Interesting project!
I'll put in a plug for my good friend Farmer Vicki of Genesis Growers. Farmer Vicki has been growing tomatoes in her hoop houses, and she has a full bloom of real tomatoes for sale right now. I mean not right now, right now, 'cause she works her ass off, organic farming, and I'm sure she's sleeping right now (interesting fun fact, do you know she has to get up at 1 AM for her market days?). The tomatoes are for sale Wednesday at Green City and Saturday in Oak Park. Even if you were not getting a jump start on the season, they're great tomatoes.
Just for the record, these are tomatoes grown in the ground, the hoop house technology however increases the heat/sun, so it seems to these plants that they are a bit to the south, hence tricking mother nature into producing sooner (or later).
Not from her hoop houses, but equally as good, she also has some outstanding cucumbers these days.
Rob
Think Yiddish, Dress British - Advice of Evil Ronnie to me.