Enthusiasm for winter farming sprouting up at Grow Ohio Valley

By LINDA COMINS

The (Wheeling, W.Va.) Intelligencer

WHEELING, W.Va.

Traditionally, the autumn harvest signals the end of the growing season, but that isn’t the case anymore in the Wheeling area.

In fact, leaders of Grow Ohio Valley and several local farmers are demonstrating that vegetables and herbs can be grown locally throughout the winter. New technology and equipment, coupled with innovative techniques, allow farming to prosper even in cold weather.

Danny Swan, Grow Ohio Valley’s co-founder and head farmer, commented, “GrowOV and other local farmers are ‘cracking the code’ on growing food year-round here in Wheeling. The end of summer no longer means the end of quality produce.”

The nonprofit organization’s urban farm on Wheeling Heights offers a living example of how winter crops can be cultivated, harvested and stored. Located on the west side of Vineyard Hill at the former Lincoln Homes site, the GrowOV farm now contains two high-tunnel greenhouses, with a third greenhouse ready to be erected, along with outdoor garden beds.

Temperature, moisture and insect population can be controlled within the greenhouses, he said.

The enclosed, cold-protected spaces allow for an extended growing season for a variety of vegetables. “We can grow all through the winter,” Swan said.

He remarked, “It’s really amazing what you can grow year-round. Pretty much all of the greens and roots appreciate cooler temperatures, and, with attention to detail and proper techniques, many of our common vegetables can thrive and be harvested, straight through the coldest months of winter.”

The greenhouses and outdoor growing areas are pond-irrigated. Swan said a ditch was dug to collect spring water and transport it to a pond on the property; water is then pumped from the pond to the growing area. “It’s better for plants to use untreated water,” such as the abundant supply from springs along the hillside, he said.

An extensive list of veggies suitable for cold-weather cultivation includes squash, cabbage, broccoli, bok choy, several varieties of lettuce, spinach, beets, turnips, radishes, carrots and onions.

Looking ahead, Swan anticipates demand for locally grown food will increase when the public market opens.