Mahoney Family's Gable Cedar Cold Frames

The winds that blast across the Mahoney’s lakefront property are no joke. Gusts that routinely reach 40 MPH topple wood patio furniture like dominoes, and quickly weed out all but the strongest landscape plants and flowers.

Their organic kitchen garden is mere feet from the water’s edge, and right on the front lines of this daily barrage.  Despite a generous automated watering schedule, the soil can quickly dry out from exposure, and even in ideal spring conditions, establishing tender young seedlings can be a challenge.  

The same gale that can be a blustery but manageable force in warmer months is much less forgiving when it comes with the bite of winter. 

Mahoney Family's 5'x8' Cedar Gable Cold Frames from Microfarm Organic Gardens on Vimeo.

A healthy assortment of established cool season varieties in the Mahoney's garden was beginning to flag, and Microfam’s Gable Cedar Cold Frame design was the answer. Sturdy cedar framing fitted with Agribon AG19 fabric, will allow water , air and light to pass through, while protecting the established cool season plants from wind gusts and frost.  The gable design sheds excess water and debris, and features two hinged lids that can be propped open for easy access to the garden.

Not only can the Microfarm Gable Cedar Cold Frame design protect fall gardens well into winter, but they also give growers a head start on early spring sowing, helping warm the soil for improved germination, and protecting young seedlings from insect pests, wind  and frost.

During the summer months, the design’s hinged lids can be easily removed and stored until they are needed again.

Interested in protecting your organic garden with a Microfarm Gable Cedar Coldframe? click here to get started.

Greenhouse Glazing

Like choosing the color you paint your house, or the new countertops in the kitchen, greenhouse glazing is a decision you’re may have to live with for a while. Once the greenhouse location has been selected, the clear material used to cover the greenhouse, or glazing, should be the next selection in the design process. The type and weight of glazing material will then dictate the strength requirements and design of the greenhouse’s frame.

Building a high tunnel style greenhouse with a PVC frame to get through one winter? A roll of lightweight polyethelene sheeting will do the trick.

Creating an elegant lean-to structure built onto the south facing side of a luxury home? A high performance, multi-pane glass would be more appropriate.

But whatever the greenhouse glazing material, ultimately the goal is the same: To create an indoor grow environment that allows for control of temperature and humidity while allowing natural sunlight to reach the plants. While it is certainly feasible to use supplemental lighting inside a greenhouse, most growers will rely on sunlight, thus the greenhouse should be directionally located to receive the maximum about of available sunlight.

Though solar radiation has a broad spectrum of wavelengths, studies have shown that only wavelengths between 400-700 nanometers are useful for photosynthesis in plants. Known scientifically as photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), radiation in this range is about the same as what is visible to the human eye, and inevitably, sun light will lose some of its radiation as it passes through glazing into a greenhouse. Shading from the actual greenhouse frame, benches, and shelving can also reduce the amount of light that reaches plants by as much as 30 percent.

In addition to light transmission, several other variables should be carefully considered when selecting greenhouse glazing:

Maintenance : how easy is it to clean dirt, leaves, bird droppings, etc. from the glazing material. How difficult is it to repair damaged glazing?

Life Span: How many years will the glazing material perform at an optimum level before it must be replaced?

Structural Value: How strong is the glazing material, and how substantial must the greenhouse frame be in order to support it?

Insulation(R – Value): How effective is the glazing material at retaining heat? R value is a measure of a material’s thermal resistance, and in theory, the higher the R-Value number, the better the material’s insulation value.

Degradation: How quickly will the glazing material break down and lose performance from UV exposure?

GLASS

The first and only greenhouse glazing option for many people, glass has many advantages. It’s plentiful, strong, long lasting, and has high R-value and as much as 90% light transmission. It comes in different thicknesses, and is made with high performance coatings that allow even more control of the conditions inside the greenhouse.  It’s the ideal glazing in so many ways, but it does have a couple of drawbacks that should be considered. Glass is fragile, and sometimes a broken pane is unavoidable. At the very least this can make for a tedious morning spent picking pieces of glass out of  garden bed or gravel floor, and worst this can post a significant risk to personal safety. Another consideration for glass glazing is weight.  Single pane glass isn’t especially heavy, but it adds up quickly when building with double or triple pan high performance glass sheets, requiring careful consideration of the strength of the frame design.

Single Pane Glass (R-Value 2-8)
This plentiful and inexpensive glazing material offers about 90% light transmission, but should be handled with care and considered carefully along with other, less fragile(dangerous) glazing options. While 3/32” and 1/8” panes are commonly used, investing in thicker,  ¼” single pane glass will greatly increase impact resistance. Remember that with thicker glass, of course, comes more weight, requiring a more substantial greenhouse frame capable of supporting the heavier load.

Laminated Glass
Made by sandwiching a layer of plastic or resin between two layers of glass. It’s frequently called safety glass or shatterproof glass because the plastic layer holds fragments together if the pane is shattered.

Tempered Glass
Created by controlling the cooling phase of production, tempered glass can resist about four times the impact of regular glass. In the event that it does break, tempered glass shatters into tiny pieces, called dicing. While it’s a tedious process to clean up a myriad of tiny bits of glass, the danger of being seriously hurt by a large shard falling from overhead is dramatically reduced.

Double and Triple Pane Glass
Two or three layers of glass with an air space in between them are held apart by a special, moisture absorbing  beading.  While R-value is improved, light transmission is substantially reduced with double or triple paned glass glazing. Eventually the seals between panes will break down allowing moisture between the panes, producing a clouded effect and further reducing light transmission.

Low E and MC Low E Glass
Frequently used for solariums (glazed roofs) and sun rooms ( solid roofs), tempered low emission, or low e  glass is available as an upgrade by some high end greenhouse manufacturers. It allows heat to enter the greenhouse, helps retain heat inside, and also blocks UV radiation from the sun.  Tempered Low e and MC low e glass can reduce light transmission to as low as 65%, also blocking much of the light spectrum that plants need for vigorous growth, making it a better choice for a solarium application than a greenhouse.

FIBERGLASS (R-Value 1-4)
Available in flat or corrugated sheets, fiberglass is flexible and strong and delivers about 90% light transmission. It’s inexpensive, lightweight, easy to install, and impact resistant.  Besides a more homely appearance than other glazing material, however, fiberglass tends to yellow with age, and is highly flammable. Expect about 8-12 years of useful life before it will have to be replaced.

ACRYLIC (R-Value 2-6)
Often called by the trade name Plexiglass, Acrylic has some key advantages in greenhouse glazing applications. Double walled acrylic sheets have excellent insulation value, and yield about 85% light transmission. Acrylic sheets are structurally stronger than fiberglass, and are easier to clean and maintain. The useful lifespan is similar to fiberglass, though : about 8-12 years. Keep in mind that cheaper acrylic material will quickly yellow and cloud from UV exposure. Premium acrylic panels designed for use in greenhouses are often treated with a UV resistant coating and come with a 10 year warranty against discoloration.  The nature of acrylic material makes it easy to cut, and bend into custom shapes with special heating tools, but these same properties also mean it is also easily scratched and cracked. Use care when drilling, and leave protective films in place until installation is complete.

POLYCARBONATE (R-Value 3-6)
Like acrylic, polycarbonate is sold in twin wall sheets specially made for greenhouse applications. An exterior coating that blocks UV light helps prevent discoloration and the sheets typically come with a 10 year warranty against fading. Often the material will perform for as long as 15 years however, and polycarbonate is very shatter resistant, making it a safer choice where kids or seniors may be present. It has excellent impact resistant to damage from objects like hail stones, tree branches, acorns, etc.  Twin wall polycarbonate Sheets are sold in 48” and 72” widths, in thicknesses from 6mil to 12mil or higher. Although polycarbonate is a lightweight material easily handled by one person, it has significant structural value allowing for greater spans between rafters and reducing sun light exposure lost to shadows.

POLYETHELENE  & PVC SHEETING (R-Value 1-3)
Both inexpensive and easy to install, PE and PVC sheeting also offer excellent light transmission, and are still the greenhouse glazing of choice for professional nursery growers. With a useful lifespan of just a few years, and low insulation value, plastic sheeting is not a long term glazing solution for the typical home grower, and despite even the most meticulous installation few would consider it an attractive enhancement to a residential backyard landscape.  

Urban Homesteading on WFAE's Charlotte Talks with Mike Collins

Composting toilets. City livestock permits. Goat husbandry. Rain water harvesting. These and other urban homesteading topics and were explored on-air live , and with a refreshing dose of humor on WFAE's Charlotte Talks Show with Mike Collins on 1.9.15.

In the Charlotte studio, Microfarm Organic Gardens founder Matt Kokenes joined Dr. Dave Hamilton and Laura Deyenes of Wish We Had Acres Farm, while Los Angeles based author Erik Knutzen got in on the live discussion via telephone.

According to the show's producer,  streaming was high during the brodcast, and positive feedback about the day's topic quickly amassed on the station's social media pages. Was it really that interesting? 

click here to listen to a recording of the show.

Kendra Shillington's 8'x10' Cedar Gable Greenhouse

Kendra Shillington understands the human mind better than most. In fact, it’s her job to know how our brains work and why we make the choices we do.  Kendra is an experience Architect ,  a position that has placed her squarely at the very front of the still emerging realm of design thinking. Not only does the job require an intimate and scientific grasp of both the potential and limitations of the brain, but it demands long hours, leadership, public speaking, and sometimes international travel.  Healthy lifestyle choices like yoga, meditation and acupuncture help her replenish the mental and physical capital that a career like this demands, and a diet heavy in organically grown produce leafy green vegetables is also essential for staying focused and maintaining a high level of mental and physical stamina.  

Kendra’s organic garden sits tucked behind the garage and yields nutrient packed produce like a theme park yields fun. Kale, spinach, mustard greens, lettuces and arugula have been making regular appearances on the dinner menu for some time now, but just recently Kendra added a greenhouse to increase the efficiency and production of her backyard homestead.

This sturdy 8’x10’ gable style greenhouse was framed with rough sawed red cedar 2”x4” lumber which dwarfs the standard 1.5”x1.5” framing lumber dimensions frequently used on prefabricated kit greenhouses. Rafters and studs are spaced 24” apart and connected with high performance wood screws to create a rigid frame capable of supporting heavy wind, snow and ice loads.  Kendra opted for Polygal 8mil twin wall polycarbonate glazing, which has far greater insulation value than single pane glass, and is virtually shatterproof – a good choice for reducing heating costs, and creating a safer environment, especially where children and seniors may be present.

This high performance greenhouse glazing material has nearly 90% light transmission and a UV coating to help prevent discoloration, and while Kendra’s greenhouse was built on an existing concrete slab that had once supported a shed, this cedar gable greenhouse design can be built atop a custom poured concrete slab, or a knee wall made of wood, stone or masonry. During the warmer months, automatic vent window openers will control the four vents in the structure’s roof, and a portable propane greenhouse heater till take the bite out of frigid winter nights.

What will Kendra grow in her new greenhouse? The sky is limit. Heirloom seedlings. Citrus trees. Flowers, perhaps.  But whatever she chooses to grow and whatever the season, this sturdy, elegant enhancement to her organic garden can handle whatever mother  nature can dream up, and still provide the perfect indoor grow environment.

Kendra Shillington's 8'x10' Gable Greenhouse from Microfarm Organic Gardens on Vimeo.

Interested in a Cedar Gable, lean-to, greenhouse/potting shed combination, or another custom greenhouse design?

Click here to get started.

Safely Harvesting Mushroom Logs with the Notch and Hinge Technique

You’re ready to cultivate your own gourmet mushrooms. The plug spawn has arrived. The drill is charged The cheese wax is ready.

All that stands between you and a shiitake omelet are some hardwood logs and about 6-9 months.

Of course,  for  successful spawn run and eventual fruiting of mushrooms, this can’t just be any old wood you found on the ground. Nope, those tired logs on your neighbor’s firewood stack, or that dead tree in the woods have about as likely to grow mushrooms as a lumberjack hosting a tea ceremony.

Indeed, success in cultivating mushrooms on hardwood logs depends greatly on the high levels of moisture and nutrients found in the wood tissue of living trees, which is why logs harvesting from a living tree during its dormant phase ( winter) are highly preferred. 

Since the ideal log size for mushroom cultivation is about 4”-6” x 3’ long, and it would be wise to get acquainted with your friend the chainsaw, and while it’s certainly possible to cut limbs this size from a large hardwood tree, it is often easier and safer for the novice to instead fell a small tree with a single main truck that will yield mushroom logs within the desired size range.

Mushroom Log Harvesting - Cutting the Notch from Microfarm Organic Gardens on Vimeo.

The Directional Open Face Notch and Hinge method is a simple, proven technique  for safely felling a tree, which uses a notched cut to establish the direction the tree will fall, followed by a felling cut from the other side of the truck.

Mushroom Log Harvesting - Felling the Tree from Microfarm Organic Gardens on Vimeo.

Ready to try the Notch and Hinge directional felling technique yourself?

Click here for detailed step by step guide and video tutorial from chainsaw maker Husqvarna USA. Happy Harvesting, and remember - SAFETY FIRST, ALWAYS!