunnel management and divergent farm-level outcomes of high tunnel adoption. The survey data are based on 103 useable surveys from an adjusted sample of 164, resulting in a 62.8% response rate (Bruce et al, 2019b). We identify three types of farms based on the characteristics of farm enterprises identified in the study by Inwood and Sharp (2012), using our survey data.…”

“…Thus, our goal is not to provide a comprehensive examination of all factors that shape high tunnel profitability, but rather to provide a better understanding of how the characteristics of a farm and a farmer's approach to adopting high tunnels shapes their outcomes, as a cautionary consideration for ongoing agricultural research and extension education. This analysis builds on our recent article (Bruce et al, 2019b) in which we explored farmers' experiences of the challenges and opportunities of high tunnel production, by explaining the connections between farmers' experiences and the characteristics of their operations. This is one of the few social science studies of high tunnel outcomes that we are aware of, and provides an important contribution for the research literature by analyzing human dimensions that have not been adequately considered in the agricultural research literature on high tunnels.…”

Profitability of Production of Red Sweet Peppers (Capsicum Annuum L.) in Cultivation Under Cover

“…High film tunnels provide manufacturers with an opportunity to increase production, quality and sales, but little is known about the economic profitability of using these structures. It should be emphasized that these constructions are used to protect the quality of crops in unfavorable weather conditions and extend the crop production season by improving the climate [Galinato, Miles 2013, Bruce et al 2019. This contributes to yield increase [Jovicich et al 2005], and thus translates into an increase in production revenue [Waterer 2003].…”

Cultivar Selection and Placement of Shadecloth on Midwest High Tunnels Affects Colored Bell Pepper Yield, Fruit Quality, and Plant Growth

“…While high tunnels are an important production tool for solanaceous crops, farmers continue to struggle with management challenges within high tunnels, as recently reported by Bruce et al (2019). Challenges within high tunnel production systems are wide-ranging (Bruce et al, 2019;Zheng et al, 2019), but they include management of heat-related stress (Díaz-P erez and Smith, 2017). Excess heat can increase bell pepper flower and fruit abortion (Bosland and Votava, 2000;Deli and Tiessen, 1969) as well as increase the incidence of physiological disorders including sunscald (Barber and Sharpe, 1971) and blossom-end rot (BER) (Olle and Bender, 2009).…”

“…While high tunnels are an important production tool for solanaceous crops, farmers continue to struggle with management challenges within high tunnels, as recently reported by Bruce et al (2019). Challenges within high tunnel production systems are wide-ranging (Bruce et al, 2019;Zheng et al, 2019), but they include management of heat-related stress (Díaz-P erez and Smith, 2017).…”