Sustainable Living Tips by Lee Leffler

By Lee Leffler

M.U.M. Organic Farm

The Maharishi University of Management Organic Farm in Fairfield, Iowa, has received a $13,750 grant from the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture to study growing vegetables in large gutter-connect greenhouses in winter without added heat.

Not heating the greenhouse will reduce the farm’s fossil fuel consumption by about 88%. “This is an innovative study and a significant step in making the M.U.M. Farm and the University more sustainable,” said Steve McLaskey, assistant professor of biology and agriculture and director of the farm.

The method involves placing an extra layer of plastic directly over the plants to retain more heat. The research is innovative due to the large size of the greenhouses, which grow organic vegetables in the ground. Past studies at other institutions have examined this method in smaller greenhouses.

“Most of the large greenhouses in North America are used for ornamental crops, not vegetables,” Dr. McLaskey said. “There are large vegetable greenhouses in Canada, but they mainly use hydroponic [soil-free] techniques. I do not know of any other places, besides Fairfield and Maharishi Vedic City, that grow organic vegetables in the ground in one-acre greenhouses, especially in our very cold winter temperatures.”

The process started in January, when the heat in the greenhouses was switched off. The plastic on the roof of the greenhouse was replaced recently, so the old plastic was reused and placed over the plants in newly-built frames. This saved money and prevented the plastic from going into a landfill. The beds must be covered and uncovered daily.

Now that the grant is secured, the research will begin. The farm workers will measure growth and yield of four crops, measure soil and air temperatures, and estimate heating cost savings.

If this study is successful, Iowa farmers will be able to grow organic vegetables in large greenhouses without spending money on heating fuel. Then this type of farming will be more profitable and thus, more likely to become popular.

The Maharishi University of Management Organic Farm provides fresh produce to the dining halls and Golden Dome Market on the Maharishi University of Management campus.

Written by Lee Leffler. Published in M.U.M. Review March 18 2009.

Follow-up, May 2010: Results of this research were in the May 5th, 2010 issue the M.U.M. Review. Winter Crops Can Grow in an Unheated Greenhouse.

A study, funded by a $13,000 grant from the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, has been completed and has found that winter crops can be successfully grown in an unheated greenhouse.

Steve McLaskey, who runs the campus organic farming operation, experimented with covering the plants with an extra layer of plastic at night to help them survive the extreme cold. He also used a control plot that was heated so that he could compare this energy-saving approach with the conventional. The result was that there was very little loss.

“We saved over $17,000 on energy bills because of this approach,” Dr. McLaskey said.

He presented his research at a special event in April that was held on site at the greenhouse so that growers in the region could learn about this new option.

“About 60 people attended, and they were very interested to see our operation and to hear how this was done,” Dr. McLaskey said.