Jane’s main objectives for the construction and use of two new high tunnel structures are season extension, improved plant microclimate, increased farm income by remaining in the market longer, and support of her new marketing strategy evolving around the subscription service. Intended crops for these structures include salad mix, braising mix, and head lettuce in one high tunnel and tomatoes and cucumbers in the other tunnel. Jane rents a three-acre plot of land in Riley County, Kansas, from an organic swine production operator. She and her landlord have a good farming relationship and often work together to solve problems and share equipment.
     Because Jane is renting this acreage from season to season, one stipulation is that all structures that she builds must be removable with minimal effort and at a moment’s notice; that is, nothing that Jane constructs can be considered permanent. Logically then, she does not want to tie up a large amount of capital in these high tunnels. Therefore, the design that she has chosen is inexpensive, and its structural integrity is comparatively weak.
     Jane intends to construct two small high tunnels, ten feet wide by forty feet long, which will each contain two raised beds for production of crops. Jane needs to decide not only where to place her high tunnels on her farm site, but also how to orient them at that spot. There are many factors and issues to consider before she decides on final placement.
The material that she will use for her 10' X 40' tunnels are PVC pipe frame ribs covered with three-year 6-mil plastic. The PVC ribs will be spaced at three foot intervals and driven two feet into the ground. The end walls will be framed with lumber and covered with the same 6-mil plastic. The interior will be approximately seven feet high in the middle.

     Riley County is in the Northeastern portion of Kansas. The largest city in Riley County is Manhattan, which is home to Kansas State University. On average, the area is bestowed with more clear sunny days than cloudy days. Historical data averages for the general climatic conditions are as follows: 145 clear days, 126 partly cloudy days, and 94 cloudy days per year. The average yearly precipitation is 34.80 inches with snowfall accumulation of 15 inches per year. In general, snowfall during one storm is no more than 5 inches.
     There are about 179 frost-free days in the growing season, and the last killing frost occurs on April 18 on average. However, May 9 is considered the frost-free date with only a 5% chance that a frost will occur after that date. The average first killing freeze in the fall is October 15. The annual mean temperature is 55°F; however, this average does not reveal the extreme cold winters and hot summers that Kansas experiences.
     On average the warmest month is July, however, many Kansans would argue that the first weeks of August are when the most oppressive heat occurs. Temperatures in the summer months typically creep above the 100°F mark. The coldest month on average is January, with February close behind and often when the coldest temperatures for the season are recorded.
     Wind is another climatic factor that plays a role in many Kansans' lives, especially those in agricultural industries. In fact, the state name "Kansas" is derived from the Native American Kansa tribe indigenous to the region, and in their language, "Kansa" refers to winds, or wind people.

If you have any questions, comments or would like to receive teaching notes pertaining to this case study please contact:

Kimberly A. Williams, Professor of Floriculture
Kansas State University
Department of Horticulture, Forestry, and Recreation Resources
2021 Throckmorton Plant Sciences Center
Manhattan, Kansas 66506-5506
kwilliam@ksu.edu
785-532-1434