Comments on: Column: Seeds & Stems

By: lisa gottlieb

lisa gottlieb — Wed, 19 May 2010 16:13:07 +0000

Thanks for spreading the word about the value of hoop houses for Michigan farmers, schools, hospitals and other institutions, as well as home owners who want to grow their groceries year ’round. We are always looking for volunteers to support our hoop house builds. We are an all volunteer organization, and can’t do our work with out support from our community. Please contact us through our website, linked in the article, for more information and to sign up. Thank you!

By: Vivienne Armentrout

Vivienne Armentrout — Mon, 17 May 2010 20:54:44 +0000

That is Fuligo septica. See [link]. I like them. But I grew up with The Blob.

By: cosmonıcan

cosmonıcan — Mon, 17 May 2010 17:01:12 +0000

A bit off-topic, but I found a huge slime mould in the garden today, isn’t it kind of cool and early for these? May 17, Noon, looks like dog vomit type, 7X5X3/8″ bright yellow, on top of cardboard and hardwood mulch, full sun. Can’t post image, computer down.

If it was August, I’d expect it to turn purple and start walking around later.

By: Vivienne Armentrout

Vivienne Armentrout — Sun, 16 May 2010 21:20:59 +0000

Anyone with an interest in hoophouses should surely want to know Shannon Brines, who pioneered their use in this area and has been selling greens from his hoophouse at the Farmers' Market for years. This year he started a CSA for winter greens. I've heard Shannon say that on the very coldest days he puts additional layers of nonwoven row cover over the plants in his house. I think that one year with an especially cold winter he did have a little bit of crop failure or at least nongrowth in February. His farm website is [link] and from there you can link to his blog, where he discusses many local food issues as well as reports on his CSA, etc.

By: Mary Morgan

Mary Morgan — Sun, 16 May 2010 14:16:50 +0000

Amy Whitesall, a writer who lives in Chelsea, keeps a blog called Yardville about her experiences building a hoop house in her backyard. [link] It's a fun read, with some practical advice – like a description of why you shouldn't underestimate the water pressure behind a drip irrigation system.

By: Dan Ezekiel

Dan Ezekiel — Sat, 15 May 2010 19:43:38 +0000

I visited this hoop house on cold days in December and February, wondering if Tomm’s claim that it could grow produce year round without any heat source other than the sun could be true. It is quite amazing to smell that garden smell of warm wet earth and growing greens on a 20 degree winter day.