Greenhouse Construction SW4 T50 R26 W4

These photos show the main steps involved in the construction of two Campbell O'Brien 32' x 96' quonset style greenhouses.

Site surveying and grading.

Piling locations staked, sidewall materials laid out.

Drilling the pilings, one pair for each arch.

Much faster than a hand auger!

Sidewalls poured in place into concrete pilings. This sidewall looks straight!

Sidewalls for north greenhouse in place.

Natural gas line installation.

Arches bolted together before placement.

Placing the arches. They bolt to the sidewalls. 6' arch spacing.

Arches in place, end view.

Arches in place, ready for end walls.

Wood framed and sheathed endwalls. Polycarbonate costs more than 10X more, with no significant incremental benefit for vegetable plug production during the March to June period.

Anti-sway cabling makes the structure more rigid.

Completed greenhouses and yard, viewed from the southeast.

Completed greenhouses, viewed from the northwest.

Completed greenhouses in cole crop vegetable plug production. Microsprinkler irrigation system with water heating and Dosatron injector system. 125,000 BTU Modine overhead unit heater in each house. The two houses can produce up to 1,000,000 plugs per year, enough for about 80 acres of field production.

(C) Copyright 2001 Coutts Agriculture Inc. Unauthorized Reproduction Prohibited.