Need comments on greenhouse use

You all I'm just drooling up here in the north. Our garden club is in the works of possibly getting an old run down greenhouse place. 4 of them. 2 are glass pane which up here in the north aren't very heat cost effective. It was heated with hot water... then there are two hoop houses. The men (2 brothers, their mother just past away) are more than willing to let us use it at no cost. We the club would be doing all the work to get it going again. I walked around the 2 glass ones they are connected but in very bad shape. I'm thinking they need to be torn down and have 2 more hoop houses put up.

My mine is just racing with ideas that would enable our garden club to do things for our communities and not have to invest too much money into projects. Labor intensive for sure but that is the fun on building something....

I'm thinking we need to get a lawyer first as there are issues of insurance for one and see what they should be responsible for and what we should be responsible for. So if anyone has any ideas or suggestions please make your comments here.

I've had limited experience with running a greenhouse and so I'm rather green.....LOL

Looking forward to hearing what yall have to say and your suggestions.

Janet
former owned by Blessing & Acacia

Actually ... how was the hot water heated? It might not be as bad as all that, depending on what you're using it for. Does your club do plant sales for fund raising?

I don't really have much advice, but it sounds like a fabulous opportunity. Pics?

Use the hoop houses for growing plants the first years, and use any profits to improve the glass houses.

Maybe a group of people handy with tools would trade work for plants in the springtime? Ask around.

I'd like to suggest some food production in one of the GHs, to supply the needy. Fresh vegetables are hard to come by when you are getting help at a food pantry.

Excellent suggestion!!!

Cathy4 I'm thrilled to report, our club is already in the works with a local church who is just getting started with planning a vegetable garden (with the help of some of our club members). The produce will be grown strictly for those at local food banks, and our community food donation. We might be able to work something out that they would get a voucher to bring and get to PICK what vegetables they would like to eat.

I'm so excited about this as we have already discussed that if we can get things worked out that next year we would work with the children in the hoop house in getting seeds started that they would then plant in their newly created gardens. This way no money out of their funds and a small amount out of ours since seeds are way cheaper than plants.

We are hoping to also get into it soon enough to start mums and the money from those sales would go back into the repairs along with trying to locate and apply for local/state/federal grants to save the landmark.

Too many ideas and just not enough of me and the members....LOL

Thanks everyone for posting.

Janet

You might be surprised (as I have been) at how many folks come out of the woodwork for projects like this. As an active Master Gardener, I've seen the husbands of women MGs that would sooner mow than sow all of sudden come up with that special skill at wiring a fountain, willing to get gravel and distribute it, etc. - but, oh, no - not gardeners!!!! Not the green stuff!

Pagancat:

Yes we are coming up on our only (right now) fund raiser. Held Mother's Day weekend. Members divide out their plants and bring to the sale.

I would be wonderful to get a jump on seedlings to be able to offer the annuals that so many folks want.

Yes some husbands already come from time to time, so who knows.....

Janet

Oh, another idea - get other local churches, mosques, synagogues involved - great community builder.

More people seem to be in the mood to help now, if I wasn't so nice I'd say "It's about time!" heehee

The MG's here have a large GH that is run by volunteers. It is next to a county Day Care facility for the mentally hadicapped. Some of the clients come in and help once a month with potting and watering. The GH is open to the public and they have an advertised sale one a month. The plants and pots are all donated by various people and some stores. They have a wonderful supply of coleus, ferns and various perennials both propagated and grown from seeds. The profits are donated to the Mental Health facility.

Wonderful, I love hearing positive stories. Thanks!

This is what being a part of a community is all about. Gardeners are the best!!!!

Janet

Very cool!