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Posts Tagged ‘Extreme Weather Conditions’

Learn All About Hoop House Greenhouse

Friday, March 5th, 2010
Jimmy Spier asked:




Having a greenhouse will give many benefits to a gardener, whether he is a mere hobbyist or an expert plant cultivator. However, there are many things to consider in having a greenhouse, not to mention the expenses that come with building greenhouses.

A good alternative is to own a hoop house type of greenhouse. These are very simple greenhouses which can be assembled very easily. There are many advantages in having a hoop house greenhouse, here are some of them:

-Availability of more growing time A hoop house greenhouse provides a gardener more time to cultivate his favorite plants. An extra 3 to 4 months can be extracted for planting more crops in the greenhouse.

-Inexpensive way to cultivate Hoop house greenhouses provide an inexpensive way to help greenhouse enthusiasts to get started into cultivating crops.

-Crop protection from predators and extreme weather conditions Hoop house greenhouses are built to protect plants from different adverse conditions which can be brought about by weather conditions and different crop predators. They provide sturdy and efficient covering for the plants against these factors.

-More varieties of plants can be grown Because hoop houses will allow longer growing seasons, more varieties of plants can be grown in the hoop houses.

-Increased income and savings One can cultivate different crops which can be equated into additional income or savings. One can actually sell fruits and vegetables which are grown in the hoop houses or can plant crops which can be consumed by the family, therefore avoiding the need to purchase these from the supermarket.

There are many reasons why gardeners have availed hoop houses for their gardens. Here are some more pertinent facts about hoop houses that should be known by other enthusiasts:

-Most growers recover the cost of building their hoop houses in a single season of planting.

-There are no permits required in building hoop houses since they are not considered as permanent structures.

-The growing seasons can be extended by using hoop houses and several other equipments. Hoop houses usually extend growing seasons by as much as 4 months, but by adding layers of insulating film and an inflation blower, one can extend the growing season more than four months.

-Hoop houses are usually made from galvanized steel. The galvanized hoops serve as the framework for the greenhouse. The material is low maintenance, very sturdy and very economical.

-Hoop houses are characterized by natural regulation of its temperature. There is no need for extra equipments which can be sources of additional costs. The hoop houses are warmed by the natural sun and are cooled by the wind. One can roll the sides up and open the hoop house doors to be able to provide ventilation to the plants inside. This is a very cost effective way of cultivating plants in a greenhouse.

-Hoop houses can be built in places where the winds are prevalent and where snow can be a problem. Hoop houses are built from sturdy frames which are designed to handle heavy winds and can withstand the harsh effects of snowing. One can position the hoop house perpendicular to the winds to maximize the ventilation for the plants. One should also remember to do some maintaining when the snow comes. Occasional brushing of the snow will be very beneficial for the hoop house.

-Hoop houses are quite tall and gardeners can use the vertical space to be able to plant more crops. Adding purlins will allow one to hang baskets, tie up tomatoes and other plants. The baskets can then be used to plant ornamental crops or other types of plants. -One can customize his hoop house in terms of the creation of doors or windows. The traditional hoop houses have a built-in door and a couple of windows for ventilation.

-There are other functions that hoop houses can do when the planting season is over. They can serve as a chicken coop if one installs poultry netting. They can also be used to grow orchids or other ornamental plants.

-Hoop houses can be relocated easily. Relocating hoop houses can be done without disassembling the structure.

There are many reasons why people turn to hoop houses when they want to have a greenhouse. Aside from the multiple benefits that plants can get from being sheltered by hoop houses, these greenhouses are very economical and won’t dig deep into the gardeners’ pockets.

Where Are The Safest Places To Live In The United States?

Tuesday, November 24th, 2009
Real Estate Advisor asked:




Being in a safe community is one of the most important factors that buyers consider when purchasing a home, condo or any other type of real estate. So where are America’s most secure places to live? The Farmers Insurance Group of Companies has released its third annual ranking of top 20 ‘Most Secure U.S. Places to Live’.

Bert Sperling, a database expert with http://bestplaces.net, compiled the Farmers rankings based on data from 379 U.S. municipalities. Factors such as crime statistics, unemployment rates and risks of environmental hazards, terrorism threats, natural disasters and extreme weather conditions, were taken into consideration.

The communities were divided into three groups – large metropolitan areas (above 500,000 residents), mid-size cities (between 150,000 and 500,000 residents), and small towns (fewer than 150,000 residents).

According to the survey, the most secure community to live in the U.S. among large metropolitan areas are the adjacent communities of Boise City and Nampa (both in Idaho), which topped all large metro areas. Located among the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, the area has one of the lowest unemployment rates and enjoys a wonderful climate.

Among the Mid-size cities, those with a population between 150,000 and 500,000, the safest community to live is Las Cruces, New Mexico. Las Cruces was the first among mid-size cities in low unemployment rate and favorable climate categories.

St. George in Utah topped all small cities with populations of 150,000 or fewer in the survey. The city has 110,515 residents who enjoy a mild climate, clean air and low annual precipitation. It also has the lowest crime rates of all the 379 communities surveyed. St. George stands first in employment rate among the 138 small towns in the Farmers study.

The following are top 20 communities of America’s most secure places to live among large metropolitan areas, mid-size cities and small towns:

The top 20 safest communities to live among the large metro areas are:

1. Boise City-Nampa, Idaho

2. Portland-South Portland-Biddeford, Maine

3. Las Vegas-Paradise, Nevada

4. Honolulu, Hawaii

5. Sacramento-Arden-Arcade-Roseville, California

6. Scranton-Wilkes-Barre-Hazelton, Pennsylvania

7. San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, California

8. Bethesda-Gaithersburg-Frederick, Maryland

9. Syracuse, New York

10. Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, California

11. El Paso, Texas

12. Albany-Troy-Schenectady, New York

13. Rochester, New York

14. Buffalo-Niagara Falls, New York

15. Oxnard-Thousand Oaks- Ventura, California

16. Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown, New York

17. Nassau-Suffolk, New York

18. Harrisburg-Carlisle, Pennsylvania

19. Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, Connecticut.

20. New Haven-Milford, Connecticut.

The top 20 safest places to live among mid-size cities are:

1. Las Cruces, New Mexico

2. Rockingham County-Strafford County, New Hampshire

3. Huntington, West Virginia.-Ashland, Kentucky

4. Bellingham, Washington

5. Burlington-South Burlington, Vermont

6. Lynchburg, Virginia

7. Medford, Oregon

8. Prescott, Arizona

9. San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, California

10. Binghamton, New York

11. Provo-Orem, Utah

12. St. Cloud, Minnesota

13. Fargo, North Dakota

14. Hagerstown, Maryland -Martinsburg, West Virginia

15. Olympia, Washington

16. Charlottesville, Virginia

17. Chico, California

18. Richland-Kennewick-Pasco, Washington

19. Manchester-Nashua, New Hampshire

20. Duluth, Minnesota

The top 20 safest communities to live among the small towns are:

1. St. George, Utah

2. Bend, Oregon

3. Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, Virginia

4. Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

5. Ithaca, New York

6. Morgantown, West Virginia

7. Logan, Utah

8. Winchester, Virginia

9. Harrisonburg, Virginia

10. Idaho Falls, Idaho

11. Madera, California

12. Glens Falls, New York

13. Wenatchee, Washington

14. Bangor, Maine

15. Lewiston-Auburn, Maine

16. State College, Pennsylvania

17. Billings, Montana

18. Cumberland, Maryland

19. Lewiston, Idaho

20. Pocatello, Idaho

If you are looking to settle down in any of these great cities, contact a good real estate agent who will help you purchase the home or condo of your choice.