Big ideas, need suggestions

Hi all. I am planning to apply for a grant from the Dept. of Ag. from the state of WI. to remodel an existing building for a greenhouse. There is $400,000.00 available for grants this year. Grants are free money, don't have to pay back a grant. Ornamental horticulture is taking off fast in this area, and I see a definite need for a greenhouse to winter over tropicals. As a matter of fact, I have 35 pots in a greenhouse of a lady that rents out space. She provides all the care. Her greenhouse is quite small, there are only 3 of us that have plants there. Ok, here is what I have and would do.......In its previous life this building was used to keep sows. (we farm, no longer have the sows). The basic building frame is good, there is a cement floor, has water to it, electricity, a 1,000 gallon LP tank outside (with 40% full of LP right now!), and the entire south exposure is open. This building is approx. 30x100. The greenhouse where I purchase my plants in the spring no longer "babysits" plants over the winter, but the last year that they did they filled a 20x92 greenhouse. She told me I could make alot of money doing this, and they would refer all people that called them to me. So, any suggestions from you greenhouse people out there? We would put double wall polycarbonate panels on the side and either plastic film or more poly panels on the southern part of the roof. The Spouse is death on poly film for the sides, not much in favor of it for the roof either. The building is too large to think of leaving it as one large (huge) room, so could be divided and partitioned off into 4 smaller ones. We are also wanting to do some solar heating, like painting 55 gallon drums filled with water black. The grant applications have to be in by March 15th. So, any thoughts anyone can give me will be greatly appreciated. Oh, I should add that the winter temps here can get to 20 below zero in January sometimes. Not for a long period of time, but Jan. can be miserable some years. Now, am I certifiably nuts, or can this work? I hope it can work, I need a place for MY plants! Thanks.

Wow, Anna_Z!
How wonderful! I'm envious that you
have a big LP tank that's 40% full!
I don't have any tips or suggestions,
other than we tried using big 55 gallon drums
(for solar heating), but because we didn't get
them filled while we still had lots of sunshine,
(Michigan winters are pretty gray)
I'm afraid they never did heat up or
work well for us.
'Give 'em a try, though...
it certainly can't hurt.
Keep us posted on your greenhouse!
Melissa :-)

I also had "so-so" luck with water barrel heat...it doesn't take but a couple of overcast days and the warm/hot water in them is gone...then you have chilled water in your greenhouse. Not good.
Sounds to me like you could easily turn that bldg into a nice g-house tho. I say go for it. As for partitioning it off you can do that somewhat easily. Our g-house (35 X 50) is a bit large for us most of the winter so I drop "curtains" of plastic and just heat a section of it. (By the way, what kind of heater does that LP tank go to, or do you have a heater?) Many plants will stay alive even at 45* so I don't have to heat it very much (altho I tend to keep it at 50*). Other plants can stay in their pots and go dormant at lower temps but just can't handle the lower freezing temps of the outdoors...can you section off part of the g-house for plants like that? They can "live" in an unheated area of the g-house but yet stay above outdoor freezing temps.

Considering this aspect perhaps you should think about just what plants people would want you to overwinter for them, and what temp they need to be kept at. Your greenhouse folks could give you more info re that. (By the way, if your greenhouse friends closed down, but yet could "make a lot of money" babysitting plants then why aren't they? I realize it could be due to their health/age problems, if so I think you could learn a lot from them, perhaps they've been greenhouseing for years and have much knowledge.)
I think you are in a heavy snow area. Is that so? If so, then consider a strong material for your greenhouse covering, something that will not only handle the snow but any ice storm you may have. Ice weighs a lot!

This really sounds like an interesting project AnnaZ..would like to hear more about it, and what you decide and how it goes.

Horseshoe, the people that no longer take in the plants also have several greenhouses for retail plants. They didn't want to tie up a whole greenhouse for "babysitting" plants because it took away space from their regular business. I think that was the biggest reason, plus it may have been that they would have had to have more help. They are supposed to come and look at our building and tell us what would be the best way to go. Theirs is basically a family business, they hire seasonal help in the spring. They have bedding plants, perennials, trees, shrubs, etc. I hope this answers the questions you had. I probably didn't make myself real clear on that issue.

Howdy! I'm glad to hear they are coming by to look at your place...you're gonna get a lot of good info from those folks! (I'm jealous!)
I'm serious, I'm gonna watch this thread for your progress report. Keep us posted, this really sounds like a good opportunity for you. (And don't forget to fill us in on the status of the grants, you may have stumbled on a really good thing.)
Best of All to you.

Anna,Just curious,how did you find out about the grant money,who and how do you apply and what is the criteria for it,Is a small buisness the reason or is it ok for a hobbiest?

Crestedchik, I got the information through our University Extension office. These grants are given out through the Wisconsin Dept. of Ag, Trade, and Consumer protection. Tomorrow I will post the criteria, too late to think of doing it yet tonight. If I don't get a grant, I don't know if I will be able to do this on my own. Money is pretty tight here on the old farmstead, and we really can't spare the extra expense. I want to undertake this project so bad I can taste it. So, folks, until tomorrow.

Here is the criteria used to evaluate and guide the project selection as to who gets grants. I'll just post the headings, not get into the descriptions of them, or it will take too much space. If anyone is interested in more of what it says, contact me privately.
1. Agricultural Business Opportunity
2. Agricultural Development Potential
3. Value to the Wisconsin Agricultural Industry
4. Workplan and Timeframe
5. Demonstrated Capacity of Project Participants
6. Reasonablness of Costs

I know those headings can describe a whole plethora of things, I just hope what I will have is what they're looking for!!! :>)

Anna

It seems that the Spouse has pretty much made a decision that the greenhouse is a "GO", regardless of whether or not I get grant money. The greenhouse folks came and looked at the building a couple weeks ago-I asked the wife if I should have my head examined for wanting to rejuvinate the building. She looked all around it and her only comment was "Boy, this is really nice". I've done so much homework on this thing, I could write a book! :>) Grant recipients aren't notified till after July 1st, and we would more than likely want to have the majority of the work done by then. Time will tell. So, maybe in the next few days I can go up there and start taking off hog gates and pen dividers. Will look alot different in there then.

Anna Z. WI

Congrats Anna! Sounds very positive! Glad to hear back from you on this topic. Hope things move along quickly...you're gonna love it!

Anna,
I'm so excited for you!
You have a great set up for a greenhouse.
You'll have the best time
when its up-and-running! :-)

Did anyone go to the photos forum and see the picture I posted of "Greenhouse to be" that shows just how huge the building really is??? Just curious.

AZ

Anna, there is an article in this month's Organic Gardening, about a permaculture farm. Part of the article described how they have taken what appears to be a barn and created a GH that is heated by passive solar, plus composting manure, plus heat from chickens below or next to the area where the plants are. It's really pretty cool, and I thought of you and this thread when I read it. If you don't get OG, you might want to see if your library or local bookstore has this month's issue to take a peek.

Best wishes on your grant application!

I'll have to see if I can find that issue. Sounds interesting, tho it would be impractical (no, more like impossible) to do that in this situation. But, it sounds like an informative "read". Thanks.