Hoophouse Contributions to Economic Viability: Nine Michigan Case Studies

Abstract

ADDITIONAL INDEX WORDS. high tunnel, farm economics, vegetable production SUMMARY. Relatively low-cost season extension structures have the potential to contribute to farm economic viability in temperate climates by providing a means to continue sales beyond the limits of outdoor-only field production. These structures, commonly called hoophouses, high tunnels, passive solar greenhouses, or unheated greenhouses, allow for the extension of heat-tolerant (warm season) crops on both ends of the production time frame and at winter harvesting of cold-tolerant (cool season) crops. In this study, results are presented from a multiyear investigation into the economic impacts of year-round production and harvesting, with a focus on profitability of the structure and crop production as a whole. The results of case studies from nine Michigan farms reveal a very broad range of outcomes across farms in construction time, labor allocation and returns, and gross and net revenue. The economic implications of farmer use, including projected investment payback time, are discussed.

Determinants of Hoophouse Profitability: A Case Study of 12 Novice Michigan Farmers

“…These data presented multiple challenges. First, the data were selfreported and previous research has found wide variation in the outcomes from hoophouse budgeting exercises even with trained university enumerators, and this variability is presumably exacerbated when farmers collect data (Conner et al, 2010). The second issue with the data was that farmers received hoophouses and started producing in different phases and thus all the data do not start or end in the same month ( Fig.…”

“…The focus of this article is to explore the determinants of profitability of the hoophouse use on 12 Michigan farms and to understand how these novice hoophouse farmers made management decisions. It builds on a previous study (Conner et al, 2010) by using regression analysis and interviews to better understand how management decisions impact profitability. This study differs from the previous study in several key ways.…”

High tunnels: protection for rather than from insect pests?

“…For most vegetable growers, production in high tunnels is supplemental to their normal field production. The initial plantings in the spring usually occur 4 to 6 weeks prior to planting in the field because the protection from low temperatures provided by the tunnels will reduce any frost or freeze‐induced mortality . During the main portion of the growing season after the danger of frost has passed, field production predominates, because per unit costs are lower than in high tunnels.…”

“…The initial plantings in the spring usually occur 4 to 6 weeks prior to planting in the field because the protection from low temperatures provided by the tunnels will reduce any frost or freeze-induced mortality. 3,7 During the main portion of the growing season after the danger of frost has passed, field production predominates, because per unit costs are lower than in high tunnels. High tunnels also provide protection from most early frost/freeze events in the autumn, allowing growers to extend their production season beyond field production by several weeks.…”

High Tunnel and Field Production of Organic Heirloom Tomatoes: Yield, Fruit Quality, Disease, and Microclimate

“…This allows for a quick recovery of the initial investment and ongoing income to sustain management expenses. Capital investments in high tunnels can typically be recovered over 1 to 5 years (Blomgren and Frisch, 2007;Conner et al, 2010;Waterer, 2003).…”