Thursday, February 23, 2012

Farmgirl Friday # 46 and THE HOOPHOUSE HANDBOOK Book Giveaway

Dear friends, 
Welcome to week# 46 of the Farmgirl Friday blog hop! Your favorite place to gather with kindred spirits who love to get their hands dirty whether it be working some magic on a trash to treasure makeover, planting food and flowers, canning, quilting, whipping up delicious food for families and friends, or sitting quietly knitting, crafting or reading a favorite homesteading book!

  Inside or out Farmgirls ( and boys ) have the can- do spirit to get the job done! 

Does anyone else have a case of spring fever yet? I certainly do! Part of my garden plan this year is to add a hoophouse to our backyard so I can extend the growing season of select cut flowers and some produce. I got my hands on a terrific resource through Growing for Market ( a monthly newsletter ) called The Hoophouse Handbook and it's companion Hoophouse Update. These books are a must have if you are interested in learning how to extend your growing season for produce and/or flowers. 

 Today, I'm excited to offer both books to one lucky farmgirl/boy just in time for you to consider incorporating a hoophouse into your backyard garden plan! I'm making it simple to enter! Leave a comment telling me are interested in these books!  I'll announce the winner next Friday!





 Growing in a hoophouse has many advantages. Crops and flowers are protected from high winds, and pounding rain which can be harmful to tender young seedlings. Managing soils, weeds, pests and diseases is easier. You can extend the growing season on nearly anything you plant inside on either end of the growing cycle by planting earlier than you would outdoors. If it's flowers you adore, enjoy your blooms later in the season or get a head start with your spring flowering bulbs. This book covers Crop production and recommends the best crops and flowers for hoop house production. It gives suggestions for what to grow in a heated or unheated hoophouse as well as timelines for planting. It also covers siting and building our hoophouse with extensive diagrams and materials list. There are even plans for a * moveable * hoop house in the Hoop House Update book.

These two books together are a 25.00 value but are priceless if you think you might be growing into a Gardner who wants to garden longer, harvest more and reap a profit as well. 



This is similar to  the size and style I'm considering for our backyard. 12 x16. This will give me space for 2 4 x 8 beds down one or both sides of the hoophouse leaving a walkway down the center. I could also set up tables at one end for germinating seeds. Hoophouses (also called high tunnels that are generally UN-heated ) can be designed to incorporate ventilation by allowing the sides to roll up as needed or doors on either end to be opened letting out very hot air in high summer temps.

 There's so much more to learn about growing in high tunnels! I'm excited about the new possibilities in my backyard garden and I can't wait to share them with you as we progress beyond the planning stages. If any of you have experience building and growing in hoophouses please, please, share your garden wisdom with us!

Now it's time to link up for your weekly dose of Farmgirl Soul~food!

 Here are the rules for the Farmgirl Friday blog hop! 

 1.) Write a post about your farmgirl lifestyle and brag a little about your farmgirl talents while your at it! Share what being a farmgirl means to you. Include lots of photos of your farm, crafts, animals, quilts, home decor projects and thrifty make overs, your backyard garden, chicken coop, recipes, studio or workshop. You get the idea!

2). Leave your entry in the Mr. Linky space to your Farmgirl Friday post.

 3). Please include the Farmgirl Friday button ( or link back here ) in your post and remember to share this hop with all of your blogging friends!

This blog hop is co-hosted with my farmgirl pal Heidi of White Wolf Summit Farmgirl blog!
We both appreciate all you share with us each week!
This post is linked to Heidi's Simple Country Living Garden Showcase blog hop! 











21 comments:

Elizabeth said...

I'm definitely interested in the book! Hoop houses are almost essential in western Washington, we've been having such cool summers!

Jennyerin said...

I would be interested in these books! A hoop house is a definite for next year on our homestead! This year we may have to make due with strawbales and an old sliding glass door :)

Unknown said...

Oh so interested in the book! We were told "you can't garden here" and we have proven them wrong! We have raised beds and plant mainly root veggies due to a killing frost EACH month! yuck! We need a green house option that is affordable and some of our friends are talking about this as well. Thanks for the chance!

Clint Baker said...

Hop house (on the mini level) is one of my next adventures! At least by this fall. I would like to grow year round.

Manuela@A Cultivated Nest said...

With the warm temps we've been having and all the daffodils in bloom, I certainly do have spring fever!

My fall vegetable garden has done so well under row covers that I'm seriously thinking about a hoop house!

Looks like you've been reading some really great books recently!

farmer said...

What a great giveaway.
We are planning on extending our greenhouse this year and after transplants move out we will plant inside of it,these books would be great.
I started seeds last week.

Lisa Renee said...

Thanks for the opportunity to farmgirl hop with all of you!

I'd love to learn to extend the growing season with hoop houses...sounds like a great idea!

Rain said...

These books look so interesting! Please enter me in the hoop house book giveaway! Wintertime reading and dreaming!! Thanks~~Rain

Patrice said...

Please enter me in your giveaway. What a great book!

Faith said...

Whar a wonderful Idea...never heard of a hoop house before...your always teaching us new things....mine would need to be of the mini level at this time..but still would love to try.
My picture for my entry did not come...oops....
have a good w/e....:)

hearthkeeper said...

I would love these books. The summers have been short and cool of late so this sounds like a good idea

Hidden Haven Homestead said...

OH MY GOODNESS! I was just given a hoophouse by a friend that got a bigger one. I have herb seedlings all over my dining room waiting for hubby to set up the hoop house. I have been researching around the internet how to use the hoop house to the fullest and best. These books would be the answers to my prayers!! Please count me in your generous give away!

Natural Mothers Network said...

Hi Deborah Jean!
Thanks for hosting this great linky- delighted to be part of it !. I posted #49, 50,51 and #52
My Seasonal Celebration Linky is live each Sunday onwards-feel free to pop over with your latest post!
http://wwwnaturalmothersnetwork.com
Really hope to see you there!
Rebecca x

Grace said...

Throw my name into the hat, please. I'm just getting started in extended season gardening. A hoop house is definitely in my future!

Lady Farmer said...

Would love to win the books, Deborah Jean! Learning about Hoophouses would be one more way to extend our growing season!

Abby Jo @ forgottenwayfarms.com said...

The books sound wonderful! Please count me in..thanks!
I posted on my granny's cocoa cream pie :) I always love to link up!

- Abby Jo

odiie said...

Yes! Yes! Yes! Please enter me.
Thank you.
From Glory Farm,
Rhonda

Melinda said...

I would definitely be interested in the books. I've been reading about hoop houses for a couple of years now, haven't taken the plunge yet though. Thanks for offering them up in your giveaway. :)

Humbolt, the troll said...

I'd love to try hoop house gardening, a house down the road from me has 2 and they are always growing something.

Jennifer said...

I really enjoy your blog and would love to get these books!

Kim said...

I'd be very interested in those books - our homesteading dream is just beginning but we can't wait to get started!

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