Spencer Farm located in Marion Junction has started a “Barnraiser” site to ask for help in funding a major project.

Owners Chip and Laura Spencer have been growing organic vegetables and offering them to the community for a while now and are looking for a way to grow them year round.

“We know going into this that we’re trying something very, very difficult,” Chip said. “But we feel like it’s important enough to do that even if we just make that little portion of what we do on our farm break even, we’re happy.”

In order to produce vegetables 12 months of the year, the Spencers will need to build a 30 by 50 foot high-tunnel greenhouse, also known as a hoop-house.

The cost of building one is around $8,000, making it difficult for them to afford one. That’s why they are reaching out to the community to help fund the project so they can continue producing organic vegetables through the winter.

“What we want to do now is increase what we’re doing, not in volume, but throughout the time of year,” Chip said. “In order to do that, we need to have this big greenhouse structure. If we had one of those here, instead of growing local organic vegetables and offering them to the public here eight months out of the year, we could do it 12 months out of the year.”

Although the farm is not a nonprofit, they operate their vegetable production as such and even contribute to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

“We operate these vegetables much like a nonprofit would be operated,” Chip said. “Everything we do goes back into it. Any money we get, we go put it right back into trying to just do it better, learn and then we use that to teach other people.”

On the website, the Spencer’s said, “We are seeking to raise $8,000, matched by $12,000 of our capital, so we can purchase and construct a 30 by 50 high tunnel on the property already set aside for this project. Our high tunnel has been designed and sized specifically for our use by CropKing Inc, a leading hoop house manufacturing company and the blueprints are waiting on funding to spring into action. If we are successful with this fundraiser, construction will begin immediately, and we will soon have tasty produce available through this winter and for many winters to come.”

As of Tuesday afternoon, they had received $2,300 of their $8,000 goal.

“It’s great to know that people are behind us. I think a lot of people who are familiar with what we’re doing, they appreciate what we’re doing,” Chip said. “Without this fundraiser, it would take us two or three years to fund [the project].”

Chip said they plan on building the greenhouse immediately if they reach the goal so they can prepare for the upcoming winter.

“It is not too late for us to have this in place and growing organic vegetables and offering them right here in Dallas County this winter,” Chip said.

To view the website or donate to the cause, visit https://www.barnraiser.us/projects/selma-al-hoop-house-community-mission.