First, heavy duty beams and rafters, and flat boards above that. There is a thin layer of metal and then a plastic/rubber membrane (heavy duty like a pond membrane). Above the membrane there is 4 inches of foam board insulation, and then 18 inches of dirt and sod. So the water hits the sod and only goes down to the membrane when we get a good soaking rain. It is delayed usually about 10 hours, and then the two drains drip for several days. I wish there was more insulation underneath the membrane, because it feels significantly colder when we get cold rainy weather (I am guessing the water is carrying away our heat.
Fixing a leak is sort of a pain. You go up there and shovel thru the dirt, carefully cut the insulation and put a membrane patch on with roofing cement. But then again, I dont have to put new shingles on every 20 yrs.
We grow lettuce, basil, strawberries, carrots, potatoes, parsnips, turnips, beets, scorzonera, sweet corn, garlic, onions, tomatoes, peppers, melons, beans, winter squash, spinach, mache, peas, kale, broccoli, cabbage, celeriac, and celery. My big lesson from last year is not to grow peppers in open soil. I will just do those in the greenhouse and in pots. And I will start melons inside a couple weeks before last frost date. Every year we declare that we have to grow more carrots. We have a bit of a challenge with the deer at the very beginning of the season, and the end. We may end up getting a dog. We are really excited to have our first crop of strawberries coming up this summer.
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