High tunnels can change the "local" in local foods
Posted: December 13, 2011
Suggested Intro:
IF YOU'RE A LOCAL-FOODS ENTHUSIAST, YOU'RE COMING TO PENNSYLVANIA'S TOUGHEST SEASON. BUT A VEGETABLE SPECIALIST IN PENN STATE'S COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES SAYS HIGH TUNNELS CAN HELP PRODUCERS AND GARDENERS TO GROW LOCAL, GROW LONGER AND MAKE A PROFIT. GARY ABDULLAH HAS MORE.
Story:
(:16) ALREADY POPULAR IN EUROPE AND ASIA, HIGH TUNNELS ARE SIMPLE, PLASTIC-COVERED FRAMES THAT CAN PROTECT FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AND GREATLY EXTEND THE GROWING SEASON IN PENNSYLVANIA'S TEMPERATE CLIMATE. PENN STATE HORTICULTURIST MICHAEL ORZOLEK SAYS THE TECHNOLOGY CAN LET GROWERS RAISE CROPS NOT USUALLY SEEN IN THE KEYSTONE STATE:
Orzolek Actuality:
(:18) "SO IT ALLOWS YOU TO GROW THINGS SUCH AS GINGER, WATERCRESS, FIGS, EVEN BANANAS. SO, I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME OF OUR CURRENT GROWERS WHO MAYBE EVEN LIVE IN URBAN AREAS TO LOOK AT PRODUCTION OF SPECIALTY CROPS THAT THEY THEMSELVES WOULD LIKE TO CONSUME ON A DAILY BASIS BUT CAN'T FIND, BECAUSE NO ONE'S GROWING THEM."
(:12) ORZOLEK SAYS HIGH TUNNELS CAN HELP EVEN AMATEUR GARDENERS TO PROVIDE SPECIALTY FRUITS AND VEGETABLES FOR LOCAL RESTAURANTS AND CO-OPS, MAKING MONEY WHILE THEY REDUCE THE REGION'S CARBON FOOTPRINT. FROM PENN STATE, I’M GARY ABDULLAH.
