High tunnel program helping Ozarks farmers produce year round

(KY3)
Published: Oct. 18, 2017 at 4:30 PM CDT
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As the growing season is ending for many Ozark crops, people with high tunnels will be going strong all winter long. A federal program funded 173 new high tunnels last year in Missouri, and the opportunity isn't over.

Ronald and Sonya Antonini make a living with their high tunnels, and they're in the process of putting up their sixth now, with the help of the US Department of Agriculture.

The Antoninis moved from Venezuela in 2012 and when they started gardening, they didn't plan to grow large quantities. "Just started some lettuce outside and some carrots and beets for the family, but we grew too much," says Ronald Antonini.

They took the extra to the Bolivar farmer's market and quickly sold out.

"We thought, well, we should do this for a living! So we started right away. So we started with one small high tunnel that year, and then we added another one the next year, so now we have six of them," says Ronald.

The USDA Environmental Quality Incentives Program has funded two of the high tunnels. "It has been a blessing for us," Ronald says.

"For one thing, it extends the growing season; it keeps the soil warm, and also what it does, it helps deter soil erosion as well," says Adam Coulter of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Any landowner can apply for the program. There are some requirements such as growing a crop for your economic benefit or for charity. "This program has become very popular with the proliferation of local farmers markets and locally grown restaurants," Coulter says.

The USDA program pays for the high tunnel, which is usually a cost of $5,000 to $9,000. It doesn't pay for installation; But the Antoninis are putting up their new one themselves. "Me, my sons, my wife, my kids, they help. Put the plastic, everything; this is a family operation," Ronald says.

The structures will help them grow fresh produce all winter. "We put a heater and we keep the temperatures a little bit over the freezing lines, and then we can grow lettuce, spinach, kale, chard," Ronald says.

Sonya Antonini says, "We pick the leaves; we mix them all, and then we sell beautiful bags of lots of colors of lettuce." They're now selling at the Bolivar Farmers market, Mama Jeans, and even provide for Bolivar schools. "Every time I go there, they're "Yay! The lettuce!"" says Ronald.

The Antoninis say it's hard work, but brings many rewards. "Enjoy what the land, the soil can bring you. Oh, that's no value; that's amazing job to grow whatever you can grow. You won't regret what you can do with the soil," says Ronald.

Coulter says the funding for the high tunnel program is through the Farm Bill of 2014. If you're interested in applying for one yourself, contact your county's USDA Service Center.

The deadline to apply this year is November 17th. Whether the program continues next year depends on whether Congress provides funding in the new Farm Bill.