2013 Growing Spaces Articles Archive
42 posts
A year of community greenhouses and the people behind them. 2013 followed a multi-part dome installation at the Rodale Institute, announced grant winners, and shared owner stories of first harvests, alongside founder writing on building a socially responsible company.
Boutique Manufacturing & Sustainable Greenhouses
December 18, 2013
Growing Spaces greenhouses was recently paid a visit by a CompanyWeek reporter. Owners of the company, Puja and Udgar Parsons, had an opportunity to take the reporter on a tour and share about our unique sustainable Growing Dome greenhouses. Puja Parsons is quoted throughout the article, and on this day she took the opportunity to…
To Heat or Not to Heat Your Greenhouse
December 11, 2013
To heat greenhouse in winter or not? The Growing Dome is a marvel of technology in its efficiency. With 25+ years of research we can tell you that it can be up to three times more efficient than a traditional greenhouse. Not only does the geodesic shape contribute to this efficiency, but the solar powered…
How We Built a Socially Responsible Company and What Inspired Us
December 10, 2013
Why are we a Socially Responsible Company? Like so many environmentally aware people, I was really affected by the reality of the unusual super-storms of the past few weeks as the hurricane in the Philippines and the recent tornadoes here in the United States, took away lives, homes, and livelihoods. The Climate Reality project states…
Durango Students Lead Movement in Eating Locally Grown Food
November 20, 2013
Animas Valley students and their 22′ Growing Dome school greenhouse make big news, eating locally grown food. From the Durango Herald newspaper November 18, 2014: “Students and faculty at Animas Valley Elementary School were busy on Thursday afternoon collecting tomatoes, red lettuce, radishes and a few carrots from a greenhouse and garden on the premises….
AspenPointe 42′ Growing Dome Summer Harvest
November 14, 2013
An update from AspenPointe: “A 42 ft. Geodesic Growing Dome was added to the garden in April 2013 to allow the community garden to provide programming for our clients and community year-round and to help provide fresh, local produce for our AspenPointe Café throughout the winter months. The Growing Dome was planted with diverse crops…
Aspen T.R.E.E. Growing Dome Community Supported Agriculture Project
November 6, 2013
In October a dedicated crew from Growing Spaces and with the help of local volunteers installed at 42′ Growing Dome Greenhouse at 8,000 feet at Aspen T.R.E.E. Colorado in cold and snowy conditions. Through the donations of the Growing Spaces crew time and donations of labor and funds from numerous community organizations and individuals, Aspen…
Gardening in the Middle of the Bering Sea
October 15, 2013
Growing Spaces recently constructed two Growing Dome Greenhouses in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska
Growing Dome Owner Harvests Over 100 Cucumbers
October 7, 2013
From Ross Woolf in Spanish Fork, UT “I love going to my Growing Dome every day as a place to enjoy the peace it brings. We live in a mountain home with a very short growing season. The Growing Dome has made gardening a reality for us (as well as protecting it from the deer)….
Gardener’s Wake-up Call from the Wild
October 5, 2013
From Dee Armstrong in Fort Garland, CO “I’ve been working hard on the cosmetics inside and outside the Growing Dome while my fall crop ripens. I now have seven cantaloupe blossoms, ten beans that are almost ready to pick, eighteen bean plants that have already reached the top of the vent, and nearly eighty tomatoes….
Colorado Growing Dome Greenhouse Successful First Summer
October 2, 2013
“My name is Nancy. I am writing today to tell you how much I enjoy my 26′ Colorado Growing Dome greenhouse. I had my greenhouse installed in August of last year so this is my first summer with my Growing Dome. It has been amazing the way everything has grown, and so quickly. I did…
Growing Dome Survives Baseball Sized Hail
September 27, 2013
A severe hailstorm caused major roof damage, yet the 22-foot Growing Dome solar greenhouse from Growing Spaces remained unharmed.
Update from Green Angel Gardens Greenhouse
September 24, 2013
Larkin Stentz emailed us this beautiful picture of their 22′ Growing Dome Greenhouse at Green Angel Gardens in Long Beach, WA.
Freeman Public School Teacher Puts Purpose to FFA Studies
September 18, 2013
Freeman Public School FFA program now has a Growing Dome. Introverts are typically viewed as unlikely agents of change, and it's so wonderful when that stereotype is blown out of the water by someone like Tony Jensen of Freeman Public School. In this article that outlines the leadership role he took on to bring his students, school and school district along with building a 33 ft. Growing Dome, Tony says, "I am not one to stand up and talk to a big crowd." That didn't stop him from leading his community to raising $30,000 for the project. The creativity of the students and their teacher has made this endeavor beyond an educational mission. They are growing food with a purpose at Freeman Public School. The produce will be incorporated into their school lunches at Freeman Public School as well as go to their local Food Bank.
Accessing Our Inner Wisdom in Business
August 27, 2013
A few years ago I was privileged to be on a panel of CEOs at our annual SW Colorado Women’s Business Conference and asked “How do women do business differently than men?” Although the moment called a response from the three of us that invited us all to recognize that we all possess masculine and…
Grapes Galore – July 2013 Dome of the Month
July 26, 2013
The results are in, and we got a bunch of votes (747) and a slew of comments (42) about Bernadette Dickinson’s photo of her bunches of grapes. It makes us want to take the short drive south to Ignacio just to be able to eat a handful out of Bernadette’s 22′ Growing Dome Greenhouse in…
We’ll be at the Rodale Institute Growing Dome this month!
July 4, 2013
For all of you who followed the 33’ Growing Dome build at Rodale Institute this Spring, you might remember our Ambassador, Richard Miller, who supervised the installation of the Growing Dome. Growing Spaces is happy to sponsor Richard Miller’s return to Rodale Institute to attend a Shumei Natural Agriculture Conference on July 26-27, 2013. The…
Peace as a practice taught through gardening
July 1, 2013
There is an intangible, but equally empowering peace that comes with the practice of growing our own food. Have you taken the time to understand where this peace comes from? In understanding the roots of this peace we can find ways to expand on it and move the practice over into other parts of our…
Growing Dome at the Solar Living Institute
June 28, 2013
Solar Living Institute Update: Unfortunately due to COVID the Solar Living Institute closed it’s doors in October 2020. They are still offering on-line classes. Recently we received an update from the Solar Living Institute in Hopland, CA of the 26′ Growing Dome greenhouse built in 2012. “The Growing Dome is one of the main attractions…
2013 Growing Spaces In-Kind Grant Winners Announced
June 28, 2013
We are pleased to announce the top three winners of this year’s Growing Spaces In-kind Grant Awards. Each of these well deserving organizations has diligently planned and raised funds for their education programs that will include a Growing Dome® greenhouse. It is with great joy that we join the movements to contribute to and support…
Growing Year-Round in the Sierra Nevadas – June 2013 Dome of the Month
June 26, 2013
Truckee Community Farm is a winner. Congratulations to Truckee Community Farm and the Kelly family for winning the June 2013 Dome of the Month! With this 33 ft. Growing Dome Greenhouse in Lake Tahoe, California they are supplying the Tahoe Food Hub with food year-round and providing inspiration for similar educational programs in their community….
How to Make an Aquatic Plant Protector
June 3, 2013
Recently, our fish had grown so big that they began eating all of our aquatic plants in our water tanks! Rather than watch our plants dwindle to nothing, we got creative. Innovation is always happening here at Growing Spaces and we have so many brilliant members contributing. With some lovely input and guidance from Claudia…
Edible Schoolyard Project: Lesson Plans, Fundraising and More!
May 31, 2013
We are so impressed and amazed to see how the school garden concept is infusing rural and urban communities across the country. The next generation honestly has so many opportunities to connect back with their food and the land. It’s also stunning how technology has quickened the pace of this movement far beyond what anyone…
Freeman Public Schools’ New Greenhouse Classroom
May 30, 2013
Freeman Public School students in Nebraska are just now settling into their new 33 ft. diameter Growing Dome greenhouse classroom. Over the course of about nine months they were able to write grants and receive enough funding to purchase the greenhouse classroom. The main contributions were grants from DuPont Pioneer and Farm Credit Services of…
Surprise Spring Snow – May 2013 Dome of the Month
May 21, 2013
Congratulations to Cate Graber on winning the Dome of the Month contest for May 2013. This fun pair of photos of her 26′ Growing Dome greenhouse in Trinidad, Colorado shows how quickly the weather can change in the Rocky Mountains. Her peach tree had just decided to start blooming above 6,400 feet. Then Mother Nature…
It’s Earth Day
May 17, 2013
It’s Earth Day, and this is being celebrated in many places around the globe (see Earthday.org ). In our own small town, the people of vision were out on a cold day in their booths giving away small trees to celebrate Earth Day. There were many examples of innovation and many contributions to the awareness…
Finished! 33′ Growing Dome at the Shumei Natural Agriculture Garden
May 8, 2013
4-25-13 Thursday: I love round tanks, especially when it comes to leveling. Today we were busy finishing the tank. Don’t you love Janet’s pleats in the tank liner? And, yes, for a charge she will come redo your tank! Other tasks included finishing the fans, final odds and ends at the door, and leftover parts! 4-27-13: Thursday…
Part 4: 33′ Growing Dome at the Shumei Natural Agriculture Garden
April 22, 2013
We thought we might be nearing a close with the construction of the 33′ Growing Dome at the Shumei Garden at the Rodale Institute, but this story sure has had it’s twists and turns! It turns out that Richard is headed back east to work on some finishing touches and to help with consulting on…
Part 3: 33′ Growing Dome Installation at the Shumei Natural Agriculture Garden
April 19, 2013
As the 33′ Growing Dome at the Shumei Natural Agriculture Garden at the Rodale Institute continues to take shape we see how many wonderful volunteers are pitching in to make this project happen. Richard Miller, Growing Spaces installation supervisor, has been kind enough to send us updates as they go. 4-9-13 Tuesday: I checked hubs…
Our Dirt Work Leads to a Food Revolution
April 17, 2013
Celebrity Chef Jamie Oliver endorses the Growing Dome Greenhouse while visiting Navajo Nation in Arizona
Garden Art – April 2013 Dome of the Month Winner
April 12, 2013
We feel fortunate to have people like April's Dome of the Month Winner, Larry Berger, in our lives. They turn their passion, no matter what it is, into an art form. His passion just so happens to be our passion, gardening. He won April's contest with this lovely overview shot of his full garden and it's so rewarding to see his 22' Growing Dome Greenhouse in Wisconsin incorporated into a larger garden. A stunning larger garden at that. We couldn't do Larry's garden justice, although, without including a few of our other favorite pictures he's sent over the years.
Part 2: 33′ Growing Dome Installation at the Shumei Natural Agriculture Garden
April 9, 2013
The 33′ Growing Dome at the Shumei Natural Agriculture Garden at the Rodale Institute is going up nicely. Richard Miller has been kind enough to send us updates as they go, so you can feel like you’re right there with them! 4-2-13 Puxatawney Phil is part of a stew right about now. No, not because…
What You Need to Know About Eating Safe Fruits and Vegetables
April 8, 2013
In this day and age of the deluge of bad news, everyone does their best to filter out the pertinent information about what will affect their health and safety. In this article we’re going to do some filtering for you and review important information about the safety of your fresh fruits and vegetables. We’ll offer…
33′ Growing Dome Installation at Shumei Natural Agriculture Garden
April 3, 2013
“Off Again To High Adventure”with Richard Miller, Growing Spaces Staff Question: What do Growing Spaces, Rodale Institute, and Shumei Natural Agriculture have in common? Answer: A 33′ Growing Dome Yes, it’s true…Here we go again. Janet and I, the lowly vent maker, are “off again to high adventure”. Well, 15′-6″ high at least, to the…
Success with Community Garden Grants
March 13, 2013
Examples of how some communities have used garden grants to build a community garden greenhouse Community gardens create a wonderful space where neighbors and families can spend time outdoors, get good exercise and good food, and, most importantly, connect with each other. They also provide access to gardening for people who might otherwise not have…
March 2013 Dome of the Month Winner
March 6, 2013
Reminding us of a season soon to pass…this beautiful photo from Kathy Pitts & John Stone of their 26′ Growing Dome Greenhouse in Northern California captures the essence of the winter solstice it was photographed on. One of the comments about the photo that was posted on Facebook sums it up best for us, “Lovely…
Planting Early Season Catch Crops
February 28, 2013
There are some terms we year-round gardeners throw around pretty easily and “catch crop” is one of them. It sounds complicated, but is actually very simple. A catch crop is a fast-growing, quickly maturing crop that can be grown between cold season (winter) and warm season (summer) crops. January is most definitely too early to…
Dancing with Stress, Managing Overwhelm
February 20, 2013
What IF I could live in such balance that the energy needed for my everyday commitments was an OVERFLOW out of the peace and natural enthusiasm I carry within me? What if I could re-set myself, when I was thrown off balance? And make recovery an art form? This has been my developing goal since…
Replenish Your Garden’s Footprint
February 15, 2013
Let’s start out by first acknowledging that gardening is an inherently Earth-friendly activity. The basic acts of turning the soil, sowing seeds, watering, and nurturing the plants literally consists of acting in a loving, gentle and kind way toward the Earth. Gardening is also eco-friendly in less direct but as conspicuous ways. The most obvious…
Floating Row Covers in the Greenhouse
January 24, 2013
It’s been an especially cold winter for many parts of the country. We here in Colorado had the brunt of it during December and now the Midwest and Northeast are experiencing exceptionally cold temperatures. We’ve received a flood of questions about when and how to heat the Growing Dome. It largely depends on the amount…
Truckee Elementary and the Dome Raising Project Come Together
January 23, 2013
Awhile back we introduced you to Susie Sutphin and Bill Kelly of Truckee Community Farm in California. They had recently purchased and built a 33′ Growing Dome from Growing Spaces and were already looking to expand beyond their current garden. They had a vision for the Dome Raising Project as a part of their budding Tahoe…
A Dream to Award Good Food to All
January 23, 2013
I write on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and the day of our President’s second inauguration. Many synchronicities stir me as I consider this time January 21, 2013 and what it means to me. In his speech, fifty years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King reminded us of the power of “having a dream” that is,…
Winter Wonderland – January 2013 Dome of the Month Winner
January 9, 2013
Congratulations to Katja Wichland and Josh Rapaport on winning the January 2013 Dome of the Month with this lovely winter photo of their 26′ Growing Dome Greenhouse in Colorado. Protected by their adopted Chow Chow named Bella, they are at 9,000 feet elevation near Telluride and are coming up on their two-year anniversary of owning…