High Performance Greenhouse Workshop: Building and Growing

Experiential Learning Workshop taught live at our farm in Paonia, CO. This workshop will teach you how to build a greenhouse customized for your needs.

Jan. 16th-19th Session in Paonia, CO

Do you dream of making the grocery store optional and becoming food independent?

Lynn Gillespie has been a professional organic farmer and garden educator for the last 34 years and specializes in teaching people how to build customized plans for creating food independence

Greenhouse Workshop: Building and Growing

Don’t have the full registration funds all at once? We’ve got you covered! Just pay $225.00 now and the rest next month.

Here is what you will learn:

What size greenhouse is perfect for you

What type of greenhouse to choose

How to get someone else to pay for your greenhouse!

How to use supplemental low tunnels and cold frames

How to make the grocery store optional

The best soil to get the most production

How to layout the growing space for the highest production

What types of heating and cooling systems are best for your location

In addition, you will get:

To tour several local greenhouses and high tunnels

Create you a custom plan just for your greenhouse

Learn how to save $1000’s a year off of your grocery bill

One free 30 minute personal consultation to help you finalize your plans or to ask specific questions after you go home from the workshop

$100 discount on the Abundance Garden Course the official High Performance Garden system recommended to use inside of your greenhouse.

Also Included in the Workshop:

All Meals: Thursday Dinner - Sunday Lunch; 9 farm to table meals grown on the farm or locally. Prepared by Chef Mike of The Living Farm Cafe

High Performance Greenhouse Workbook

Designed especially for this workshop. You will be guided to create your own charts, graphs, and design ideas.

Personalized Greenhouse Plan

Creation of your very own personalized High Performance Greenhouse Plan designed with your production interests and local building codes.

Direct Experience

Time in the 5 greenhouses on the farm so you can get visual ideas and a feel sense of how greenhouses work.

Currently there is 9000 sq. ft of vegetable production in 5 greenhouses on the farm.

Guest Speaker: Marjory Wildcraft

The Grow Network’s founder, Marjory Wildcraft has been featured as an expert in sustainable living by National Geographic, and she is the host of the annual Home Grown Food Summit, which reaches hundreds of thousands of viewers every year. Learn more about her pioneering work at thegrownetwork.com

One 30-minute phone consultation with instructors after the Workshop

This consultation is reserved for questions that may arise as you implement your customized building and growing plan.

Learn to Build your Own Greenhouse and Extend Your Growing Season

Tom and Lynn GiIllespie are multi-generational organic farmers. Together they bring a unique and long time perspective of what it is like to grow and construct greenhouses for food production.

Jan. 16th-19th Session in Paonia, CO

Friday

How to make the grocery store optional

How to grow and preserve enough food for your family to eat year round

Creating a custom growing plan for your greenhouse and family

Saturday

Figure out what type, size and layout of your greenhouse

Layout, orientation and size of your greenhouse

Heat, cooling, building materials, kits or custom build

foundations

Tour more greenhouses

Soils and beds

Pests and diseases

Pollination in greenhouses

Plant selection

Keeping a journal

Sunday

Putting the plan together

How to get someone else to pay for your greenhouse

Finishing the custom plan

Having the plan reviewed by builder ( Tom) and grower (Lynn)

Frequently Asked Questions

When does the Workshop Begin and End?

The Workshop begins on Thursday at 6:00p and ends Sunday at 2:00p

What do I Bring?

We will be spending most of our time in the classroom however this course is experiential, therefore we will be outside often. Bring clothing suitable for all weather.

November Paonia, CO Weather: Lows in the 30's and Highs in the 60's. The greenhouse temperature could be highs of 80 degrees. There is chance of snow. Plan to dress in layers

January Paonia, CO Weather: Lows in the 10's and Highs in the 30's. The greenhouse temperature could be highs of 60 degrees. High chance of snow. Plan to dress in layers

Long Sleeves
Long Pants
Winter Coat
Closed toe shoes. Ex. Snow Boots
Water Bottle

What is my homework before the workshop?

Take a picture of the South direction of where you would like to build your greenhouse
Find out your local building codes
If applicable; find out what your Home Owner's Association's rules are for building a greenhouse
Write Questions about your greenhouse design

How do I get to the Farm?

Address: Accessible through most GPS Systems

39776 Green Tractor Road

Paonia, CO 81428

General Directions from Denver Airport: Approx. 4 hours and 43 minutes

Take I-70 W to CO-82 E in Glenwood Springs. Take exit 116 from I-70 W

Follow CO-82 E and CO-133 S to Green Tractor Rd in Delta County

General Directions from Grand Junction Airport: Approx. 1 hour and 30 minutes

Get on I-70 E from H Rd and Horizon Dr

Continue on I-70 E to Clifton

Take exit 37 for I-70 BUS W toward Clifton/Delta

Use the left 2 lanes to turn left onto CO-141 S/32 Rd