Introduction to high tunnel vegetable production course

Are you new to growing in high tunnels? Join us for a nine week course to learn about the fundamentals of high tunnel vegetable production.

The goal of this course is to help develop a plan for managing your high tunnel that includes: choosing crops to grow, designing an irrigation system, managing soil fertility and soil health, managing weeds, insects, and diseases, planning for pruning and trellising, special considerations for harvest and postharvest handling, and keeping up with basic maintenance. By the end of our nine weeks together, you should have an actionable high tunnel plan that you can use to guide you through the season.

Who is this course for?

The ideal participant in this class is someone who is actively farming, and either planning to build a high tunnel this year, or in their first couple of years of high tunnel growing. If you are considering a high tunnel, but still a couple of years away from building one, the course may be more detailed than what you are looking for.

Course format

The course meets weekly on Zoom from 12-1pm from February 25 - April 22, 2025. We will have a series of optional field trips this summer to accompany the online portion of the course, including trips to farms that successfully use high tunnels, and some hands-on workshops in St. Paul and Grand Rapids, MN. All participants will also have access to a 1:1 farm visit from one of the instructors. 

The course will be co-taught by Erik Heimark (Renewing the Countryside + Maple Ridge Produce) and Natalie Hoidal (University of Minnesota Extension), along with a variety of guest speakers including farmers who manage successful high tunnel operations.

Cost and benefits

The course fee is $75. Scholarships are available for 50% off, and farmers who complete the course will be eligible to receive a $300 scholarship to implement their high tunnel plans, as well as $350 worth of soil tests and high tunnel growing equipment. These scholarships and benefits are provided thanks to the generous support of a grant from the United State's Department of Agriculture's Organic Research, Education, and Extension Programs.

Registration

Please register using this link. The course will be capped at 25 participants. Technical service providers: please save seats in the course for farmers.


Questions about the course? Reach out to the instructors: Natalie Hoidal, hoida016@umn.edu or Erik Heimark, erik@rtcinfo.org