Sunken Greenhouse Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

You are invited to come celebrate the completed construction and first year of operations for our new sunken greenhouse!

We finished enclosing this structure on October 15^th 2022. We had already been composting and growing food in her beds so this milestone was perfect timing to keep the harvest going. And it did. We had tomatoes and summer squash through the winter in this frost-free space. We’ve been installing the finishing touches little by little this year and now we have rain catchment off every surface and some solar experiments as well.

Gardening in a new climate (whether due to global climate change or a new constructed microclimate) is always an experiment. We have some experience to share from our first year and a half of greenhouse growing. The rainwater we have captured lasts much longer in this space than growing outside. The mice and squirrels are kept out. The compost we created right in the beds holds moisture incredibly well.

We don’t really consider anything finished at Ampersand. We stay open to revisions and additions, acknowledging that all the spaces we create have their own way of being alive and part of the regenerative living systems of our habitat. We stay in relationship with changing needs as we all evolve. But we know enough about this sunken greenhouse (whose name has become Flora) to release this design into the world, and share about how it can help with community resilience.

Amanda Bramble designed this partially sunken greenhouse around passive solar concepts as well as the salvaged materials that make the bulk of it’s structure. It’s off- the- grid (even Ampersand’s small photovoltaic system) but runs a fan with ancient solar panels and a radiator fan extracted from a junked Datsun truck. The last thing to be installed this month is a passive thermosyphoning solar mass heater for wintertime temperature boosts. Come see!

Please reserve your spot for this event! Parking is limited. $15-$25 suggested donation appreciated!

3:00 to 4pm – You are welcome to arrive and wander around Ampersand or hang in the shade with us.

4:00 Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

4:30 tour of greenhouse details – Design and Functioning Q&A

5pm Potluck!

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