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Ray, Zachary

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Ray, Zachary

Orcid ID0000-0002-5110-2678

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graduate research assistant, UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department, Gainesville, FL

Publications

thumbnail for publication: The Cost of High Tunnel and Caterpillar Tunnel Establishment for Vegetable Production

The Cost of High Tunnel and Caterpillar Tunnel Establishment for Vegetable Production

Yefan Nian, Zhifeng Gao, Xin Zhao, Ruojin Zhao, Shufang Tian, Isaac Vincent, and Zachary Ray

Due to increasing marketing and production risks in specialty crop production, a shift toward more protected culture systems such as a high tunnel production system is crucial to keep specialty crop farms profitable and sustainable in the United States. In this publication, we analyzed the cost of constructing high tunnels and caterpillar tunnels in Florida and examined the major contributors to their establishment costs. The findings are intended to assist farmers in deciding whether or not to add high tunnel or caterpillar tunnel systems to their farming operations.

Using High Tunnels to Enhance Organic Vegetable Production in Florida: an Overview

Shufang Tian, Xin Zhao, Isaac R. Vincent, Tian Gong, Zachary T. Ray, Jesusa Legaspi, Alejandro Bolques, Timothy W. Coolong, and Juan Carlos Díaz-Pérez

Cost-effective high tunnel systems as a protected production tool hold great potential for offering multifaceted benefits to vegetable growers in Florida beyond season extension. The adoption of high tunnels in the U.S. has been largely fueled by the NRCS High Tunnel System Initiative. Various high tunnel structures may be adapted to the Florida environment for growing high-value vegetable crops. In particular, high tunnels can help improve crop yield and quality in organic vegetable production. This article provides an overview of high tunnel structures and environment, growth of high tunnel production and the organic produce sector, major advantages of using high tunnels to enhance organic vegetable production, and challenges of high tunnel management in Florida. Some online resources for high tunnel vegetable production are provided, and future research needs are also pointed out for improving the long-term environmental and economic sustainability of high tunnel production systems.