Clint Brown, a 17 year old high school student, is producing high quality fruits and vegetables in his three “high tunnel” structures on one acre of land located in our neighboring Plymouth County. 

Clint is an inspiration to all who want to start a sustainable small farming business -  how one person’s passion can lead the way for a new generation of farmer.

Clint built his first high tunnel structure at age 13 and began growing and selling beans at a local farmers market that same year.  Every year since, Clint has built a new high tunnel to expand his farming operations.  Today, Clint has three high tunnels on less than one acre of land.  He grows tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, jalapeños, eggplant squash, onions, green beans, snow peas, sugar peas, beets, carrots, spinach, lettuce, radishes, kale, chard, rhubarb, strawberries, and colrobi.

The farm has become a family business.  Audrie makes quality jams from the crops grown by her son, Clint.  Incubating the seeds in Winter, the growing season runs from early May until mid-October.  Without disclosing annual income, let’s just say - the operation is sustainable.

Clint Brown is truly an inspiration for all who want to make a go out of farming on just an acre of land.  You may visit C. Brown Gardens every Saturday morning at the Firehouse Market in Sioux City, Iowa.

Clint Brown at the Saturday morning Farmers’ Market in Sioux City, IA

Clint built his first high tunnel at a cost of $5,000 (72x26) and the next two for $2,500 per structure (26x36).  He recouped his costs in the first year of operation for each structure.  The costs include materials (from FarmTek), plus labor.  Because of the weather factors in NW Iowa (wind), he used three feet spacing rather than the typical four feet spacing - cementing the tubes at the base.