Hoop House

We use a variety of methods at Gibbet Hill Farm to extend the growing season.  One of these methods is the use of hoop houses.  Hoop houses are a lot like greenhouses, except rather than planting seedlings on tables as we do in a greenhouse, we are planting straight into the ground.  The combination of geothermal heat from the earth, solar heat captured by the plastic roof, as well as the protection from wind and snow allows the Farm to grow crops well after the first frost.  In the fall, we get spinach and salad greens growing into December.  We plant again in February so that we can have our first harvest in April rather than late May.  Some of our heirloom tomatoes are planted in hoop houses earlier then otherwise possible, allowing us to harvest then in June rather than late July.

While not a total solution by itself, our hoop houses, along with our root cellar and our pickling and canning efforts, allow Gibbet Hill Farm produce to be served in our restaurants 12 months a year.