PILLAGER-The Central Minnesota Regional Sustainable Development Partnership, the Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota and Grampa G's Farm will host a public open house from 10 a.m. to noon Dec. 8 at Grampa G's Farm in Pillager, as the Deep Winter Greenhouse Prototype 2.0 finishes construction.
The event includes opening remarks, a ribbon-cutting and tour, self-guided tours and a question-and-answer period to follow. The event is free to the public. RSVPs are requested at www.z.umn.edu/DWG_RSVP .
"Deep winter greenhouses represent a future of local foods that will come from innovations to expand markets and the production season," stated Greg Schweser, sustainable agriculture and food systems director for the University of Minnesota Extension Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships, in a news release.
The open house is part of a statewide Deep Winter Greenhouse project led by the University of Minnesota Extension Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships. RSDP is working with five producers and community groups across Minnesota to field test a prototype design of a passive solar greenhouse enabling farmers to produce crops throughout the winter. The prototype was designed in collaboration with the University of Minnesota College of Design Center for Sustainable Building Research.
RSDP provides information and resources on deep winter greenhouses on its resource page www.z.umn.edu/deepwintergreenhouse .
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Support for the Deep Winter Greenhouse initiative includes the University of Minnesota Extension; MnDRIVE Global Food Ventures; University of Minnesota Institute on the Environment; University of Minnesota Southeast Regional Sustainable Development Partnership; Minnesota Department of Agriculture Specialty Crop Block Grant; U.S. Department of Agriculture Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education; BFG Supply; Mattson, MacDonald, Young Structural Engineers; Compeer Financial; AgriBank; and AgCountry Farm Credit Services.
