When you hear the saying “Many hands make light work,” you might think of community cleanups, food drives, or barn raisings. In a twist on the traditional barn raising, RAFI recently co-hosted a high tunnel raising at Fairport Farms in Kittrell, NC.
It all started when Elvin Eaton of Fairport Farms was on a call with RAFI’s Jaimie McGirt about working with the NRCS. Knowing his need for a high tunnel and his admiration of market gardener and tunnel expert Howard Allen of Faithfull Farms, Jaimie introduced the two producers.
Greg Bruhn hammers rods into the ground to serve as a base for the high tunnel. Volunteers work together to assemble the high tunnel frame. Martha Mobley, Howard Allen, and a volunteer work together to anchor a section of high tunnel frame to the ground at Fairport Farms, LLC. Volunteers work together to ensure the high tunnel frame is even. RAFI-USA staff member Carolina Alzate Gouzy, Michael Daye, and Nathan Bullock stabilize the tunnel frame. Howard Allen stabilizes a section of the high tunnel roof. Richard Hewlin and William Landis work together with other volunteers to install the first section of roof on the high tunnel. The finished tunnel sits at Eaton’s farm in Kittrell, North Carolina after a long day of learning and volunteer work.
As Howard mentored Elvin through the process of selecting a caterpillar tunnel kit conducive to Fairport Farm’s operation, it was clear that the construction of the tunnel could be a unique learning opportunity for other beginning farmers. Elvin’s idea of a tunnel-raising was born: The Eatons would purchase the tunnel kit, Howard would captain the tunnel-raising crew, and RAFI would help promote it as a farmer brigade to members of its Farmers of Color Network. Members of the Farmers of Color Network have participated in this kind of brigade in the past, and like other times, the turnout was great. On February 27, 2023, 31 volunteers arrived, ready and eager to help and learn, and in nearly ten hours, the high tunnel was ready.
Elvin had been wanting a high tunnel for several years. High tunnels — also known as hoop houses or polytunnels — help farmers by protecting crops from harsh weather and creating a more optimal microclimate, extending the growing season in both directions. Because of the extended growing season, farmers are able to produce a wider variety of crops, leading to increased productivity and profitability. High tunnels are an increasingly popular piece of infrastructure for small farmers trying to improve their produce quality and competitive advantage in seasonal marketplaces.
When the growing season can be extended, farmers can produce a wider variety of crops, and the need to transport food from other regions is reduced. Additionally, the controlled environment can help reduce pests and diseases, thus making organic and regenerative practices easier to adopt. This ultimately leads to improved soil and water quality. When best management practices such as drip irrigation, mulching, intercropping, and cover cropping are applied, high tunnels conserve water. By producing in high tunnels, farmers are highly productive in smaller areas and likely reducing tillage of open acreage. Natural resource conservation is a byproduct of well-managed high tunnel production, not only improving crop health, but also livelihood across the farm landscape.