The Hoophouse Handbook: Growing Produce and Flowers in
Hoophouses and High Tunnels -- by Growing for Market. Hoophouses
are the greatest thing in market farming since the tractor! A
hoophouse is a low-cost, low-tech greenhouse structure that is
erected right in the field so plants can be grown in the ground,
but with some protection from the elements. Hoophouses rely on
the sun for heat, and natural ventilation for cooling. Because
of their low cost to build and operate, hoophouses can pay for
themselves in just one season. Hoophouses are also known as high
tunnels, cold frames and passive solar greenhouses. They have
been widely used in Europe for decades. Now growers everywhere
are discovering the many benefits of growing in a hoophouse:
Crops get an earlier start in spring and can be produced later
in fall; Cold-hardy crops can be grown all winter; Crops that
can't be grown outside because of wind thrive in a hoophouse;
Yield and quality in most crops are greatly improved. Besides
producing great food and