From Cornell Vegetable Program Highlights (January – March 2016):
The CVP recently completed a NYFVI sponsored project examining nutrient management for high tunnel crops. Vegetable farmers participating in this project improved their ability to manage soil and nutrients through intensive soil, water and foliar analyses and then implemented CVP Best Management Practices.
The project team conducted 35 educational outreach events reaching over 1,100 growers with 24 farms cooperating on intensive sampling. 15 farms that provided economic data, documented an average net high tunnel income increase of $4,931.88, or 46%. Tunnel area increased by 16%, representing new capital investment of $32,050 in 12,820 square feet of high tunnel space erected during the project period.
Participating growers reported at the end of the project that they will erect an additional 41,156 square feet of tunnel space within the next two years, an investment of over $100,000. Continued funding has been sought from NYFVI, SCBG and the Towards Sustainability Foundation.