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The Parhelion Ecological Greenhouse
BIG! Green Greenhouse Design Competition Project Team: Seattle Urban Farm Company “The Parhelion (Sun Dog) Ecological Greenhouse” Hilary Dahl, Brad Halm, Colin McCrate, Jessica Roundy SUFCo’s Parhelion Ecological Greenhouse received an Honorable Mention in the SnoLEAF Cascadia Green Building Council’s BIG! (Green) Greenhouse Competition, and was on display this past week at Living Future 2013, here in Seattle. The Parhelion (Sun Dog) Ecological Greenhouse balances advanced green infrastructure and traditional agricultural systems. The structures are designed for net zero energy and water and to meet the standards of Living Building certification (by creating water independence, relying on solar income for energy needs). The site incorporates a range of sustainable systems, including rainwater catchment and recycling; passive heating, cooling and ventilation; grid-tied solar power; and geo-exchange temperature moderation. The production space is focused on three principal strategies:1. Production of annual transplants for countywide distribution enables food bank patrons and other community members to actively engage in local food production.2. Heat-loving crops planted in the container and in-ground growing spaces provide a local source of foods that typically have a large carbon footprint in the Snohomish region.3. The large in-ground production space with an unheated rolling field tunnel allows for intensive year-round harvests and organic soil management practices with minimal energy input. The Greenhouse has many distinct but interdependent spaces: · Propagation area for transplant production · Permanently covered indoor container production space · Dynamic in-ground production space with rolling field tunnel · Community garden · Bulk material storage · Meeting space · Office · Wash/pack station · Bathroom · Tool and equipment storage Crop List The growing spaces are designed for three separate but overlapping uses: an intensive...
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Consultation and Design
Our Consultation and Design services can help you transform any property into a beautiful, food producing oasis: the front yard of a private residence, the rooftop of a restaurant, the courtyard of an apartment complex, a paved schoolyard, or any other type of parcel you might have. We can help you transform any property into a beautiful edible landscape containing elements such as: vegetable beds, perennial shrubs and herbs, arbors, walkways, fruit trees and gathering spaces! Are you interested in eating more fresh, organically grown fruits and vegetables? Would you like to have a secure, sustainable food source in your backyard, at your business or on your rooftop? Have you always wanted to have a garden, but don’t feel you have the time or know-how to get started? Have you been gardening for years and want help making your beds more productive? You can have a beautiful, colorful garden with year-round interest that also provides a bounty of delicious, fresh food! Common Elements of an Urban Farm Design: Raised Vegetable Beds Raspberry, Kiwi, Hops or Grape Trellis Espalier Fruit Trees Perennial Herbs Northwest Native Edibles Drip Irrigation Systems Walkways and Patios Cold Frames and other Season Extension Covers Sample Edible Plant Palette (Click on image for larger view): Sample Edible Landscape Plan (Click on image for large view): Contact us today for rates and scheduling! Share on...
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"Food Grown Right, In Your Backyard"
Edible Landscape Design, Installation and Maintenance
Consultation and Design
Our Consultation and Design services can help you transform any property into a beautiful, food producing oasis: the front yard of a private residence, the rooftop of a restaurant, the courtyard of an apartment complex, a paved schoolyard, or any other type of parcel you might have.
Our Book
Food Grown Right, In Your Backyard is the essential handbook for beginning home gardeners. Combining our knowledge of small-scale organic food production, environmental education and residential landscaping, we have created a thorough, easy-to-use guide for backyard farmers. 
Edible Landscapes
Small-scale food production can happen just about anywhere, both at home and at your business. Your urban farm may be a series of cedar raised beds in the backyard, a handful of containers on the deck, a chicken coop, or a beehive. You can replace your ornamental shrubs with a fully edible landscape of vegetables, herbs, berries and fruit trees or just set up a single raised bed.
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This time of year we sure are glad that we went through the trouble of putting up tomatoes last season! Carefully sealing away the warmth and sweetness of summer, canning your vegetables always repays you with dividends. Mid-winter, when the garden starts to seem deserted and the days are consistently grey, we’re finally willing to break out those precious canned tomatoes. It’s always worth the wait. If you feel ready to crack open a can or two of tomatoes, this recipe will make them shine! The recipe also calls...
It’s never too early in the winter to curl up with a cup of tea and colorful seed catalogue and start visualizing your garden! Taking a little time to plan your garden can go along way to increase the health and productivity of your plants. Three things to consider when planning your garden: 1. Rotate your crops: In a small garden, true crop rotation can be difficult. To make your life a little easier, we have listed the four plant families that we highly recommend rotating to a new...
Perennial herbs create beautiful, aromatic anchors around our ever-changing annual vegetable gardens but in the late summer, they too must be cut back. This annual pruning provides us with an abundance of fresh herbs that can be dried and stored. If your harvest was particularly bountiful and your are staring at your five quart jars of oregano wondering how many pizza parties it would take use all those herbs, we have an idea for you: make Za’atar This delicious blend of herbs, sesame, and salt is incredibly versatile....
Winter hasn’t even officially begun but, believe it or not, it’s time to start thinking about buying seeds for the spring! Not only can getting your seeds early allow for a jump-start on your spring planting, but onion and leeks actually need to be seeded as transplants in January so they have enough time to size up before being planted out in the garden in the early spring. Crops that can be started early for spring harvests are: broccoli, kale, cabbage, chard, celeriac, celery, collards, scallions, parsley, peas. Seeding...
Fall is a great time to add sources of organic matter (compost, manure, etc) to the garden. A fall application of 1 to 2 inches of compost or manure on top of your beds will help resupply the soil with nutrients for the next season. Many gardeners will also add an additional layer of a lighter organic material (like grass clippings or burlap bags) on top to prevent nutrient leaching and keep down early spring weeds. Add whatever types of compost or manure you have access to, but make...
Checking your soil pH may seem beyond your range of garden nerdiness, but it is one of the most important things you can do each year to ensure the success of your crops. I find that it helps if you put on a lab coat and tease out your hair a little bit before getting started....
This recipe is packed with tons of vegetables, many of which you may still find in your fall garden! serves: 4 Ingredients: Main squash bowl: 1 large spaghetti squash, cut in half lengthwise + seeds scooped out 4-5 kale stalks (7-8 if you’re using lacinato), stems removed 1 shallot, peeled 1/2 cup chopped toasted cashews 3 tbsp sesame seeds chopped leafy herb (cilantro, mint, thai basil) – I used basil 1 bunch of broccoli, cut into florets salt + pepper Lime “nut butter” sauce: 1/2...
Did you know…just 1/4 cup of these bad boys gives you 50% of daily essential nutrients manganese, tryptophan, protein, zinc, iron and antioxidants? Translation? These modest little guys will support bone formation, sleep, mood, immunity, hearth health, glowing skin, hair and nails. They’ve been used medicinally for centuries to promote prostate health, help with arthritis, treat parasites…even as a stomach cancer deterrent. Additionally, they taste delicious with just about everything. Chili & Rosemary Roasted Pumpkin Seeds INGREDIENTS 2 cups raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas) 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, finely minced 4 teaspoons...
Winter squash are a long season crop, often taking up to three months to mature. Come winter, that long wait is worth it because if stored properly, winter squash will keep for months after the hot sunny days of summer are gone. To Harvest: Winter squash should be harvested once the fruit is full sized and properly colored and has a tough skin. Cut if from the vine once the stem is dried out and easy to break. Make sure to leave 5-6 in. of stem on the...
Garlic grows best in the fall when it can “vernalize.” When a crop requires vernalization, it means that it will grow best after prolonged exposure to cold temperatures. In the case of garlic, vernalization initiates the bulbing of the head. Garlic seed can be found at many nurseries, but if your local nursery doesn’t carry it, just purchase a few heads of organic garlic from your favorite grocery store! To plant: Prepare your garden bed by loosening the soil Start to gently break apart your heads of seed...