Solar Greenhouses
Solar greenhouses collect and retain solar energy, thereby reducing energy costs. For a wealth of information on this subject, see National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service
(ATTRA) Solar Greenhouses, available free online at http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/solar-gh.html. This exhaustive online text gives everything from solar greenhouse designs, photos, absorption, glazing, principles—it is a complete how-to for solar greenhouses.
Solviva: How to Grow $500,000 on One Acre and Peace on Earth by Anna Edey discusses her solar-powered and animal-heated greenhouse on Martha's Vineyard. She includes information on water walls and growtubes, and much more. It’s available from:
GFM Books
PO Box 3747
Lawrence, KS 66046
800-307-8949
Check into The New Alchemy Institute at Falmouth, Massachusetts. They have published texts on bioshelters, solar energy, wind energy, organic farming, sustainable agriculture, solar greenhouses, and integrated pest management.
Composting Greenhouses
Composting greenhouses are heated with waste heat generated by compost. Heat and carbon dioxide are generated from manure-based compost contained in a special chamber attached to the side of the greenhouse.
Animal-Heated or Bio-Heated Greenhouses
Small animals like chickens and rabbits can produce heat and carbon dioxide for your greenhouse. Although this method has special challenges (the heat and humidity are not good for the animals; waste cleanup; toxic ammonia gas buildup from manure; close confinement), methods have been devised to overcome them. The chickens could be kept in a special room attached to the greenhouse “proper” where temperatures are kept constant. Filters can get rid of the ammonia. One study found the chickens raised the greenhouse temperature by 8 degrees F.
