What's New at the Farm? Photos of High Tunnel Cover Installation

It's such a nice spring day; let's do some work on the high tunnel. It needs a new poly covering so here goes.

This is how it looks first thing this morning:

The sun is out and the wind isn't blowing so it should be a perfect day to put poly on.  We start by first unrolling the first layer of plastic, tie ropes to the corners and start pulling the plastic over. The tunnel gets two layers of plastic and we inflate in-between them with air for insulating purposes.  Here's the first layer being pulled over:

And here's another shot:

Soon the first layer is over:

The second layer goes on directly after the first layer; about the same time as the wind decides to start blowing:

As soon as the plastic is fastened down we're ready for the final touches and then it looks like a poly tunnel should:

Here's a shot of our number one greenhouse, all set up for the start of planting season, complete with brand new rolling benches:

Planting season will be upon us shortly and we're ready.

In the meantime there's lots of farm activities to keep us busy. We're still ordering supplies, field planning and, with the spring like weather, hope to get out into the fields shortly. It would be great to get busy in the fields before the blackflies come out, but it will be even better  to get a couple of fields of plastic pulled now. We didn't get a chance to pull all the fields last year. If I had my druthers, I would wait until spring to pull many of the fields. It's a much better job in the spring when it's warm and sunny and you've been cooped up all winter than in the fall when it's cold and wet conditions and you've spent two months harvesting to go out and pull plastic out of the frozen mud.

Little signs of spring continue to show up; I saw the first dandelions in bloom yesterday. The spring migrations must be fairly complete now as I've seen many species back. The tree swallows are staking out their bird houses and performing their courtship dances. Lots of grass along the roads and on the lawn and patches of Coltsfoot in bloom here and there. Ducks and geese seem to be everywhere and I've heard woodcock in the evenings lately. The bass in the pond are cruising the shallows scoping out places to build nests, I imagine.

We could use some rain; it's a bit dry for this time of year. There doesn't seem to be anything forecast in the next few days. It's dry enough to work some of the fields but a little rain would definitely push things along.

Until next week, enjoy the spring.
Brian