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1994-02-12
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─ [187] Survnet: SURV_FOOD (9:2500/0) ────────────────────────────── SURV_FOOD ─
Msg : 26 of 27 Rcv
From : Brian Sorensen 9:1992/195 Wed 09 Feb 94 14:07
To : John Mudge
Subj : Geothermally heated greenhouse
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Hello John,
Have you seen this one? Cheers.
Brian
----------------------tear here------------------
* Originally By: Lawrence London
* Originally To: Cissy Bowman
* Originally Re: Geothermally heated greenhouse
* Forwarded by : Blue Wave v2.12
* Forwarded from "homepowr"
* Originally by Ken Bridges
* Originally to ALL
* Originally dated 2 Feb 1994, 6:48
The following is a series of posts from the AE mailing list I thought other
would find intersting.
Ken
There's a woman out on Martha's Vineyard who is grossing $100,000/A with a
greenhouse heated by 100 chickens. She figures 1 BTU/lb, I believe. It's so
warm that the vents are open in sub-zero weather. The advantages of the
chickens are cost (much cheaper than fossil fuel), "free" food (meat and eggs)
free manure for the greenhouse, and -- this is the big plus -- free CO2 and
ammonia, which get pumped into the soil under the greenhouse. The ammonia is
transformed into nitrogenous fertilizer by soil bacteria and the CO2 makes the
atmosphere so rich that the plants grow faster inside in the winter than they
do outside in the summer.
This according to a New York Times article of a year or so ago. I have yet to
get down to see it myself, but I plan to.
Gary Throop <THROOPG@ICARUS.SOM.CLARKSON.EDU> writes:
> Don't we have anyone down on the Vineyard who can confirm or deny
> this delightful story?
Yes Gary, I'm on the Vineyard and I can certainly confirm the story. I had a
wonderful salad last night, picked from that same greenhouse.
The weather here on the Vineyard has been extremely cold for the last several
weeks. Extremely cold is of course subjective, but we've been having single
digit days and below zero nights, and for us... that's cold.
The greenhouse is called Solviva and was created by local visionary Anna Edey.
The greenhouse has been in operation for some years now. Anna supplies
restaurants here and in Boston with a fabulous selection of very fresh greens
year around.
At one time Anna was using rabbits and chickens for supplemental heat and
insulation. I believe that she is presently only using chickens. Anna is
taking a quasi sabbatical from the business this winter and a small group of
locals are maintaining the operation on a cooperative basis. A friend of min
in that group mentioned that Anna brought a few sheep into the greenhouse on
the coldest night last week. I think she referred to it as a "three sheep
night"
I spoke to Anna the other morning, and I've faxed this discussion along to her
I'll pass along her input soon.
By the way Marge, the greenhouse is pesticide free. Anna has learned to
balance beneficial insects, plantings and of course hand picking of pests.
Chris Holley
cholley@world.std.com
"Andrew D. Upfield" <UPFIELD@polsci.purdue.edu> writes:
> My question (and probably the rest of the group's) is:
> on nights like the cold nights you described is non-chicken
> (ie gas/electric/wood/nuclear) energy used to keep the
> greenhouse from turning into a brownhouse?
And the answer is... *No* non-solar or non-animal heat sources are used.
The greenhouse has 3000 sq feet of floor area. She presently has 75
chickens which she says generate 8 BTU /animal pound/ hour. The
greenhouse has a total of 4000 gallons of water storage. The water
storage consists of a combination of air heated 1 gallon containers,
passive solar water wall, and a 600 gallon tank heated by solar
collectors.
The operation is totally off grid. All of the power for air circulating
fans and water pumps is provided by a photo voltaic - battery system.
Last week we had a few evenings with - 8 degree temps and 25-40 mile
an hour winds. Anna supplemented the animal input with a few sheep
The greenhouse performed beautifully.
My recollection is that Anna buffers the north side of the greenhouse
with other livestock (sheep)
Anna Edey has years of success with both the commercial greenhouse
under discussion, and with residential solar additions. She is
available for consultation for those considering similar systems.
Her address is:
Anna Edey
Solviva
RFD 582
Vineyard Haven, Ma 02568
USA
Chris Holley
cholley@world.std.com
cholley@mcimail.com
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