Building a greenhouse can save you a lot of money

Building a greenhouse can save you a lot of money

Central Oregon is abuzz with building a greenhouse to save money. In 1971, a celery bundle cost 38 cents and now a bundle is $2.00. Strawberries were 29 cents a pound and now are $3.22. Inflation is a first guess, but in reality, with inflation, wages have actually stayed the same while food prices jumped considerably above the norm, according to the Pew Research Center. “But after adjusting for inflation, today’s average hourly wage has just about the same purchasing power as it did in 1979, following a long slide in the 1980s and early 1990s and bumpy, inconsistent growth since then. In fact, in real terms the average wage peaked more than 40 years ago: The $4.03-an-hour rate recorded in January 1973 has the same purchasing power as $22.41 would today.”

A greenhouse can actually save a household $10,000 – $24,000 a year in groceries by growing their own food, while the average cost for seeds a year is $70! Seed costs are around $2 – $5 for one thousand. The savings rate is beyond expectation so investing in a greenhouse in Redmond, OR is a great idea. But it’s not just about the savings. Growing your own fruits and vegetables organically have health benefits that are worthy of mention. Genetically modified food (in example, extracting DNA from fish to help the shelf life of tomatoes by delaying ripening) could have long term effects on health. According to IRT (Institute for Responsible Technology), “In reality, FDA scientists had repeatedly warned that GM foods can create unpredictable, hard-to-detect side effects, including allergies, toxins, new diseases, and nutritional problems. They urged long-term safety studies, but were ignored.”

You shouldn’t go cheap if you’re considering building a greenhouse in Bend, OR. There are kits out there that are less than $200. Plastic pipes and tarp, basically. While good for warmer places, this won’t hold up to our pounding winters. Central Oregon is notorious for unpredictable winds and going cheap could kill your little investment. Also, these kits are not easy to seal. Cold can get in through the smallest of seams during a flash frost. Just because it’s 70 degrees that day doesn’t mean it won’t be 23 that night. A properly built greenhouse is the way to go. You may think a few thousand dollars is too much, but consider the savings afterward. The return on investment on 1700%. And not only that, but most people whom grow their own food always have too much left over, which they either give to neighbors or donate to the needful.

On our website, “Our Greenhouses are very popular in Central Oregon for many different plan varieties. These Polycarbonate buildings hold up extremely well to all adverse weather conditions and are secured in the ground with large stakes. The clear material is certainly the most popular, however we have also built with a smoked Poly Carbonate material on the top portion of the roof to keep the super-hot Central Oregon sunlight and heat to a minimum. Our Greenhouses come with an opening 2’ x 2’ window with screens, foam “bug proof” weather stripping and a front door that can open to provide for cross ventilation. Greenhouses are available in either the 8’ or the 10’ width and can be as long as you’d like. This past year we even combined the Greenhouse Polycarbonate panel with the Better Barn to create a most versatile combination shed.” Contact us today for a free quote!