The Mindful Blog

High Tunnel, NRCS, Greenhouse: Practical Guide to Selection, Construction, and Funding A reliable protected growing space can transform a small farm or garden. This practical guide walks through the essentials of planning, building, and maintaining a high tunnel, and explains how NRCS cost-share programs can help cover construction costs. Use these steps to choose the right site, avoid common mistakes, and get the most value from your greenhouse investment. Why a high tunnel? A high tunnel lets you extend the season, protect crops from extreme weather, and boost productivity on less land. Compared with field production, a well-built high tunnel...

Simple & Affordable Seed Starting Setup for Thriving Plants Seed starting doesn't have to be elaborate to be effective. With a compact, intentional setup I can start hundreds of seedlings for a family of five and grow nearly all our produce on just 1,000 square feet. This guide walks through a straightforward, affordable seed starting system that uses soil blocks, bottom-wicking trays, a heat mat, and adjustable LED lighting to produce strong, non-leggy transplants. Why a simple seed starting setup works Complexity can create more work and more things to fail. The goal is healthy seedlings with good root structure...

If you want stronger, healthier transplants, try soil blocks, soil blockers, seed starting as a system. Instead of seedlings sitting in plastic cells and circling their roots, a compacted brick of soil allows roots to air prune at the block edge.

Not sure whether to build raised beds or plant in-ground? Learn how winter, rainfall, soil texture and slope determine the best choice.