This week has been dark and rainy. Not a lot of fun. We call it "B.C. weather." But it is a real blessing to have the rain because we ended last summer's growing season with very low levels of moisture.
So the farmers are torn: it's time to plant but they can't get on the fields because of the rain, but the moisture is deeply needed.
Last night the forecast was for clouds and above freezing temperatures, but when we got up around 1:30 a.m. to check, the thermometer stood at -2ºC. Jim reluctantly went out to cover the trays of annuals. Soon after he did that, the clouds came and the temperature rose to +2º.
You know how hard it is to get back to sleep after you've had two or three hours and then become totally awake? Neither one of us had much sleep after that. I went to the spare bedroom so my tossing wouldn't keep Jim awake, but he didn't sleep much anyway. Part of it was that we expected a large delivery of trees, shrubs and perennials this morning.
The truck arrived just a little after 8:30, and we began unloading. We didn't have a full load on this very long truck, just part of the load, and fairly near the back end.
Jim, S. and I were all busy with the unloading, and it went very well. It's such a treat to see all that new
stock, so fresh and healthy!
We also had the help of the bobcat from the neighbour/farmer. This year we had only one pallet of moss bales to unload. G. is a terrific operator and very carefully forked the pallet from the truck and deposited it where Jim showed at the side of the parking lot, handy for anyone wishing to buy a bale.
The truck driver, Rob, brought each of the pots and bundles to the back where Jim, S. and I picked them up and brought them into the #2 greenhouse, or stacked them on the tables around the Lath House. In no time at all we had unloaded all our order, and the truck driver was on his was to his next destination.
We have always found these drivers to be pleasant and helpful, and Rob was true to form.
Now S. and R. are out in the quonset busy potting up the bareroot trees. There's a whole box of tiny Colorado Spruce in the order. We put them in one or two gallon pots for the summer sales, and in the fall plant however many are left in the triangle field south of the dugout. They do well there, and when they are approximately 6 ft. high the tree mover comes with his huge truck tree spade and moves them to customer's yards and acreages.
We always wonder at this time of year if we will actually sell all these trees, shrubs and perennials. Of course, up 'til now, we could always plant them in our own landscape, but that is getting to be quite full. I tease Jim by calling it his "jungle."
So the farmers are torn: it's time to plant but they can't get on the fields because of the rain, but the moisture is deeply needed.
Last night the forecast was for clouds and above freezing temperatures, but when we got up around 1:30 a.m. to check, the thermometer stood at -2ºC. Jim reluctantly went out to cover the trays of annuals. Soon after he did that, the clouds came and the temperature rose to +2º.
The truck arrived just a little after 8:30, and we began unloading. We didn't have a full load on this very long truck, just part of the load, and fairly near the back end.
stock, so fresh and healthy!
We also had the help of the bobcat from the neighbour/farmer. This year we had only one pallet of moss bales to unload. G. is a terrific operator and very carefully forked the pallet from the truck and deposited it where Jim showed at the side of the parking lot, handy for anyone wishing to buy a bale.
We have always found these drivers to be pleasant and helpful, and Rob was true to form.
Now S. and R. are out in the quonset busy potting up the bareroot trees. There's a whole box of tiny Colorado Spruce in the order. We put them in one or two gallon pots for the summer sales, and in the fall plant however many are left in the triangle field south of the dugout. They do well there, and when they are approximately 6 ft. high the tree mover comes with his huge truck tree spade and moves them to customer's yards and acreages.
We always wonder at this time of year if we will actually sell all these trees, shrubs and perennials. Of course, up 'til now, we could always plant them in our own landscape, but that is getting to be quite full. I tease Jim by calling it his "jungle."
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