Volunteers build high tunnel in Lake County

CROWN POINT, Ind. — Volunteers built a high tunnel with Purdue Extension in Lake County — the first phase of a new demonstration garden for the community in northern Indiana.

More than 20 master gardeners, local farmers, 4-H volunteers and others with an interest in agriculture installed the structure under supervision from Rebecca Koetz, urban agriculture educator for Purdue Extension in Lake County, and representatives from high tunnel manufacturer Nifty Hoops.

“A high tunnel is similar to a greenhouse, but less expensive, with a metal frame and plastic walls,” Koetz explained.

“This system is climate controlled and automated to open and close for ventilation based on temperature sensors. This high tunnel will be used to start plants and to grow things in all seasons, like leafy greens and microgreens over winter.

“We can grow things with long growing seasons that we would not normally be able to grow in our area, like ginger and celery.”

The high tunnel is located outside the Purdue Extension office at the Lake County Government Center in Crown Point.

The finished garden will consist of the high tunnel, an outdoor classroom area and raised beds.

The raised beds will demonstrate different growing and management techniques from seed to harvest to cover crop.

Annual and perennial edible, ornamental, sensory and pollinator gardens will be showcased, as well as compost, water catchment and a wash-pack table.

Food grown in the garden will be used in nutrition programming, with surplus donated to local food banks.

“This demonstration garden has been many years in the making,” Koetz said. “So many partners have influenced the design behind this garden. A special thank you to my predecessor, Nikky Witkowski, now Porter County Extension educator, for her work in the beginnings of this garden.”