By FRED KRONER
Mahomet’s Jim Caputo decided to make something good during the time of the coronavirus pandemic.
Actually, it turns out he’s making something delicious.
He decided to build a greenhouse on his property, and he and his wife, Tammy, are already reaping some of the bounty of his efforts.
For some, with a strong background in construction and engineering, the project might seem easy.
For Caputo, this was not in his wheelhouse. He works at the University of Illinois, in the information technology department.
In his free time, he has coached soccer and – more recently – has officiated soccer. Since COVID-19 hit, there hasn’t been any soccer to occupy his time.
“I don’t enjoy being cooped up,” Caputo said. “I needed something to distract myself.”
That’s how a software engineer became hands-on in the most literal sense as he attacked the building project.
Caputo knew exactly where to start. He watched how-to videos on YouTube and read as much information as he could obtain.
“I have no background in structural design,” Caputo said, “or carpentry or woodworking or geometry or figuring the pitch.”
His wife, Tammy, wasn’t sure what to think when he broached the idea.
“When Jim started talking about building a greenhouse back in April, I didn’t give it much thought,” Tammy Caputo said. “I knew he was getting restless due to the COVID restrictions, but I never, ever thought he would actually go through with it.”
She soon realized she was wrong.
“He started asking me advice on how big it should be, what it should look like, and what I would like to grow,” Tammy Caputo said. “It wasn’t until then I realized he was serious.
“I didn’t have the answers, so naturally I started looking for resources from the library (where she works).”
Jim Caputo started the actual work in July and finished in August, devoting time “pretty much every evening and on weekends,” he said.
When he first finished, there was no time to celebrate.
“I took one screw out,” Caputo said, “and the whole thing fell down.”
The second one, Caputo took down on his own.
He feared that its height – about 20 feet – could be a danger to anything airbound.
The third time was truly the charmed one for Caputo, who downsized the greenhouse to about 10 feet in height. His 14-foot by 16-foot structure met his needs and has withstood an important test.
“It has held up in the winds we’ve had,” Caputo said. “It hasn’t budged at all.”
The greenhouse features a 4×4 treated wood base, 2×4 wood sidewalls and 2-inch PVC roof trusses, all covered in anti-condensation greenhouse plastic.
To serve as an anchor, Caputo used Wiggle Wire, the most common fastener for securing greenhouse covers.
Inside the greenhouse are two raised beds, 10-foot by 6-foot. A 12-inch exhaust fan maintains air temperature, which Caputo learned is an important factor because “it can get up to 90 degrees inside on a 50-degree day outside,” he said.
Even now, as he reflects on the challenges, Caputo doesn’t regret his venture.
“I’d do it again,” he said. “Tammy or I go out two or three times a day and watch things grow.”
The plots are filled with beets, kale, swiss chard, leeks, radishes, carrots, garlic and arugula.
He doesn’t expect to be out of stock anytime soon.
“These are cool-weather vegetables,” he said. “They could go all winter. They can handle a hard freeze.”
The plants receive supplemental nutrients as well.
“We feed the plants using compost created from our yard and organic kitchen waste,” Caputo added. “Finding ways to reuse and recycle materials and be kinder to our planet interests me.”
He makes use of floating row covers, which are designed to collect heat during the day in the soil and release it at night, perhaps raising the soil temperature for the plants as much as 8 degrees.
Caputo didn’t keep an accurate record on the manpower that went into building the greenhouse.
“I’m sure my mistakes more than doubled the time,” he said. “With the mistakes, it was probably 200 hours (of labor) for sure. If I had known what I was doing from the get-go, it probably would have been about 60 hours.”
There was satisfaction in the entire project, not just the completed work.
“I learned patience and persistence,” Caputo said. “I’d get frustrated, then walk away and come back again.
“Each time I made mistakes, I learned something. I just took my time and was patient.”
His determination was obvious.
“I watched him work on it day after day,” Tammy Caputo said. “He never gave up, even when the first one fell down. He was on a quest and was bound and determined to finish it.”
The Caputos have called Mahomet home for 30 years. Tammy Caputo was supportive of the greenhouse addition.
“She was glad I had a project to keep me occupied,” Jim Caputo said, “and not complaining about COVID.”
They were enjoying some of their late-fall produce recently, when Caputo joked with his wife.
“I said, ‘if you include my labor, we’re eating about a $50 salad,’” he said.
He estimated that the materials cost more than $800, but still sees potential savings in the future.
“In the spring, I’m going to grow our flowers in there,” Caputo said. “We usually spend $600-$800 each spring on flowers.”
His next project isn’t set in stone, but Caputo has given thought as to what is on the horizon.
“I’ll see how the mood strikes me,” he said. “I have grow lights, but I thought about adding solar panels to the greenhouse.”
Tammy Caputo couldn’t be happier with the finished result.
“I absolutely love it,” she said. “Together, we chose what to grow and are now harvesting our first round of crops.
“I refer to Jim lovingly as my ‘COVID buddy.’ Through all the craziness of the last few months, the greenhouse project has been a source of joy, hope, and positivity for both of us.”
Jim Caputo’s do-it-yourself success has attracted interest from others in the community.
“I’ve had people ask, and I said I would show them my design and lend a hand,” Caputo said.
His takeaway, however, is not the greenhouse itself, but what it means.
“There’s interest in people growing their own food,” Caputo said.
