Penn State High Tunnel Enhances Sustainable Food Production

By Blake Jackson

Measuring 96 feet in length, the hoop-style greenhouse provides enough shelter from harsh weather to support the growth of hardy flowers in winter, while also creating ideal conditions for more delicate crops during the spring and summer.

The tunnel’s harvests benefit both the campus and the surrounding community. Herbs grown inside are used in meals at the Brodhead Bistro. Each fall, the Student Farm Club organizes produce sales, and in spring, they offer seedlings for purchase. Last November, flowers from the tunnel were donated to the Families Matter Food Pantry in time for Thanksgiving.

In early July, Penn State Extension horticulture educator Glenn Bupp teamed up with Beaver campus faculty, staff, and students to replace the tunnel’s thick plastic covering, commonly known as the skin. Joining them were Randy and Cam Soergel from Soergel Orchards in Wexford.

Bupp noted that Cam Soergel, the orchard’s greenhouse manager, brought valuable expertise in high tunnel structures and a passion for improving them. After hearing about the Beaver project, Soergel volunteered to assist. Upon seeing the structure, he suggested a more efficient method for future reskinning.

Originally, the plastic was fastened to wooden framing, which had begun to deteriorate. Soergel recommended installing an aluminum frame with a channel and “wiggle wire” system. This design holds the plastic securely in place under tension, much like a zipper, and greatly simplifies the replacement process.

Beaver’s maintenance team prepared the structure in advance, and on a Thursday morning, the group installed the new covering. From aligning the material to locking it into the track, the task took under two hours.

Associate Professor of Biology Sarah Nilson explained that the tunnel’s end panels will remain uncovered through the summer to prevent excessive heat buildup inside. These will be added in the fall to fully enclose the structure for the winter growing season.

Since its construction in 2018 with the help of a Penn State seed grant, the high tunnel has continued to serve as a valuable resource for sustainable food production, education, and community engagement.

Photo Credit: gettyimages-seventyfour