Passive Solar Greenhouse Cultivation

1. Passive Solar Greenhouse Cultivation

2. Key Topics • Centurion Farms CSA • Greenhouse site selection and preparation • Greenhouse construction • Crop selection and Planting Plans • Soil preparation • Seeding-Direct sow and Transplants • Crop rotation • Temperate and water regulation • Harvest and post harvest • Field Production

3. Centurion Farms CSA • Centurion Farms, LLC is a established, socially responsible organization based on sustainable farming, environmental conservation, community service, and education • Situated on 8.5 acres, Centurion Farms, LLC follow sustainable practices including crop rotation, cover cropping, and composting to grow produce naturally, without use of synthetic chemical additives • We will strive to maintain and improve soil health, minimizing negative impact to the environment while providing healthy, local foods to our community

4. What is CSA? • CSA is a partnership between farmers and customers where customers become a member of a CSA by paying a fee at the beginning of the growing season. Farmers provide a portion or a ‘share’ of the farm’s produce to each CSA member each week throughout the growing season. • Through direct sales to members, farmers receive better prices for their crops, receive a guaranteed market for their produce, and gain some market security • CSAs create agriculture-supported communities where members receive a wide variety of foods freshly harvested from local farms and farmers are able to produce a wide variety of high quality vegetables on a small scale, while creating jobs in the community

5. Centurion Farms CSA • In 2007 Centurion Farms, LLC followed the CSA concept, growing vegetables on 1 acre garden to provide fresh produce to the needy in Northeast Michigan • Rather than selling shares to private citizens, we initially planted, grew, and harvested fresh local produce and delivered a total of 20 weekly vegetable baskets (shares) to organizations such as Huron House boys home, Hope House girls home, the Salvation Army Food Pantry, Sunrise Mission for the homeless, Mio senior citizens center, Trinity Sunday meal program and Shelter, Inc., an organization dedicated to assisting victims/survivors of abuse and their families

6. Centurion Farms CSA • In 2008 we developed the CSA market garden to continue supporting area shelters while also offering private shares to families and individuals. • Our goal is to grow the program to the point where it will support one full-time and numerous part-time employees in Alpena County • Through use of variety selection, crop rotation, and hoop houses, vegetable production can be extended to up to 8 months of the year. (2008 got a grant for ½ cost of passive solar gothic greenhouse)

7. Sunrise Food Coalition Mission Statement • As a collaboration of concerned citizens and community-based organizations, Sunrise Food Coalition is to build on existing service networks using grass-roots organizing to strengthen the health and well-being of our greater community by developing local food and farming enterprises and creating local jobs in Northeast Michigan while ensuring every community member has access to safe, nutritious, affordable food.

8. Greenhouse site selection and preparation

9. Greenhouse Construction

10. Greenhouse Construction

11. Crop Selection and Planting Plans

12. Soil Preparation • Remove and compost previous crop • Addition of organic matter • Utilize a no till system, (fork ) • Rake bed • Sow and water 29 April 2009

13. Direct Seed or Transplant Transplants Tomato, Eggplant, Peppers, Melon, Cukes squash, brassicaceas Direct Sow, carrots, radish, spring onions, peas, beets, etc..

14. Crop Rotation • 5 beds • Each bed grouped by family or similar cultivation of crops • Not growing crop in same bed, rotated to a different bed each season

15. Temperature and Water

16. Water

17. Harvest and Post Harvest

18. Let’s go and check out greenhouse and a bit on Field Production