It's beginning to look a lot like Fred!

Fed is about finished. We have 8 of 11 bays skinned and the 2 inches of rain we received had little affect on the growing areas that are covered in poly.
I could not wait to get inside Fed when it was raining. We have a little bit of trench work in a few of the bays, but overall its fantastic!

We will finish the last 3 bays and install the side walls, but probably not bother with the end doors until fall. Check it out on Barney Cam.

One of the challenges with using high tunnel greenhouses in Arkansas is the heat. Fred is designed to mitigate heat risks with his unique venting systems and his luminance color. Not only does he vent from the ends, he vents thru the gutters.
One of the pics shows the roping system designed to allow us to push the poly up on the sides. This releases the heat build up in the tunnels and allows for more air circulation. Since the gutters are a 5 feet high, the ground area stays cool.

This next week we will be building our beds and transplanting our spring crops. Our first harvest will not likely start arriving until mid-July, but next year will be an completely different story.

Let it rain, let it rain let it rain……

What a difference the Sun makes!

Now that Mrs. Nature’s fit has subsided, the teams are making real progress on Fred.
The leg drilling is down to the last 50 or so stubborn legs. Each of the holes requires jacking multiple times to bust the rocks so that the legs may make it down the required 30 inches.
I have to brag on the teams doing this work, each of them have been patient while it’s been wet and willing to work when it finally dried out. There is a good chance that we might have a few bay’s skinned before the rain comes later this week, and that would not be possible without their Hard work. So, props always to James Franks for his expertise and hard work, props to the Proffit boys, James, Jon, Sam, Rodger, a hellava work ethic is in ya’lls bloodline fer sure, Mike Burges, Dustin Lovell, Tony Hart, Josh Stewart and lastly Cody Ballard for helping at all hours of the night.

Check the www.northpulaskifarms.com/Calendar.html for skinning dates towards the end of the week. Skinning is the process of installing the poly over the bays. It’s usually done early in the morning during non windy days.

Our fierce attack Labrador; Dostaff’s Nasserite Warrior is always on guard for any stick that makes it’s way into the irrigation pond.

Things are starting to come together nicely with Fred, several thousand plants in 2x2’s could not be happier.

Squash Anyone ?

Work continues on Fred, we have a great team of guys working their butts off.
Check out the weather and barney cam's for the best view of the construction.

Ever see what several hundred baby summer squash looks like? Us neither, but James did a great job of tranplanting them and we look forward to getting them in Fred.

Let's hope that witch Mother Nature let's up a bit on her cryin, this farmer and a few hundred others have work to do.

Rain Rain Go AWAY! or whatever......

Things are pretty soggy at the farm and not much work has been done on Fred.
All told in the last 10 days we have had over 8 inches of rain. I am beginning to not like my Honeywell Weather Station. I feel compelled to always watch it and check it and talk about it and even now I am going on and on about it!
The weather will be what it is. That fact was one of the reasons we are investing in Fred to begin with. Once complete, we will have better control of the water and hopefully have the ability work during these beautiful Arkansas springtime’s.

The good folks from Haygrove will be at the farm this Monday (5/4) assisting us with bending our hoops and providing some additional construction training. While this rain has pushed us back another week, we still should be complete by the end of this month. We have several hundred plants living in 2x2's that are waiting patiently for their new home to be ready.