North Fork Biodome

North Fork Biodome North Fork Biodome is a nonprofit organization creating an exhibition greenhouse in Hotchkiss,Co. There are two of us and we are doing all the work ourselves.

We have salvaged the Biodome from the Hotchkiss High school when it fell into disrepair and are renovating it into a biodynamic wonderland that will showcase various systems such as a hydronic heat system that will keep the greenhouse warm enough to display tropical food plants plants, aquaponics systems, an exhibition bee hive, geothermal cooling, composting, aeroponics and more! We would like to

open up the greenhouse to school field trips for kids of all ages, homeschool groups, gardening groups, and would like to host fundraising farm to table dinners featuring food grown in the dome. We just got our 501c-3 approval and are working on fundraising and writing for grants. We have completed the frame assembly and are currently working on installing the foundation. The next step is to purchase and install the polycarbonate glazing. It is not cheap! We’d love to have you follow along through our updates to watch the progress.

Lots of baby plants and trees coming to life in the dome with the warmer weather.  Here is a little tour…https://youtu.b...
03/03/2026

Lots of baby plants and trees coming to life in the dome with the warmer weather. Here is a little tour…

https://youtu.be/_o9kos193xw?feature=sharedee le

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

https://youtu.be/QXLM65iMcvo?si=2Q5Ndp2wVIt4zSibThe North Fork Biodome has a pond!  Watch the creation of the pond and w...
02/16/2026

https://youtu.be/QXLM65iMcvo?si=2Q5Ndp2wVIt4zSib

The North Fork Biodome has a pond! Watch the creation of the pond and waterfall feature…

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

01/06/2026

The dome fishpond is the new focus this week. Taylor, rebar tying ninja, is teaching us some new skills he learned building pools in Hawaii.

01/02/2026

Happy New Year! Last day of 2025 was spent installing bricks!

12/26/2025

Things are happening in the dome! Propane heater installed, tilapia tank is in. Next up is brick installation around the grow beds and getting ready to finish the koi pond!

Greenhouse enthusiasts! We’d love to chat and we’d love donations or inexpensive starts of interesting tropical plants to fill her up if you’ve got some to thin out!

Guess what?!?  The dome is finally enclosed!!! What a nightmare it has been!!  We put panels on…the wind takes them off ...
07/04/2025

Guess what?!? The dome is finally enclosed!!! What a nightmare it has been!! We put panels on…the wind takes them off and sends them to the bottom of the canyon. We hike them back up and re-install. We have been really defeated by this project but kept going.

You will never guess what got Ryan through…Sticky pants!! My mom sent some special grippy roofers shorts that Ryan thought were absolutely ridiculous, until he tried them! He was like Spider-Man.

Thank you to all of the helpers throughout this super long and frustrating process!!!

Now the fun part begins. First order is to get the dome cooled down coordinating technology with vent openers, exhaust fan, misters and evaporative cooler. Then we can move inside and work on the deck and pond.

So excited to have a home for my lemon, lime, orange, avocado, mango, and fig trees and NOT have them crammed in my dining room again this winter!😂

Exhaust fan installed.  We didn’t know greenhouse fans this size, 48”, run about $3500.  Ryan found this old timer onlin...
10/03/2024

Exhaust fan installed. We didn’t know greenhouse fans this size, 48”, run about $3500. Ryan found this old timer online for $100 and gave it an overhaul. Polycarbonate install is getting tricky as we reach the top.

Still plugging along installing the polycarbonate panels, hopefully it will be enclosed by winter!
09/19/2024

Still plugging along installing the polycarbonate panels, hopefully it will be enclosed by winter!

After a long hiatus, we are FINALLY  back on the dome project build!  We had a detour through rebuilding our son’s house...
07/25/2024

After a long hiatus, we are FINALLY back on the dome project build! We had a detour through rebuilding our son’s house after a fire and building a heat system in our home that took priority.

The foundation pylons are set, the polycarbonate sheets are going up. It is very slow going and none of it is easy. The hexagons each take two pieces seamed in the center and they are all slightly different so each requires a template.

Wasps have taken over the framework structure and they are not pleased with the activity. We have all been stung at least once.

It’s about five million degrees at the site during the day so we are only working in the mornings and evenings. It is so exciting to see it take shape!

The polycarbonate glazing arrived today!  It will be a very big job!  Once it is installed, the dome becomes very strong...
06/02/2022

The polycarbonate glazing arrived today! It will be a very big job! Once it is installed, the dome becomes very strong and the wind actually pushes it downward. When we begin installing, it has to go up kind of quickly because half installed, it is a giant sail if the wind picks up!

05/17/2022

Today the shipment of Saskatraz bees arrived for the dome’s observational hive. They will start out in a shed protected from the wind while construction continues on the dome. This is the second shipment, the first was lost in the mail😳. We are still awaiting the polycarbonate delivery. It is on back order, like everything else these days. We will begin installation as soon as it arrives! 🐝

Address

J Road
Hotchkiss, CO
81419

Telephone

+19707654667

Website

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