There are some really cool greenhouses on this thread, I am almost embarrassed to show my Frankenstein greenhouse, but I had to do this on a budget and really didn't need a whole lot of space. When we bought our farmhouse a few years ago, there were lots of boards in the barn, so I used what I could for siding. Most of the windows are re-purposed windows bought from a "Restore" place locally. I plan on painting it when the weather is warmer and I have time.


Shelves are pallets that supplies came in on from my work place. I added a small wood stove for supplemental heat from time to time, but need to better arrange things in order for it to be useful. This is just a start and hopefully I will learn and improve things as I go.

Looks great!

It looks great!

I LOVE your greenhouse!

Cool! My first greenhouse was framed with scrap lumber from the town dump and pallets for motorcycles and snowmobiles. Got some handcrank windows and a stormdoor from trailers that were being junked.

I learned a lot that went into the design of my present greenhouse.

Great use of the reclaimed materials! Having a GH is a wonderful thing

@ CraigCoGardens
Recycled materials that won't end up in a landfill being put to good use .

I love it. A coat of paint is a touch of magic.
Keep us updated.

Hi @CraigCoGardens and

I think your greenhouse looks great. I admire your ingenuity and I'm sure the "style" fits right into the farmhouse/landscape look where you are in Vaginia. And I'm sure it serves its purpose well. Kudos on a job well done.

When I decided on a greenhouse, I was going to build my own, but since I was selling greenhouses on the side for some extra income at the time, I was able to get mine for the wholesale price, so I just couldn't pass it up. I actually would have preferred a Frankenstein.

Nice to have you with us in the greenhouse forum!

Jim

MoonShadows said: Hi @CraigCoGardens and

I think your greenhouse looks great. I admire your ingenuity and I'm sure the "style" fits right into the farmhouse/landscape look where you are in Vaginia. And I'm sure it serves its purpose well. Kudos on a job well done.

When I decided on a greenhouse, I was going to build my own, but since I was selling greenhouses on the side for some extra income at the time, I was able to get mine for the wholesale price, so I just couldn't pass it up. I actually would have preferred a Frankenstein.

Nice to have you with us in the greenhouse forum!

Jim

Thanks Jim! You are exactly right on wanting something that fits into the farmhouse style. Our farmhouse was built in 1890 and most of structures on our land is barns & farm buildings (one is called the meathouse where they cut up and processed meat years ago).

That is so cool! The original part of our farmhouse was built in 1840. It was then added on to several times. All of our 4 our outbuildings were built after WWll with the exception of the old barn, which is just a foundation now. When we bought the property in 1995, we wanted to rebuild the barn, but because the structure had been collapsed for over a year, the township would not grandfather in a new structure on the foundation. The barn was about 4 feet off the road. They told us we would have to relocate it 30 feet off the road. So, we have used the foundation as an "open air" garage for the past 27 years. Last year, we built a firewood shed in the old foundation.







How far are you away from Culpeper? My father grew up on his family's farm there, born in 1917. I used to love to visit the farm. When my grandparents died in the 1960's, the farm was sold. I would have loved to have bought it, but I was not in the position to do it at the time (too young). The land now has 3 or 4 houses (one is the original farmhouse) and a large drug and alcohol rehab. I cry every time I think about it. I remember walking in the freshly plowed fields looking for Indian arrow heads and civil war musket balls. I still have some of them.

MoonShadows said: That is so cool! The original part of our farmhouse was built in 1840. It was then added on to several times. All of our 4 our outbuildings were built after WWll with the exception of the old barn, which is just a foundation now. When we bought the property in 1995, we wanted to rebuild the barn, but because the structure had been collapsed for over a year, the township would not grandfather in a new structure on the foundation. The barn was about 4 feet off the road. They told us we would have to relocate it 30 feet off the road. So, we have used the foundation as an "open air" garage for the past 27 years. Last year, we built a firewood shed in the old foundation.







How far are you away from Culpeper? My father grew up on his family's farm there, born in 1917. I used to love to visit the farm. When my grandparents died in the 1960's, the farm was sold. I would have loved to have bought it, but I was not in the position to do it at the time (too young). The land now has 3 or 4 houses (one is the original farmhouse) and a large drug and alcohol rehab. I cry every time I think about it. I remember walking in the freshly plowed fields looking for Indian arrow heads and civil war musket balls. I still have some of them.

I am a pretty good ways from Culpepper. I am in the southwest mountains of Virginia. My wife and lived in the country when we got married, but once the kids came along, moved to suburbia for better conditions and convenience. Once both of the kids had moved out and started their lives, we bought a small farm in a remote location. We absolutely love it, plenty of fresh air, quiet, neighbors will help you with anything, but stay to themselves otherwise and lots a land for gardens! The original house has been added onto a couple of times and remodeled inside. We certainty love the old farmhouse feel and even with some of the upgrades, the house still has the old time feel. We also collect antiques and a farmhouse certainty makes them stand out.
I always look for Indian arrow heads and have done a bit of metal detecting, but to date have not found any. I have a creek running through my property, but probably need to go over to Sinking Creek to find arrow heads.
That is a great looking wood shed! I have plans to build a nice one like that close to my outdoor wood burner, but have had other things that are higher priority. There are so many things I could do, but until I retire, will have to peck away at them on weekends and after work.

What a grand looking farmhouse. I really like that 2nd floor balcony above the entrance way. Our house had been abandoned for a number of years before the previous owners bought it and fixed it up. It still has a lot of that old farmhouse charm, but they could have done a lot more to keep the older look when they did the renovations.

This is what it looked like when they bought it back in the early 90's.



This is what it looks like now. When we bought it, the exterior was wood, but after painting the entire outside once, I decided to get it sided. In 2014, we had to replace the old slate roof. A new slate roof was prohibitive, so we put on a green metal roof. The outside is now basically maintenance free, which I like since we are both 66 now, but with an old house, there is always something to do. I guess you can relate.



We are both retired now except for our home business, so we are able to get a lot of projects done that we weren't able to get done while we both were working. Our newest project which we started last summer is an 8500 square food food forest in the field behind the house. We have planted over 30 fruit trees/bushes/vines and have another 15 or so sitting in thew greenhouse waiting to be planted. We just got the fencing up a week or so ago. We still have to attach the electric fencing to keep the bears out. We are also in the process of moving all of our raised beds down there for our annual and perennial vegetables

Moonshadows, your place looks great! I certainty think that metal roofing & siding was the best way to go and did not change the charm of the house. Definitely will help reduce time spent on maintenance.

I certainly look forward to the days when I can spend my time doing the "fun" type of hard work like you are doing right now!

I am certainly glad we don't currently have a bear issue where we need fencing. They are certainly around my place, but have not wondered into our place as of yet.

Thanks. We have black bears, although I don't see them but a few times a year, but I see evidence of them often. The physical fence will keep the groundhogs, rabbits, deer, etc. out, but the electric fence is needed for the bears, especially with all the fruit we will be growing. If we don't put up the electric fence, the place will become a bear buffet. I have the poles for the electric fence set out 2 feet from the physical fence. Charger wired from one of my sheds down to the field, and all insulators attached, and ground rods in, so I only have to run the wires now on the perimeter poles and attach everything.

MoonShadows said: Thanks. We have black bears, although I don't see them but a few times a year, but I see evidence of them often. The physical fence will keep the groundhogs, rabbits, deer, etc. out, but the electric fence is needed for the bears, especially with all the fruit we will be growing. If we don't put up the electric fence, the place will become a bear buffet. I have the poles for the electric fence set out 2 feet from the physical fence. Charger wired from one of my sheds down to the field, and all insulators attached, and ground rods in, so I only have to run the wires now on the perimeter poles and attach everything.

Even with a physical fence, I have had a problem keeping the groundhogs out and they just dig their way under it. The only way to ensure they can't do that is to dig down and put the fencing well below dirt level. That is a whole lot of work, so I just kind of deal with them to some extent and plant enough to ensure what they do get doesn't short me. If it got bad enough, then more drastic measures would be taken, but for me, I just try my best to do what I can to live within natures cycle.

I decided not to plant corn this year as every year as soon as the corn is ready, the coons clean it out. I have a 6' fence all the way around the garden, but they are great climbers and have not problems getting in. Corn is plentiful at the local markets and can easily be found for 2-3 ears per dollar.

What I do is run about 2 feet of fencing horizontally out from the vertical fence on the ground, so I don't have to dig down. Depending on where I do it, I just let the grass grow back through the fencing on the ground. The grass holds the fencing down so you can still mow right over it; or in the case of the food forest, the ground fencing has a layer of wood chips on it. They will try to dig but can't.

Yes, the coons can climb. I don't have many problems with the coons. A technique is to not make the fencing so tight between the poles. (Depending on the type of fencing. I use welded wire fencing, so it makes this task easier.) As they climb it, it will wiggle/wobble, and they don't like that. The fence doesn't look as good with the slack, if you are looking for a tight fence between poles, but it works.

MoonShadows said: What I do is run about 2 feet of fencing horizontally out from the vertical fence on the ground, so I don't have to dig down. Depending on where I do it, I just let the grass grow back through the fencing on the ground. The grass holds the fencing down so you can still mow right over it; or in the case of the food forest, the ground fencing has a layer of wood chips on it. They will try to dig but can't.

That is a good idea putting the fencing horizontal to the ground and letting the grass grow over it. Even though cosmetically it does not look great, I let the grass grow as much as it wants on my fence. This tactic keeps the rabbits from being able to push their way under the fence. I have my posts about 10 feet apart and even with the slack and chicken wire, the coons are not deterred.
Yes, the coons can climb. I don't have many problems with the coons. A technique is to not make the fencing so tight between the poles. (Depending on the type of fencing. I use welded wire fencing, so it makes this task easier.) As they climb it, it will wiggle/wobble, and they don't like that. The fence doesn't look as good with the slack, if you are looking for a tight fence between poles, but it works.