A Partnership with the Earth

Weather conditions in Minnesota are not always predictable. A late winter frost can destroy a newly planted field, endless drought can devastate a summer’s crop, and heavy rain can flood out hopes for a harvest. Having to face nature’s obstacles is a certainty for the farmer and, for produce farmers in southeast Minnesota, the outcome can spell the difference between failure and success.

Full Circle Cooperative is a group of organic farmers who are committed to sustainable agricultural practices while raising

* fruit
* vegetables
* herbs
* and poultry

For over 20 years, members of the Cooperative have maximized the use of solar power, wind energy and wood fuel to help extend the growing season and protect crops from harmful elements.

The Cooperative sells organically grown fruits, vegetables, herbs, and poultry at the General Store in Oak Center and direct markets its products into the Twin Cities, Rochester, and Lake City areas. Products from Full Circle are in high demand. A major challenge for the Full Circle Cooperative has been to develop sufficient infrastructure to support its production, marketing, and delivery operations.

One method Full Circle is using to help meet fresh produce demands is a renewable energy greenhouse facility. Steven Schwen, pictured above with his son by the greenhouse, is Full Circle’s principal organizer. He has been developing and experimenting with greenhouse technology for several years. Making full use of solar energy is the goal of his latest project. Greenhouses, designed at the appropriate scale, can offer significant advantages to growers willing to make the investment in time and money required to build them.

“A typical greenhouse would require considerable amounts of non-renewable energy,” says Schwen. “Most greenhouses waste their daytime solar energy by venting out hot air during the day while the ground stays cold.” Schwen took on the challenge of overcoming these obstacles, appreciating the value that a well-engineered greenhouse could bring to his farm.

Schwen has designed and built a new greenhouse that runs on renewable sources. To make full use of renewable resources, the design employs air pumps that channel air into large growing beds on the ground. The growing beds warm the soil and make conditions more suitable for plant growth. His model greenhouse is a case study of what can be accomplished relatively inexpensively and is a working example for others in southeast Minnesota.

A University of Minnesota interdisciplinary faculty team has provided technical expertise on greenhouse design and offered to put on a greenhouse design workshop in the region. Full Circle has been participating in the Southeast Minnesota Foods Working Group developing a long-term University/community collaborative process. Also, Schwen has hosted classes from the College of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences.

A project supported by the Experiment in Rural Cooperation. (#651 345 4336)