High Tunnel Six Years Later 

Thanks for your question. The specifications of each individual high tunnel may vary depending on the exact model purchased. This would include how the sides are raised or lowered. We would recommend talking to a high tunnel manufacturer representative and your local NRCS field office (find contact information at www.farmers.gov/contact) for more information.

The white you see in the video is row cover Randy Pierce used to cover plants during the winter and spring. This fabric broke down quickly with the heat and moisture within the high tunnel. Nutrient Management in a high tunnel can be tricky. Because rain and snow are excluded from the high tunnel environment, the producer loses the leaching usually driven by precipitation events. Salts can build up and negatively affect the plant growth. Irrigation water needs to be monitored for salt levels regularly. The use of fertilizers should be limited to those with low salt indexes and avoid over application of any fertilizer. Animal manures can also increase salts in the soil. If salts do build up a producer could use irrigation water to leach them out by applying 6 or more inches of water depending on the soil type. Another option would be to remove the covering over winter to allow normal precipitation to leach salts. A producer can also minimize/reduce soil salts by having a diverse rotation in the high tunnel.

Have you been approved?

@@BrazilianShark yes I was approved

Thanks for your questions. NRCS specifications require a single layer of (minimum) 6-mil greenhouse grade, UV resistant polyethylene with a 4-year warranty. In Montana, we typically see high tunnels add a month on either side of the growing season - this varies across the state and site conditions where tunnels are placed. Individual producers using high tunnels may have differing experiences depending on their location, management decisions, and crop varieties.

Thank you for your interest in USDA financial assistance programs. The program that offers financial assistance for High Tunnels is the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP). And yes an individual can apply for the EQIP Program. The NRCS accepts applications for all financial assistance programs on a continuous basis. We have field offices in almost every county in Montana and you can apply for the EQIP program there in the local field office. I would encourage you to contact the local field office and inquire about EQIP and the High Tunnel Initiative. Find contact information for local field offices at www.farmers.gov/service-center-locator. You can also find some basic information about the High Tunnel Initiative on our website at www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/mt/programs/financial/eqip/a2e106b6-e5b3-478d-818e-f0be3ddafcbf/, including a fact sheet.

Thank you for your interest. This response comes from the NRCS Montana State Agronomist. "These are not sealed units. The high tunnel has netting on the sides where the plastic can be lowered to allow for air flow. This does slow down larger insects and birds but the ends of the high tunnel can also be opened for air flow as seen in the video. Also you want your pollinators to be able to come in and do their job. There is always balance between desired insects and undesirable insects. It is not possible to seal out one without sealing out the other. As noted in the video, there are those desirable insects which feed on the undesirable ones, ie. ladybugs and aphids."

MontanaNRCS that’s a point, pollinators 👍👍👍

Thank you for your interest. This response comes from the NRCS Montana State Agronomist. "These are not sealed units. The high tunnel has netting on the sides where the plastic can be lowered to allow for air flow. This does slow down larger insects and birds but the ends of the high tunnel can also be opened for air flow as seen in the video. Also you want your pollinators to be able to come in and do their job. There is always balance between desired insects and undesirable insects. It is not possible to seal out one without sealing out the other. As noted in the video, there are those desirable insects which feed on the undesirable ones, ie. ladybugs and aphids."

It's near Clarkston, Montana.

Thank you for your interest. This project is in Montana.