Northlands Winter Greenhouse Manual

A Must-Have Manual!

I've wanted to build a greenhouse for years. This manual is exactly what I've needed. The narrative lays it out pretty simply: dig down a certain distance, fill with certain materials, etc. The specifications and calculations, which I'll use later, make it possible for me to do it right. The pictures and diagrams are very helpful, too. If I did what the narrative said, without the benefit of pictures, I'd think I'd made a mess of it. It's a complicated system that I believe can be done almost painlessly using this book's guidance. I want to attach the greenhouse to the back of the house. This book spells that out. I've tried to amass used materials to construct greenhouses described in other books. It hasn't worked. Making the investment in the right materials to accomplish the best technological possibilities makes sense. As I read the planting and harvesting info, I knew I'd plot it on a calendar, so I could see how the timing worked for Carol and Chuck, and so I could get a better idea of what I'd need to do when. I live further north and will have a smaller space. Day length is probably not significantly shorter. Reviewing how Carol and Chuck thought about problems helps me learn how to think about them for myself.

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Winter Greenhouse...the next step?

This book presents how to build and use a passively heated greenhouse. The system presented obviously works well. I would recommend googling "Subterranean Heating and Cooling System" for more information. The sunnyjohn dot com site has some really useful information that would help one take the ideas in Ford and Waibel's book one step further. I think the authors of the Winter Greenhouse Manual are on the verge of a great idea for north country greenhouses. I am thinking that instead of abandoning the greenhouse in the summer, additional heat could be stored underground that could be used in the Winter. The underground ductwork would need to be expanded. The underground ductwork should also originate from two manifolds so that the airflow through each duct could be tuned so that all the ducts participate in the underground heat exchange. I am not sure how changing the summer time management methods presented would affect the bug control though.

I ran across this book by a recommendation on an aquaponics forum. I am using this book as food for thought on how to set up a temperate climate aquaponics system.

Good ideas, good personal experience information, an excellent springboard for ideas in many fields of food production.

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