cold climate crops

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The National SustainableAgriculture Information Service,ATTRA (www.attra.ncat.org),was developed and is managedby the National Center forAppropriate Technology (NCAT).

The project is funded througha cooperative agreement withthe United States Departmentof Agricultures Rural Business-Cooperative Service. Visit theNCAT website (www.ncat.org/sarc_current.php) formore information onour other sustainableagriculture andenergy projects.

1-800-346-9140 www.attra.ncat.orgA project of the National Center for Appropriate Technology

By Tammy Hinman

NCAT AgricultureSpecialist

Published 2011

NCAT

IP414

Specialty Crops for Cold Climates

Introduction

Farmers market customers, restaurants,institutions, and even grocery stores wantto buy local oods. In northern latitudes

and higher elevations, however, producing oodlocally or these kinds o markets has its chal-lenges. Proftable market gardening requires uti-lization o three out o the our seasons. But howcan this be done in areas where the growingseason is so short? Tis publication is intendedor small-scale growers or gardeners who wouldlike to produce or markets in climates thathave short growing seasons. Most areas in theIntermountain West have low humidity andextreme uctuations in temperatures, shortgrowing seasons, and challenging soils. Despitethe chal lenges, however, there are proftable armbusinesses in the northern latitudes and higher

elevations. In this publication, we will discussspecialty crop production in these climates. Wewill also address the challenges, crops that growwell here, and season extension techniques tohelp mitigate the challenges.

Beore starting a arm or garden in a coldclimate, it is important to fnd some clima-tological inormation or the area where youintend to plant. Te average high and low tem-peratures or the growing season and the aver-age frst and last rost dates are indicators o

what kind o temperature luctuations youmay have, as well as the length o your grow-ing season. Te National Weather Service hashistorical climate inormation, although it maybe di cult to fnd on their website. Tere aresources or fnding your regional climate inor-mation listed under the Climate Inormationheading in the Further Resources section.

Small-scale market gardeners can overcome some o the challenges o proftably producing local oods

in cold climates through seed and plant selection, season extension techniques, and niche marketing.

A combination o season ex tension and appropriate crops can make small-scale arming proftable in cold

climates. Photo: NCAT

Contents

Introduction ......................1

How Climatic FactorsAect Your Crops ............2

Planting SpecialtyCrops under theSPIN Model ........................3

Specialty Cold CropsWithout SeasonExtension Tools ................3

Perennial Fruits ................5

Other AlternativeCrops to Consider ............7

Season ExtensionTechniques ........................8

How to MarketCool-seasonSpecialty Crops ............. 10

Conclusion .......................11

Reerences ...................... 12

Further Resources ........ 12


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Page 2 ATTRA Specialty Crops or Cold Climates

listed in your seed catalog or packet (Gough,2008). Simple hoop houses and low tunnels arequite eective at moderating cool nighttime tem-

peratures. For more detail on this topic see theSeason Extension section in this publication.

emperature uctuations can be challenging orcool-loving crops as well, but or the oppositereason: high daytime temperatures are stress-

ul. Shade structures and shade cloth can helpextend the growing season or heat-sensitivecrops such as spinach, mustard greens, and let-tuce. It is also essential to plant successions othese crops in order to guarantee ull supply othese products, but shade will help ensure thatspeciic plantings will last longer. For moreinormation on succession planting see theARA publication Scheduling Vegetable Plant-ings for Continuous Harvest. https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=20

Limited Frost-ree DaysAnother eature o colder climates is a limitednumber o rost-ree days. It is not uncommonor the average last rost date to be in late May/early June and the average frst rost date to bein mid-September. A number o crops actuallydo well with light rost and cooler tempera-tures that tend to dominate the early and laterparts o a growing season in cold climates. Tesecrops are oten reerred to as cool-season crops.

Tey include a host o Brassicaceae (broccoli,mustards, kale, etc.), lettuces, onions, and peas.For a list o common cool- and warm-seasoncrops, see ables 1 and 2.

How Climatic FactorsAfect Your Crops

Temperature FluctuationsMany vegetable crops, especially warm-seasoncrops such as tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants,do not grow well with the wide temperatureluctuations that are common in the Inter-mountain West. In many areas o this region,the lack o relative humidity in the air will causeday and nighttime temperatures to dier by 50degrees in the summer months. Tis is not thecase in northern latitudes o the Midwest andNortheast, where temperatures typically stay20 degrees warmer at night. In order to grow

sensitive warm-season crops, eorts to moderatetemperature uctuations must be made, or youneed to account or cold night temperatures byadding two weeks to the days until maturity

Table 1: Cool-season crops that do not require protection

Crop Number o successions Intervals between plantings

Peas 1-2 Spring and late summer or all harvest

Radishes 4 Every 2 weeks in spring and all

Mustard Greens (including arugula) 3 Every 2 weeks in spring and all

Broccoli 2 Spring and late summer or all harvest

Cauliower 2 Spring and late summer or all harvest

Lettuce 4 Every 2 to 3 weeks

Fennel 2 Spring and late summer or all harvest

Radicchio 3 Every 2 weeks in spring and all

Scallions 4 Every 2 to 3 weeks

Are you a cold climate farmer?

The United States Department o Agriculture has designated specifc

zones throughout the United States based on average frst and last

rost-ree dates and minimum and maximum temperatures. The USDA

Hardiness Zone Map divides North America into 11 separate zones;

each zone is 10F warmer (or colder) in an average winter than the

adjacent zone (US National Arboretum, 1990). I you see a hardiness

zone mentioned in a catalog or plant description, chances are it reers

to the USDA map. This map provides a rough estimate o what typeso crops, trees, and shrubs can grow in your area. This publication will

use a reerence point o Zone 5a or lower to defne cold-climate arm-

ing. To fnd your zone, see the National Arboretum website www.usna.

usda.gov/Hardzone/index.html.
https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=20https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=20https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=20https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=20


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Page 3ATTRAwww.attra.ncat.org

research a market beorehand. What ethnic pop-ulations shop there? I you are already selling ata armers market, ask your ethnic customers

what kind o vegetable they would like youto produce. Many specialty ethnic vegetableshappen to be warm-season crops, such as chilipeppers, bitter melons, and eggplants; however,there are a host o Asian greens, ethnic herbs,and Italian vegetables that grow well withoutseason extension tools in cold climates.

Baby VegetablesTe baby vegetable craze began in Europe about15 years ago. Many high-end restaurants in the

United States have adopted the trend and look tolocal armers to supply them. Baby vegetables arealso very popular at higher-end armers markets.Te critical production strategy with baby vegeta-bles is succession planting and timing o harvest.

Planting Specialty Cropsunder the SPIN Model

SPIN is an acronym or Small Plot Intensivearming. SPIN arming is a non-technical, easy-to-learn, and inexpensive-to-implement vegetablearming system that makes it possible to earn sig-nifcant income rom land bases under an acre insize. Founded by a couple in Canada, SPIN uti-lizes extensive succession planting (called relays)o proftable crops that require little space to pro-duce. Many o the crops utilized within the SPINmodel happen to be cool-season crops such asradishes, scallions, lettuce mix, and greens mixes.SPIN arming mostly takes place in urban areas

where local ood marketing opportunities areplentiul, and land is not. For more inormationon the SPIN-arming production model, see theFurther Resources section below.

Specialty Cold Crops WithoutSeason Extension Tools

Specialty VegetablesSpecialty vegetables can be considered any varia-tion rom the typical market are. Tis could bebaby, heirloom, or ethnic products. Producing spe-cialty vegetables is a way to set yoursel apart inlocal markets and oten command a higher price.Many upscale restaurants are also very interestedin unusual and gourmet ruits and vegetables andare willing to pay a good price or these products.

Ethnic VegetablesEthnic vegetables are a way to set yourselapart at armers markets, but it is important to

Table 2: Warm-season crops that require protection if planting before average last frost date

Crop Number o successions Intervals between plantings

Tomatoes* 1 From transplant

Peppers * 1 From transplant

Eggplant * 1 From transplant

Summer Squash 2 From transplant and direct seed once

Winter Squash 1 From transplant

Beans 3 Every two weeks

Basil 3 Every 3 weeks

Melons * 1 From transplant

*These plants will be more likely to yield fruit if they are under a protective cover for the entire season in Zone 4 or lower.

For root vegetables such as baby beets, gol ball

size is a standard measurement or when to harvest.

Photo: NCAT


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and succulent and the optimum size or harvest.For more inormation see the ARA publi-cation Scheduling Vegetable Plantings for Con-tinuous Harvesthttps://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/viewhtml.php?id=20.

For lettuce and greens, you can use your handas a measurement tool. A common measure-ment is to harvest baby lettuce greens smallerthan your hand. Plant your produce every 2 to3 weeks to ensure that the products stay young

A Word about Seed

Using seed and planting stock that is well adapted to cold climates is important or successulgardening. For warm-season crops such as melons, tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants, look or

seed that has short days to maturity. A typical seed package will include the days to maturity

on the back. I you are ordering rom a catalog, look or warm-season crop seeds that mature

in less than 75 to 80 days. A good rule o thumb is to use seed that is adapted to your region,

which may be available rom small, regional seed companies. Judy Fisher, the owner/operator

o Fisher Garden seeds, a third-generation, small, amily-owned seed business in Montana, has

maintained many varieties that were developed by her uncle, Ken Fisher. These are adapted to

high elevations and cold climates. Her warm-season crop varieties are selected or short days

to maturity, and tolerance or cool nights. She also grows and selects seed or a host o cool-

season crops and owers. As one example, her Mountaineer winter squash seed is well adapted

to the cool nights and short growing season in Montana. It produces loads o avorul, orange-

eshed winter squash that keeps well through the winter. For more inormation and to order a

catalog, see the Further Resources section.

Judy Fisher in one o her garden seed plots. Photo: NCAT

Scheduling VegetablePlantings orContinuous Harvest

Organic Culture oBramble Fruit

Hops: OrganicProduction

Herb Production inOrganic Systems

Herbs: Organic Green-house Production

Selling to Restaurants

An Illustrated Guideto ImplementingFood SaetyPracticeson the Farm

SustainableSeason Extension:Considerationsor Design

Related ATTRApublicationswww.attra.ncat.org
https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=20https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=20https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=20https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=20


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Brambles

Brambles are a hardy perennial ruit. Tey typi-cally like acidic soils, but are tolerant o a widerange o soils. Tey have potential or high sales,especially early in the season, beore produc-tion begins in peoples home gardens. Produc-ing brambles and strawberries in hoop houses isa way to increase the season or 2 to 3 weeks oneither side o feld production. Hoop houses canalso help prevent certain pests that can be devas-tating to brambles, such as cane borers.

Cornell University Department o Horticul-

ture has developed the prototype or hoop housebramble production. Teir guide oers detailedproduction inormation, including plant selec-tion, high tunnel construction, and care andmanagement o established plantings. HighTunnel Raspberries and Blackberriesis availableonline as a PDF document. You can access it atthe ollowing link: www.ruit.cornell.edu/berry/ipm/ipmpds/hightunnelsrasp2009.pd.

Perennial FruitsMany ruit trees do not produce in the north-ern part o the Intermountain West because theyblossom beore the last average rost-ree day, orbecause the tree itsel cant tolerate deep coldsnaps during winter. Some ruit trees are adaptedto Zone 4 or lower, however. When purchasingruit trees, we recommend buying rom a local

nursery that carries hardy stock. Also, look orroot stock that is adapted to cold climates. Tereare specialty ruit shrubs and vines that do wellin colder climates, including brambles, strawber-ries, and gooseberries. Also, many perennial andbiennial ruits can be grown in hoop houses toextend the growing season both earlier and later.

In perennial ruit plantings, it is di cult tomanage weeds once the plants are established,so it is important to start with as clean a bed aspossible. Cover crops are a great way to prevent

weeds initially, with the added bonus o increas-ing organic matter in your beds. One strategy isto let some weeds germinate in the spring, thentill them in. Follow this with an aggressive sum-mer cover crop, such as sorghum-sudan grass orbuckwheat. Tese are warm-season cover crops,so they need to be planted ater your last rostdate. Te seed germinates best when soil tem-peratures are high: June to July is ideal. Oncethe summer cover crop is 3 to 4 eet high (or,with buckwheat, when it is in ull bloom), mow(or weed-eat on a smaller scale) and incorpo-

rate in late summer/early all (mid-August). Tecover crop can be incorporated with a rototille, or

whatever primary tillage implement is available.Follow up with an oat/pea cover crop (in earlySeptember) that will winter-kill in most coldclimates. Tis crop residue can be incorporatedeasily in early spring or spring ruit planting.

Te New York State Agriculture ExperimentStation has developed an online guide or covercrops. It details planting, maintenance, andincorporation inormation or many types o

cover crops suitable in the Northeast and north-ern cold climates. Te inormation and link orthis publication are in the Further Resourcessection below.

Fruit trees and bushes are best planted dormantin early spring or mid-all. Te ollowing sectionwill ocus on specifc perennial ruits that thrivein colder climates.

Weed-eaten sorghum-sudan grass at the authors arm. Photo: NCAT

For more specifc production inormation

or these particular ruits, see the ollowing

ATTRA publications (www.attra.ncat.org)

Brambles: Organic Production

Strawberries: Organic Production
http://www.fruit.cornell.edu/berry/ipm/ipmpdfs/hightunnelsrasp2009.pdfhttp://www.fruit.cornell.edu/berry/ipm/ipmpdfs/hightunnelsrasp2009.pdfhttp://www.fruit.cornell.edu/berry/ipm/ipmpdfs/hightunnelsrasp2009.pdf


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Although the Cornell publicat ion is an excel-lent resource or producing raspberries in hoophouses, it does not ocus on organic produc-tion. See ARAs publication Organic Cul-ture o Bramble Fruitor specifc inormation onorganic pest and ertility management.https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/bramble.html

Alternative FruitsAmelanchier or June Berries

Amelanchier alnifolia, a sturdy Montana nativeshrub, produces blueberry-like ruit thats sweetand juicy. Tis shrub, which is grown mainly asa landscape plant in cold climates, is known bymany names including Saskatoon, serviceberry,and Juneberry. It is a good choice or cold-cli-mate production, particularly in the Inter-mountain West. Te plants preer rich, moist,

well-drained, slightly acidic soil, but they are

adaptable to many soil and climate conditions.Tey can thrive in ull sun or partial shade,

wet or dry sites, and some species even toleratedrought. Good soil, drainage, and air circula-tion will prevent any lea diseases, and wateringduring droughts will reduce stress and optimizeruit yields (Gough, 2010).

Amelanchier is oten compared to the blue-berry in terms o size, texture, and avor, withmore o an almond avor and distinctive seedswithin the berry. Te bushes produce clusters o

avorul sweet ruit. Saskatoons grow in a bushormat and, once mature, can range in heightrom 6 to 14 eet and approximately 4 to 6 eetin width.

Hoch Orchard, an organic orchard in Minnesota, has two

Haygrove feld tunnels with bramble crops inter-planted with

annual and long-term ruits. The short-term crops within the

tunnels are annual vegetables and strawberries. Mid-term peren-

nial ruit crops such as raspberries and blackberries are plantedevery other row. Long-term perennial sweet cherries that are not

able to grow outside in their northern climate are planted in the

tunnels. As plantings mature, the owners are able to generate

revenue rom the strawberries and brambles within the tunnels

or the frst, second, and third years, beore the cherries mature.

Their hoop-house brambles are available both beore and ater

their feld-grown brambles.Serviceberry. Photo: courtesy o dbarronoss through

Creative Commons


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Regent is the variety grown or its ruit, butthere are many other cultivated varieties. Rela-tively small orchards or plantations o species thathave been selected or their ruit may producehigh yields and profts, especially in areas whereblueberries do not grow. For more inormation on

production, planting, and where to fnd stock, seethe Further Resources section below.

Gooseberry and Currant

Gooseberries and currants are closely related(both are Ribes spp.) and have relatively thesame management requirements. Currants have

three dierent distinct typesblack, red, andwhitewhile gooseberries range rom green-ish-white to red. While they will tolerate a widerange o soils, a well-drained soil high in organic

matter will bring the highest yields.

Plant gooseberries 4 to 5 eet apart. Currants andgooseberries have relatively little pest pressure.White pine blister rust used to be a big problemwith Ribes species, but there are resistant varietiesavailable now (see the text box or resistant vari-eties). Mature plants will yield 4 to 5 pounds oruit per bush. Gooseberries have thorns and thisshould be a consideration in harvesting ruit.

Other Alternative Fruit Cropswith Economic Potential

Tere are many cold-hardy ruit shrubs that havesome economic potential or specialty ruit grow-ers in cold climates but are not regularly used orcommercial purposes. Lingonberry is a very cold-hardy shrub native to Scandinavian highlands.It has a tart avor similar to cranberries. Teyrequire a low pH (or acid) soil, so it would be di-fcult to grow them in the Calcierous soils o thearid west. Highbush cranberries are more toleranto dierent kinds o soil, except clay. Teir ber-ries are tart and frm and they sweeten and soten

ater rost. Some varieties grown or their ruitinclude Andrews and Wentworth. (Nelson,2003). Te Arctic, or hardy, kiwi has smootherskin than the typical kiwi you see in stores. It also

has potential as a cash crop, but it needs a pro-tected spot i you are producing in Zone 4. It willlikely not survive in Zone 3 or lower.

Gooseberry Varieties

There are several thousand varieties o gooseberries: 3,004 red, 675

yellow, 925 green, and 280 white. In general, gooseberry varieties all

into two categories: the small-ruited but mildew-resistant American

gooseberry (Ribes hirtellum) and the larger European gooseberry (Ribes

uva-crispa); however, most varieties in the U.S. are hybrids o the above

two species, one American and one European.

Some gooseberry varieties resistant to white pine blister rust

include:

Hinnomaki Redis a dark red, medium-sized ruit rom Finland, with

an outstanding lavor, whose outer skin is tangy, while the lesh

is sweet.

Amish Red is a new large-ruited and avorul variety with excellent

disease resistance.

Poorman originated in Utah, the result o an American X European

type cross, and was introduced in 1888. Dont let the name ool

you, as it is one o the larger, better-avored, resh-eating type

o gooseberry, equally good or pies, jams, and other processed

products (Moorely 1999).

This variety is a hybrid named Jeanne. It is a late-ripening, dark red,

dessert gooseberry. Photo: Kim Hummer, courtesy o USDA, ARS National

Clonal Germplasm Repository Corvallis

Other Alternative Crops to ConsiderHopsHops are a cold-hardy plant with renewed market potential rom thepopularity o micro-brewing. Hops are very hardy perennial vines thatrequire a trellising system. Currently, most hops are grown on the PacifcCoast, where disease pressure is lower than in the humid eastern U.S.


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Page 8 ATTRA Specialty Crops for Cold Climates

Herbs: Organic Greenhouse Productionhttps://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=53

Many perennial herbs are cold-hardy and workwel l within a divers ifed arming operat ion.Cold-hardy culinary herbs include thyme, sage,oregano, and mint. Some medicinal herbs arealso very hardy in cold climates, such as echi-

nacea, wormwood, motherwort, pennyroyal,scullcap, valerian, catnip, and licorice.

Culinary herbs are airly easy to grow, andmost make it through harsh Zone 3 to 4 win-ters. Mulching herbs with straw, shredded bark,or leaves will help ensure their winter survival.Some o the medicinal herbs are also quitehardy, but others take some horticultural fnesseto simulate their natural environment. Whenordering seeds or starts, it is important to ol-low the directions or cultivation and site choice.A resource list or inormation on growing andmarketing medicinal herbs is available romthe Alternative Farming Systems InormationCenter (a section o the National AgricultureLibrary) www.nal.usda.gov/asic/AFSIC_pubs/mherb.htm.

Season Extension Techniques

Hoop HousesHoop houses, or high tunnels, are simple,unheated, greenhouse-like structures that provide

less control o environmental conditions than ullgreenhouses, but at substantially less cost. Teyare usually covered with a single layer o plas-tic and are ventilated only with roll-up sides.

Hops are produced on climbing vines romfemale rhizomes planted one to a hill, with four

to six vines per plant. Te emale cone is thepart o the hops plant that is marketable. Tecone is only produced on plants that have a trel-lising system. Vines are trained on almost verti-cal strings to a at, overhead trellis. rellis polesupports need to be at least 12 eet above theground and no more than 25 feet apart.

Building a small-scale commercial hops trellis isa huge undertaking. Even a small project requiresa lot o planning, good communication skills,and management o time and fnancial details.A North Central SARE grant unded research

on hops market development at Simple EarthHops arm. Teir website has a lot o inorma-tion on establishing a -acre hopyard measur-ing around 100 eet by 100 eet. See the FurtherResources section or the link to this presen-tation and other inormation on growing andmarketing hops.

Te ARA publication Hops: Organic Produc-tion has a good overview o organic hops pro-duction and marketing. https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=87

HerbsMany ARA publications specifcally addressproduction of herb crops.

Herb Production in Organic Systemshttps://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=42

The most signifcant investment or hops production is the trellising system.

Photo: NCAT

ATTRA resources for season extension:

ATTRAnews on Season Extension

https://attra.ncat.org/newsletter/attranews_

0509.html

Hoop Houses for Season Extension webinar

https://attra.ncat.org/video

Season Extension Techniques for Market Gardeners

https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/viewhtml.

php?id=366

Sustainable Season Extension:

Considerations for Design

https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/

summary.php?pub=370
https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=53https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=53http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/AFSIC_pubs/mherb.htmhttp://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/AFSIC_pubs/mherb.htmhttps://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=87https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=87https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=42https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=42https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=42https://attra.ncat.org/newsletter/attranews_0509.htmlhttps://attra.ncat.org/newsletter/attranews_0509.htmlhttps://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/viewhtml.php?id=366https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/viewhtml.php?id=366https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=370https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=370https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=87https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=53https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=42http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/AFSIC_pubs/mherb.htmhttps://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=370https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/viewhtml.php?id=366https://attra.ncat.org/newsletter/attranews_0509.html


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When considering a hoop house structure, it isimportant to calculate the costs and returns obuilding one. Hoop houses are commonly soldin units o 48 or 98 eet long, but they can beordered in any length. Te cost o a 14-oot x96-oot unit o single poly, with roll-up sidesand including end-walls and doors and driptape is about $2,000-$3,000, depending on theconstruction materials (Conner, 2007).

Michigan State University Horticulture pro-gram has developed a sample business plan withenterprise budget samples or cool- and warm-season crops based on costs and returns romseveral dierent arms. www.mottgroup.msu.edu/uploads/fles/59/HoopHouseBulletin.pd

Low TunnelsLow tunnels are a mini version o the hoophouses described above. Tey are used as tem-

porary season extenders and work well to keepnighttime temperature up to 5 degrees higherthan ambient air temperature. Electrical conduitthat measures 1 to 1 inches works well to ormhoops. At the authors arm, there are 3-ootbeds with 6-oot long, 1-inch electrical conduit.I the conduit is longer (approximately 10 eet

works best), hoops can be driven 1 oot intothe ground to secure them on either side o thebed. Hoops are placed about 2 to 3 eet apart.

Another option is driving 2-oot rebar lengthsor a larger-diameter conduit on either side

o the bed to hold the hoops upright. I you arein an area with high winds, the hoops can be

A typical high tunnel does not have a heating orcooling system and is easily taken down and putup. In most areas this is an advantage because itdoes not have a oundation and is considered anon-taxable structure.

Te hoops or the high tunnel are oten placedapproximately 4 eet apart. Many plans call orusing 2-inch schedule 40 PVC or the hoops,

which is an economical alternative, but the plas-tic pipes tend to be less rigid than metal andmore susceptible to damage in areas with highwinds. A narrow building width (approximately14 eet or so) lends itsel well to roll-up-side ven-tilation. unnels and greenhouses with verticalsides that rise up beore curving provide betterside-to-side ventilation and allow or better useo growing spaces along the edges inside than anarc rame. In order to have vertical sides, how-ever, you must use abricated pipe or bend thepipe yoursel (Blomgren and Frisch, 2007).

Drip irrigation is oten used in high tunnels.It works well because it keeps relative humid-ity down, which helps prevent diseases. Anotherdisadvantage o overhead irrigation is that it canburn the leaves i it is done in the middle o theday. A typical production system or high tun-nels is in-ground culture but, alternatively, potscan be placed on the ground or on benches.

An excellent USDA-sponsored project that hastested and promoted high-tunnel systems in theCentral Great Plains is hightunnels.org. his

online resource eatures three dierent plans onhow to build simple hoop houses, as well as cul-tural inormation on growing certain vegetablesand ruits in them. It is one o the best compre-hensive, armer-riendly resources about hoophouses on the Internet. www.hightunnels.org

The authors small 20-oot x 12-oot hoop house built

over an existing raised bed. The hoop house is taken

down in the winter and rotated to dierent bed each

year. Photo: NCAT

Gallatin Valley Botanicals arm in Bozeman, Montana, utilizes both low and high

tunnels as season extension tools. Photo: NCAT


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or Plasticulture. Teir website is quite inorma-tive regarding their research on dierent-coloredmulches http://plasticulture.cas.psu.edu/.

Most growers generally buy black plastic mulch,however. It is oten used in combination withsome o the season extension strategies describedabove. I you are certifed organic, or plan tobecome certifed, it is important to keep in mindthe organic standard or using plastic mulch:

205.206 (c) (6) Crop pest, weed and diseasemanagement practice standard:

Weed problems may be controlled throughplastic or other synthetic mulches, provided thatthey are removed rom the feld at the end o thegrowing or harvest season.

How to Market Cool-seasonSpecialty CropsFor any market garden, it is important to con-

sider which market is right or you and yourarm. In order to assess the types o markets it isimportant to ask yoursel these questions:

Is my farm location conducive to direct market-ing?Are you near lucrative armers markets, res-taurants, and specialty ood stores? I not, youmight need to consider wholesale marketing.

Do I enjoy interacting with people?I so, armersmarkets might be perect. I not, something thatdoes not require as much personal interactionmight be a better ft.

Many o the crops described here are unique andcould provide a great draw to a armers marketstand throughout the season. I you are using theseseason-extension techniques on your arm, chancesare that your harvest season extends past the seasono operation or a typical armers market or otherseasonal direct market. Tis section will describesome options or marketing specialty vegetablesand ruits beyond the typical armers market.

Winter Farmers MarketsTe armers market season is extending in manylocations across the U.S., with year-round mar-kets, special winter or holiday markets, or sim-ply a longer season that runs through December.It is important to decide to produce or thesemarkets by late summer/early all. Te cropsthat you would like to market in late a ll needto be planted in the feld or hoop house in late

July or early August in order to achieve opti-mum yields in the limited light and cold days o

winter. I you currently sell at a armers market,

urther secured withtwine. he authorsecured 10-oot-wideplastic rom an oldgreenhouse on one sideby digging a trench,placing 6 to 8 incheso plastic in it, and fll-ing it over. he other

side has heavy-duty,plastic sandbags flled

with rocks. Tis designhas withstood the 30 to40 mph winds at theauthors place. hereare a ew dierentdesigns available.

Wel l- known se asonextension pioneer EliotColeman describes his

system inMother EarthNewsOctober/Novem-ber 2009 edition. It isavailable online (www.

motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/Low-unnels-Quick-Hoops.aspx) or in his bookWinter Harvest(see Further Resources sectionbelow). Eliot Coleman uses his low tunnels togrow cold-hardy vegetables through the winterand to overwinter some crops to be made avail-able frst thing in the spring. We reserve our lowtunnel or growing warm-season crops that take

a lot o room, such as melons and cantaloupes.

Plastic MulchMany growers use black plastic mulch overtheir beds to increase soil warmth in the spring.Te potential benefts o using plastic mulchinclude soil warming, reduced evaporation,increased yield and earliness, reduced nutrientleaching, improved nutrient uptake, and weedmanagement (Grubinger, 2004). O course,there are downsides, too. Tese include the costo the material and greater labor and equip-ment expense to apply and remove the mulch.Disposal ees can be signifcant, as well.

Tere are many dierent colors o plastic mulch.Te color o mulch has a big inuence on howit aects the microclimate around a crop plant.Tere has been extensive research on dierent-colored mulches and their eicacy, much o

which has been done at the Penn State Center

The authors low tunnels use 1-inch electrical conduit.

The hoops are secured with twine and the plastic is

secured with bags o rocks. Photo: NCAT
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/Low-Tunnels-Quick-Hoops.aspxhttp://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/Low-Tunnels-Quick-Hoops.aspxhttp://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/Low-Tunnels-Quick-Hoops.aspxhttp://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/Low-Tunnels-Quick-Hoops.aspxhttp://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/Low-Tunnels-Quick-Hoops.aspx


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publicationAn Illustrated Guide to Implementing

Food Saety Practices on the Farm.

https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/

summary.php?pub=350

ConclusionSpecialty crop production in cold climates ispossible using seeds and plants that are adapted

to your region and season-extension techniques.

Researching historical climate and soil data or

your region will help you gain an understandingo the types o crops you may be able to grow

successully, or when and with what crops to use

season-extension tools.

Season-extension techniques such as hoop

houses, low tunnels, and plastic mulch can aid

the cold-climate grower by boosting nighttimetemperatures and providing protection romrost early and late in the season.

here is potential or inding lucrative

markets or alternative and specialty crops

in cold climates. It is important to assess themarkets in the area as well as your own

propensity or direct marketing as a part o the

arm planning process.

ask the market coordinator to consider extendingthe market into the winter months.

RestaurantsRelated ARA Publication:Selling to Restaurantshttps://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=266

Many restaurants are interested in local oodsand will pay a premium. Tey can be a lucra-tive market, especially i you are located in anarea with several high-end restaurants. In orderto receive a price premium or your product,there are a ew general guidelines. Make a per-sonal visit to the che, and bring a sample oone o your productssomething that sets youapart. Make sure that your product is clean, youare clean, and that you visit when they are notbusyat an o-time during restaurant hours.

It is generally good to avoid the hours duringlunch and dinner and it is always a good idea tocall the executive che frst.

Ches appreciate knowing what is available every

week. Tey also appreciate knowing what is inseason. Faxing or emailing a weekly availabilitylist that includes prices will remind ches thatyou have product available to sell. When youdeliver, put on clean clothes and make sure yourdelivery boxes are clean and presentable.

Gourmet and SpecialtyFood MarketsGourmet and specialty ood markets willappreciate local specialty vegetables and ruitssuch as the ones described above. It is impor-tant with some o the ruits, especially the wildruit varieties, to know the shel lie o theseproducts and have an understanding o thepost-harvest handling techniques required tokeep them resh.

Tese types o markets may have ood saetyrequirements that are more stringent than arm-ers markets, such as a GAPs (Good AgriculturalPractices) plan. Tey also may have standardizedpacking requirements that are oreign to manysmall growers. When approaching a specialtystore, contact the produce buyer and ask whattype o products the market is interested in and

what the packing and ood saety standards are.For more inormation on GAPs, see the ARA

A clean, proessionally packaged sample goes a long

way with restaurant sales. Photo: Krista Stosiek,

Markristo Farms
https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=350https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=350https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=266https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=266https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=350https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=266


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Blomgren, . and . Frisch. 2007. High unnel Production.University o Vermont. 77 p.

Conner, D. 2010. Model Business Plan with Hoop Houseor Season Extension. Michigan State University. ExtensionBulletin 3112. 28 p.

Gough, Robert. 2010. Juneberries or Montana Gardens.Montana State University Extension. 2 p.

Gough, Robert and Cheryl Moore Gough. 2008. Te Mon-tana Gardeners Companion. Globe Peqout Press, Guilord,C. 213 p,.

Grubinger, Vern. November 2004. Plastic Primer. Univer-sity o Vermont Extension Service. www.uvm.edu/vtveg-andberry/actsheets/plasticprimer.html

Heidenreich, Cathy, Marvin Pritts, Mary Jo Kelly, andKathy Demchak. 2009. High unnel Raspberries andBlackberries. Cornell University. www.ruit.cornell.edu/berry/ipm/ipmpds/hightunnelsrasp2009.pd

Moorley, Elaine. 1999. Remembering the Gooseberry.Mother Earth News. Issue # 176, October/ Novem-ber. www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/1999-10-01/Remembering-the-Gooseberry.aspx

Nelson, Guy. 2003. Highbush Cranberry. Viburnum opulusL. var. americanum Ait. USDA NRCS. 4 p.

United States National Aboretum. 1990. USDA plant zonehardiness zone description. Excerpted rom:

USDA Miscellaneous Publication No. 1475. www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/index.html#intro

References

Seed rustwww.seedstrust.com/joomlaOnline seed catalog ofers heirloom seeds, vegetable seeds, bulkwildower seeds, ornamental grass seed, herb seeds, andSiberian tomato seeds, all adapted to cold, short seasons.

Fruit Production Resourcesand Plant SourcesSaskatoon Farmwww.saskatoonarm.com

Saskatoon Berry sources and other cold-climate ruitand shrubs.

Cornell University Cooperative Extension: Juneberrieswww.cceontario.org/temp2.asp?id=juneberry-production

A project in Western New York aims to provide straightanswers about the costs o establishment, the agronomicpotential, consumer appeal, and the overall suitability

o Juneberries or growers in New York and the Northeast.Tere is a lot o inormation about planting andestablishment, as well as sources o Juneberries orcommercial plantings.

Blake Nurserywww.blakenursery.com

Propagates and distributes native and cold-hardy ruitand shrubs. Based in Big imber, Montana. Not orwholesale purchasing.

Climate InormationIn any state, your local cooperative Extension service canhelp you with climate data:www.csrees.usda.gov/Extension

Western Regional Climate Center

www.wrcc.dri.edu/CLIMAEDAA.htmlInormation on historical climate or your area in the westernUnited States.

Western U.S. Climate Historical Summarieswww.wrcc.dri.edu/Climsum.html

Montana Climate Summaryhttp://gardenguide.montana.edu/mtclimate.asp

Climate data or Montana, including average rst and lastrost dates, average rost-ree days, and annual precipitation.

SeedFisher SeedsP.O. Box 236Belgrade, M 59714406-388-6052

Seeds adapted to high altitude and cool, short seasons.Call to purchase a catalog or a nominal $2.00 ee (creditcards not accepted)

Further Resources
http://www.uvm.edu/vtvegandberry/factsheets/plasticprimer.htmlhttp://www.uvm.edu/vtvegandberry/factsheets/plasticprimer.htmlhttp://www.fruit.cornell.edu/berry/ipm/ipmpdfs/hightunnelsrasp2009.pdfhttp://www.fruit.cornell.edu/berry/ipm/ipmpdfs/hightunnelsrasp2009.pdfhttp://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/1999-10-01/Remembering-the-Gooseberry.aspxhttp://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/1999-10-01/Remembering-the-Gooseberry.aspxhttp://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/index.html#introhttp://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/index.html#introhttp://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/index.html#introhttp://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/1999-10-01/Remembering-the-Gooseberry.aspxhttp://www.fruit.cornell.edu/berry/ipm/ipmpdfs/hightunnelsrasp2009.pdfhttp://www.uvm.edu/vtvegandberry/factsheets/plasticprimer.html


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Beeson Nurserywww.beesongrows.com Based in the Midwest, with several varieties o service berries.

North American Bramble Growers Association (NABGA)919-542-3687nabga@ mindspring.com

www.raspberryblackberry.com/index.cm

Hops ProductionSimple Earth Hopswww.simpleearthhops.com/p/hop-trellis-parts-list.html rellis plan and parts list.

Herb ProductionFresh Culinary Herb Production. By Lynette Morgan.2002. Suntec, Ltd, ocomaru, New Zealand. 139 p. U.S.

distribution at www.growingedge.com/store. Call 800-888-6785 or 541-757-8477 to order by phone.

Medicinal Herbs in the Garden, Field & Marketplace. ByLee Sturdivant and im Blakley. 2000. San Juan Naturals,Friday Harbor, WA. 323 p. [See especially p. 5759; 120121.]

Season Extension Resources(Excerpted rom ARAnewsApril-May 2009.)

Books rom Eliot Coleman:Maine armer/author Eliot Coleman (www.ourseasonarm.

com) has been an enthusiastic innovator o high tunnel produc-tion or 30 years. His books are available rom Chelsea GreenPublishing (800-639-4099, www.chelseagreen.com)

Winter Harvest Handbook: Year-Round VegetableProduction Using Deep Organic echniques andUnheated Greenhouses. 2009.

Four Season Harvest: Organic Vegetables from YourGarden All Year Long. 1999.

Books rom Growing or Market:

Lynn Byczynski, Kansas publisher o Growing or Marketmagazine (800-307-8949, www.growingormarket.com),oers two publications on hoop house production.

Te Hoophouse Handbook: Growing Produce and

Flowers in Hoophouses and High unnels. 2006. Extending the Season (a compilation o season-

extension articles rom Growing for Market). 2005.

High unnel Production Manual. By Bill Lamont and MikeOrzolek. Pennsylvania State University, 2003. $26.50 romDr. Bill Lamont, Department o Horticulture, 206 ysonBuilding, Penn State University, University Park, PA 16802

High unnel Production. By ed Blomgren and racyFrisch. 2007. University o Vermont.www.uvm.edu/sustainableagriculture/Documents/High

unnels.pdSolar Gardening. By Leandre and Gretchen Poisson. 1994.Available rom:Chelsea Green Publishing800-639-4099www.chelseagreen.com

Walking to Spring: Using High unnels to Grow Produce52 Weeks a Year. By Alison and Paul Wiediger,3298 Fairview Church RoadSmiths Grove, KY 42171

$15 rom www.aunaturelarm.homestead.com

Center for Plasticulture Websitehttp://plasticulture.cas.psu.edu

Soil Management ResourcesCover Crops for Vegetable (and Fruit) Plantings. By TomasBjorkman, Cornell University.http://calshort-lamp.cit.cornell.edu/bjorkman/covercrops/index.php

Further Resources continued
http://www.uvm.edu/sustainableagriculture/Documents/HighTunnels.pdfhttp://www.uvm.edu/sustainableagriculture/Documents/HighTunnels.pdfhttp://www.uvm.edu/sustainableagriculture/Documents/HighTunnels.pdfhttp://calshort-lamp.cit.cornell.edu/bjorkman/covercrops/index.phphttp://calshort-lamp.cit.cornell.edu/bjorkman/covercrops/index.phphttp://calshort-lamp.cit.cornell.edu/bjorkman/covercrops/index.phphttp://www.uvm.edu/sustainableagriculture/Documents/HighTunnels.pdf


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Notes


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Notes


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Page 16 ATTRA

Specialty Crops for Cold Climates

By Tammy Hinman

NCAT Agriculture Specialist

Published 2011

NCAT

Tracy Mumma, Editor

Amy Smith, Production

This publication is available on the Web at:

www.attra.ncat.org

IP414

Slot 408

Version 091411