Permaculture
Greenhouse System: Integrating
Greenhouse and Poultry Production (FNC 1996-139)
Rick Meisterheim1
Black plastic 15-gallon barrels were placed in direct sunlight to collect heat for slow dispersal overnight.
Records indicate that the supplemental heat provided by 40 laying hens increased the temperature by 8° on average during January and February 1998.
Several groups of students toured the farm, showing particular interest in the permaculture greenhouse system.
Background: Wagbo Peace Center is a non-profit experiential education center teaching peaceable, sustainable living. The mission of the Center's farm is "to model whole farm resource stewardship and to teach methods that enhance the environmental quality and economic viability of family farming." Through educational apprentices, internships, and work exchanges, students learn skills in pastured poultry, rotational grazing, organic CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) gardening, composting, portable hog pens, sustainable timber management, and maple syrup production.
Study Hypothesis: The Permaculture Greenhouse System is based on the idea that excess heat generated by chickens in a coop could be used as a supplemental heat source for a greenhouse. Additional benefits are enhanced exchange of oxygen from the plants and carbon dioxide from the chickens, and chicken manure for compost for use in the greenhouse.
Greenhouse Description: A pole building was constructed with an 18 x 20 ft greenhouse and 18 x 12 ft chicken coop (see diagram). The chicken coop and greenhouse were separated by a wall with vents. Filters covered vents to keep chicken dust out of the greenhouse. Black plastic 15-gallon barrels were placed in direct sunlight to collect heat for slow dispersal overnight. Styrofoam bats were fashioned to cover the glass at night.
Preliminary Results: Records indicate that the supplemental heat provided by 40 laying hens increased the temperature by 8° on average during January and February 1998. No outside resources were used to maintain temperatures adequate for starting plants in the greenhouse. More will be learned about the effectiveness of the system in future winters.
Outreach: Several groups of students toured the farm, showing particular interest in the permaculture greenhouse system. A charter school is considering this system for their agriculture program. Neighbor families have swapped ideas and information. Youth-at-risk apprenticeship students were directly involved in construction, record keeping, and seed planting and care.
