Providing an Online Library and Grower Network to Support High Tunnel Production in the United States and Abroad (www.hightunnels.org)

The website, www.hightunnels.org, was created in 2004 to provide information about high tunnel production and was funded by a USDA-IFAFS project that was awarded to Kansas State University and several collaborators from surrounding states. Currently, www.hightunnels.org represents a partnership of researchers and other collaborators nationwide that work in the area of high tunnel production. The website was renovated during summer 2013 in order to update the format and content. The goal of the site is to provide an online resource where growers can access information related to high tunnel production from across the United States. Additionally, an organic module was added as well as a searchable supplier directory. During the first month after the re-launch of the site, there were 1,562 visits with 15% of the audience characterized as returning visitors. During this period, 10% of the visits were made in a language other than English, and website visitors originated in 71 countries. Website visitor traffic and geographic diversity has continued to increase since this time.  From 1Mar to 1 Apr 2014, there were 5,518 visits to the website, with 21.2% characterized as returning visitors. 19% of the visitors viewed the site in a language other than English, and visits were made from 111 different countries. Similarly, from 1 Mar to 1 Apr 2014, website visitors from the United States represented 69.3% of the total with Turkey having the second highest number of visitors at 11.1%. Visitors from Canada accounted for 3.6% whereas visitors to the site originating from Iran and South Africa represented 1.5% and 1.4%, respectively. The remaining 13.1% of website traffic came from 106 various countries including but not limited to Australia, the United Kingdom, India, the Phillipines, and the Netherlands. In addition to providing access to educational materials about high tunnel production, the website serves as a meeting place where growers can join the [hightunnels] email listserv. The listserv comprises over 850 members, most of which are growers in high tunnels. By joining this group, individuals can learn what growers are doing with high tunnels, what crops and varieties grow best, and what practices have been successful on local farms. Members of the listserv span the US and include very experienced growers as well as those new to vegetable production. With the increasing use of high tunnels across the United States and globally, the www.hightunnels.org website will be an instrumental component for improving specialty crop production worldwide.