11th March

In last week’s newsletter, I was talking about hand weeding the tunnels, and no matter how much hoeing you do, we always have to hand weed, and with the heat of the tunnels, and the constant watering, the weeds are in a perfect location.

To give you A example of the amount that needs weeded. Our smaller 50meter tunnels, once rotovated and rolled, we can get 4 beds in them, and each bed has 4 rows of plants, a total of 1,008 plants per bed, 4,032 per tunnel.  The larger cosy tunnels are bigger, they get 2,016 per bed, and 8,064 per tunnel, which gives us 32,256 plants in the tunnels when they are all full.

We have four of the smaller 50 meter and two of the larger cosy tunnels, now think about being on your knees and hand weeding them.

We do usually manage to keep on top of it, but when the field bed weeding starts it does get a bit tricky, trying to do everything.

Rab was thinking about the chore of weeding them, because it’s started.  And said wouldn’t it  be great if we could bed weed them. Like we do out in the field.                                                                                         Bed weeding is basically 3 beds on a frame on the back of the tractor, that we lie face down on, and weed away as we are going along the field, and it works fantastic.

So my brain started ticking away, and wondering how can we do this, and A idea was planned.

I picked up 4 old bike wheels, and some metal, and started grinding up the sizes and welding up a frame, for a small tunnel bed weeder.                                                                                                                                          ON Sunday night, it was finished, and waiting to surprise Rab on Monday morning.                                            And it works fantastic, for a example, one of the 50 meter tunnels, would normally take most of a day to hand weed, this week on the new bed weeder, it took only 2 hours, and its much cleaner, because with you lying face down over the middle of the plants, you get a far better look at what you are doing, and no sore knees.

It was that successful, I have picked up another 4 bike wheels, and I’m going to make another one, but not this week, as I’m of to France skiing, then when I’m back, it’ll be time for all steem ahead 7 days a week, it’s now the growing season, and the work begins.

And Rab is now happy to weed away, well probably not happy, but way happier than weeding all day on his knees, and has now asked. Why didn’t we do this years ago.

He does have a point.  But don’t tell him.

Sorry again, I’v been belthering away, and not left enough room for a recipe.