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| | | Hutten Family Farm Newsletter for Saturday Feb 9, 2013 |
This is my second attempt at writing a newsletter today. The first draft was almost complete when we lost our electricity this morning just before lunch. I now have the generator running so we have limited power in the house. I've been outside quite a few times since the wind and snow began overnight and it is not that nice out. The snow is drifted about nine feet high against the west side of one of the greenhouses and you can see bare ground on the east side. So far we have not had any damage to any of the greenhouses which is positive. I will have to shovel some of this snow away but not until the wind subsides. It would be a total waste of my time to shovel now except for the potential exercise I might gain.
My plan for the coming week was to start pruning apple trees. With the amount of snow on the ground I might postpone again.Yesterday we brought a lot of old empty apple bins inside so we can repair them if the weather is not suitable for outside work. My long time employee Gordon informed me that a lot of apple bins look like they sustained damage from my dubious tractor driving skills. I feel that the blame should be spread around a bit more although he has a valid point. I can be a bit impatient when the pressures of the peak seasons are on me and stabbing apple bins with the front end loader on the tractor has been quite common.
This week we hope to have both spinach and micro greens in the CSA boxes. That could change if this storm blows down my greenhouses. The "heated" greenhouse is not really heated right now because of the electricity outage. It is wood heated but the fans that move the heat through the ducts are electrical. There is also a small electrical fan that blows air between the two layers of plastic on the greenhouse. This acts as insulation and prevents the plastic from flapping in the wind. The greenhouse is cool inside but not freezing because there is enough sunlight (daylight ?) to keep the inside of the structure above freezing. I will cook a quick (and early) supper with the generator next which I can keep warm on the woodstove. The generator will be moved to the heated greenhouse next and I will get the stove going, the ductwork fans, and the plastic inflation fan. Nova Scotia power predicts power restoration by 11 pm so the generator will have to be running until that happens. Kind of like having a newborn baby but not as cute. Actually nothing like a little baby really, just a lot of work and frustration. I'm cranky today but I'll be a lot worse tomorrow.
Selah Koile has some excellent recipes on her website based on the CSA box. For those of you who have not checked it out, it is worth it.
http://www.selahkoile.com
Enjoy the wintery weather; spring is just around the corner.
ted
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