"Just putting a sheet of clear plastic over plants can profoundly affect many aspects of plant growth and performance," Wien said, adding that he expects the use of high tunnels in New York to return a gain of $500,000 per year in the farm-gate value of the state's horticultural crops by 2010.

At Bonesteel's, Bruce Bonesteel starts seeds in March and harvests flowers and vegetables through November. In 2008, he started growing some of his crops in trays and pails instead of in the ground in his three high tunnels.

"The trick with high tunnels is getting the watering right," he said. "We are working toward an automated system."

At Campbell's, Ken Campbell likes his six high tunnels because "for sure I will get a good crop with the ability to control the amount of water and temperature and not be subject to the elements such as all the rain this year. The tunnels are inexpensive and they are a great investment."

At Rehoboth, Beth Spaugh-Barber uses high tunnels to organically produce early tomatoes and fall/winter salad crops. "I put our chickens in for a week between tomatoes and salad greens to clean up seeds and bugs. At the open house, I will set up row-cover supports to show how I use cover inside the tunnel to protect the greens from the extreme cold outside. Research shows that it may get no colder than 17 degrees (Fahrenheit) under the row cover even when it is below zero outside," Spaugh said.

Open house co-organizer Amy Ivy of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Clinton County said that growing certain types of produce and cut flowers makes good sense in the North Country. "The tunnels extend our short growing season by several weeks and reduce disease problems by keeping rain off the plants. More and more calls are coming in to extension offices around our region for information and those who are already using high tunnels love them. These open-house events provide an excellent opportunity to learn first hand from Cornell specialists and regional growers."

For more information on the high-tunnel workshops, contact the local Cornell Cooperative Extension office. More information and resources for farmers are posted on the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program Web site at www.nnyagdev.org.