High Tunnels in the Urban Enviroment of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

High tunnels are being used to extend the growing season of fresh vegetables as part of the larger urban agriculture movement in many large metropolitan centers around the county. They are helping to reconnect the urban populations to their food supply, while helping to reclaim vacant land resources and eliminate “food deserts” that exist in many of these urban areas. High tunnels are allowing growers in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to produce crops through the winter months when outdoor production is severly limited or nonexistent. The high tunnel initiative in Philadelphia is a dynamic partnership between Penn State University, Penn State Cooperative Extension Philadelphia County, the City of Philadelphia, and numerous non-profit partners. Funding for this initiative came from two USDA Specialty Crops Block Grants. There are numerous things to be considered when erecting a high tunnel in a large city, such as Philadelphia that are not usually part of the process in erecting one in a rural environment. These will be discussed in the presentation.