My buddy, Crash, requested the occasional update on the young couple we are advising as they navigate farming down the road a piece. Not that DW and I are pros; and in fact, in the quit ting, there are adages that are quite harsh when it comes to that.
Nevertheless, we know where we went wrong in a lot of instances, and it is with this information and the material goods no longer needed where we can help. In turn, we get a little help in the offering: the barn becomes less cluttered; and today, soaker hose that remains in the field since the onset of the issues with Thumper are being removed.
I’d be out there helping the guy right now were it not for a relatively sleepless night (a story not worth the typing, really), and let him know so when he phoned asking if today would be a good day for the pulling and coiling. Yet, it is cordial to put on pants and take the jaunt.
The rows in this particular field are 100 feet long (30 meters), and if I accurately recall, 30 such rows, making for about 3,000 feet of hose, all somewhat hidden and secured by two years of dead grass. Even so, an earlier trial of pulling gave hope that the task would be fairly easy, or rather, easier than pulling with established growth. Therefore, I didn’t feel too bad in letting him work his arms, legs and back for 1/2 mile or so.
Still, I felt I had to make an appearance. “Ah, you’re doing it the way I did the first time I tried retrieving soaker hose from a field.”
He laughed that laugh one does while working and someone comes to offer advice. You see, he was pulling with one hand and coiling onto the other arm, which is good for about fifty feet before it becomes too awkward to manage in an orderly manner. I then explained leverage on the hose was more important as an initial consideration. Keep in tight to pull, that way minimizing stress from stretch on the line. Once freed from the grass, pulling into a coil would go much easier. I then handed him a roll of twist ties. I believe he was grateful, for his demeanor remained friendly.
I then told him of hope and despair, more to commiserate than lecture, and informed him of Crash’s request. He took no offense, so here you go.
4 comments:
While of little use under supervisior, the advise will be better understood out of sight the first time he tries "the natural" way as he started.
If he hasn't a barn or greenhouse for seedlings, a cheap one may be made with 1/8th door panelling ripped in 4" strips and glued up three deep. It's flexible and may be bent to tie into a ridge board and then covered with vis-queen.
I've started many plants under such, and it is collapsable at seedling's ending if one wishes. One lasted six seasons for me. I still have a half roll of vis-gueen I've not used.
Hey, thanks, bastin.
TM - They plan on converting an outbuilding by removing the walls. I am going to bestow my pvc mini-hoops on them.
Crash - YW. Rest assured, there will be more.
I'm with Crash -- look forward to the updates.
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