[gardeners] Greenhouse
George Shirley (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Sun, 14 Jun 1998 19:47:36
friends place, 10 blocks away, to our place. Rather than take it apart we
moved it intact. We rolled it to the front of their lot on log rollers and
2X4 runners. Always pays to have a bunch of construction hands moving
something. Finally we stabbed on 4 14 foot 2X4's and 8 of us picked it up,
walked it through a 4 foot deep ditch and put it on a lowboy trailer. First
we had to unload the James cannon that was on the trailer, that attracted a
lot of attention. Our friends are Civil War reenactors and have all the
stuff for a field artillery unit at their house.
With Miz Anne and the grandkids driving slowly ahead of the 1-ton Ford
truck pulling the lowboy and our friends eldest son driving behind we
caravanned down the street. Only had to make 3 turns and the move went
smoothly. Here at the Shirley Swankienda the 8 of us heisted her up, lifted
it above the 4 foot hurricane fence, walked the greenhouse around to the
east end of the garden and set her down. No one was injured, we didn't tear
anything up including the greenhouse.
I still have to take it apart to replace some bad timbers in the rafters
and to put new corrugated stuff under the fiberglas. Will replace the
screws holding the fiberglas on with stainless ones while I am at it. Will
probably put a light coat of compatible paint on the inside of the roof
while it's apart. With the light fiberglas I feel it needs a little more
shade at the roof.
Our friends had disconnected the electricity but I tested the fan after we
got home and it works well. Will probably install an automatic louver at
the front to match the fan and louver at the back. The hooks are already in
place to hang my grow lights and I will put water and electricity to it via
conduit and PVC pipe. A couple of outdoor outlets and a timer or two and
we're in business.
There was some extra bounty thrown in, about 30 sacks of well-aged cow
manure and about a hundred LARGE pots of various sizes and composition. In
their trash was a water hose reel so we lifted that too. Anne also found 4
very small bikes they were throwing out and brought them home where I will
repair, repaint, and give to the local charity.
In addition to getting a greenhouse for free, well, for a little labor, we
had a good time in the spirit of the community. My grandchildren were given
the opportunity to participate in the extended community of mankind and did
so cheerfully. It was a very good day today and life is good.
George, tired but content