There were many options for framing the structure including wood, a PVC hoop, metal hoop, and more. In the end, I opted for a 1/2″ galvanised pipe structure which could be tied into the lower walls. It obstructs the least light, is much stronger than pvc, and readily repairable.

It took a few days to construct and attach securely to the walls. The old building was not square, nor were the sides the same height, so it took some creative configuration to get it done!

It turned out higher than needed, but that will just encourage some vertical growing !

The floor was the first area of attention. Despite being loosely filled in with the construction debris, it was far from even or solid. Wheelbarrow loads of dirt were removed from the concrete half of the structure. To finish off the floor, we used many wheelbarrow loads of rough sand which had been sitting in the rear of the property forever. It was also used to fill in holes on the concrete side as well.

Next, attention was turned to the walls, or what remained of them. They had gaps and were not stable in a few places. Some rough masonary work remedied most of it, and made it good enough for the non-load-bearing role that it would have going forward.

As you can see from the first image, the structure is completely overgrown. After removing several old refrigerators, rusted corrugated roofing, and much debris, and several hours of machete and weed whacker work, the structure is uncovered.

Surprisingly, half of it has a concrete floor ! The other half still has some old corrugated zinc and probably much more below, but we decide that this is a solid enough base for our purposes. Note the rainbow in the 2nd image. Always a good sign 😉

The remaining structure is broken, cracked, or has moved over time, so some repair work is needed. In order to bring the two halves level, we use the broken concrete from the demolition work on the house to fill it in. A perfect use for more material that we would otherwise pay to take to the dump.

The first step in creating something sustainable, and a key tenet of permaculture, is to use what you have. Recycle. And so it was that this old ruin on the property became the natural site for a greenhouse. We are told that it was once a chicken coupe, and alternatively that it was a Cocoa drying house. You can see the remnants of the cocoa drying rack columns close by, so it lends credence to that assertion. On the other had, there was much chicken wire in the debris, and a layer of rich soil on one half lending credence to the chicken coupe theory. Perhaps it was both at different stages of existence. Regardless, it seems that it was used for agricultural purposes, and to sustain the property and occupants long into the past. And now it will again.

Beneath the foilage, it was filled with old appliances and chicken wire and plastic bottles and glass bottles and tires and tiles and discarded concrete materials. Almost an archeological dig of refuse over time. Certainly a mosquito paradise. It took several days with help to clean it out.