News

Hoop house research underway at Lincoln U

Hoop house vegetable production is a new research project underway at Lincoln University’s Carver Farm in Jefferson, City, Missouri, one of Missouri’s land-grant universities.

Steven Kirk, Assistant to the State Extension Services commercial vegetable specialist, tells Brownfield commercial vegetable growing is increasing exponentially in Missouri.

 “We are traditionally a small farm state, which is perfect for the hoop house and market farming. So, we really fill a niche,” says Kirk.

Kirk says Missouri’s climate for growing vegetables is incredibly severe.

“I like to call it a little bit of Maine and a little bit of Texas all in the same year. So, if you can get something to grow in Missouri that means you have a really green thumb,” says Kirk.

So, at Lincoln’s Carver Farm they’ll be testing a variety of seeds from a number of different growers in two hoop houses, also known as high tunnels. One hoop house will have a double layer of plastic with air pumped in between for extra insulation to extend the growing season even longer.

“We like to try the newest (seeds) on the market. We’ll grow those for two or three years in replicated studies. That information is published so the commercial growers can get an idea of what would produce the best for them under our conditions,” Kirk says.

The hoop house research is among several research projects going on at Lincoln University’s Carver Farm.

AUDIO: Steven Kirk interview March 2011 (3:00 mp3)