Please read exciting news from the Food for everyone foundation

Dear Friends:

We are working feverishly on expanding the Foundation's reach and
capacity to not only tell people abut the Mittleider Method of
grdening, but also to show, demonstrate, and teach these things by
way of the internet.

"There's many a slip betwixt hand and lip", and so we don't want to
announce too much yet, but we WILL be offering the gardening books
and manuals for instant download in the very near future.

We are also working to make the message we present not just me
talking! We want the world to hear from you as well, at least those
of you who are having success in your gardens and are excited about
it.

Quite a few of you have already told us how great your garden is -
how much fun it is, now that you actually get a healthy crop
consistently - and how your family, neighbors, etc. either love, are
jealous of, or make comments about your garden.

If you've already written to me, please just send a one sentence
note saying it's okay for us to use your words as a "testimonial"
for the Mittleider Method. Please do it immediately, as we are
working on using these right away.

And those of you who are having a positive experience, but who
haven't told us about it yet, please take just a few minutes to send
us a letter describing why you love the Mittleider Method.

We appreciate all of you, and we know you're all very busy running
your own lives. But don't forget the scriptural injunction "it
becometh him who hath been warned to warn his neighbor". Let's give
others the benefit of our experience and invite them to try
gardening this way.

Thanks for your participation, and your feedback.

Jim Kennard

Mini greenhouse plans by Jim

All who are interested in extending your growing season - particularly with vertical plants - may want to save the following description of covered T-Frames. You can plant 4-6 weeks earlier in the Spring, and harvest 4-6 weeks later in the fall if you do it properly. For pictures, visit the Photos page on the Group website at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MittleiderMethodGardening/

In a garden with 18" X 30' beds and 3 1/2' aisles, place 8 T-Frames at 10' intervals in two adjacent beds parallel with the inside stakes, so that the 4" X 4" posts are 3 1/2' apart. The top of the "T" should be 32" long, and thus the width of both together is 6' 6".

For stability, nail each set of two T-Frames together - bridging the gap between them - with 6 1/2' long 2" X 4"s. Next, tie all T-Frames together lengthwise using 6 - 10' 2 X 4's. Now you have a 6 1/2' X 30' greenhouse frame covering two Grow-Beds or Grow-Boxes.

Buy 32 - 3/4" 45 degree PVC elbows and 1" pipe straps. Nail or screw the straps and elbows at 2-foot intervals along both sides of the 2 X 4 frame, with the elbows facing up and to the center of the greenhouse.

Buy 16 - 10'-long pieces of 3/4" PVC Schedule 200 pipe, 16 - 3/4" pipe straps, and 4 - 8' pieces of 1" X 2" lumber. Cut the PVC pipe and the 1" X 2" lumber to to 7 1/2' lengths. Nail the 1 X 2's together, using the 6" pieces, making a single piece 30' long. Nail or screw the 3/4" pipe straps to the 1 X 2" wood at 2-foot intervals, on the same side of the wood as the 6" pieces which hold the wood together. Insert the 3/4" PVC pipes through the straps. With the wood on top, insert the PVC pieces into the 45 degree PVC elbows - creating the arched roof.

Buy a roll of 6-mil 24'-wide greenhouse plastic at least 37' long (do NOT use construction plastic. It will become brittle and tear within 3-4 months). Cover the greenhouse, with 3 1/2' overlapping on each end.

Buy 8 - 1"-long eye bolts and 130' of 1/4" nylon rope. Attach eye bolts on the side of each T-Frame T - 1" in from the edge and 1" down from the top. Cut rope into 8 - 16' lengths. Tie one end of rope to each eye bolt. Hammer a 3 1/2" nail into the top of the 2" X 4" on the upper outside edge near the eye bolt. Tie short loops into ropes at 10', 12' and 14' to give 3 levels of opening the sides of your greenhouse plastic.

Buy 16 - 8'-long pieces of 1" X 2" lumber. Cut all to 7 1/2' lengths. Cut 2 into 4 - 3 3/4' lengths. Place wood on both side edges of greenhouse plastic along both sides of greenhouse and screw together, sandwiching the plastic between the two pieces of wood. Alternate lengths of 1" X 2" between 3 3/4' and 7 1/2', to make the entire 30' length strong. Roll plastic sides up in warm weather, and lower in cold weather.

Fold and attach plastic on ends to secure an air-tight covering in cold weather, and open when weather is warm.

After a few of you handy builders have done this, you can help me improve the instructions, and perhaps provide all of us with some graphic illustrations.