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  • From: Marlin Burkholder <burkholders AT glenecofarm.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [Market-farming] Surviving the June 29 Derecho
  • Date: Sat, 14 Jul 2012 23:30:29 -0400

Title: Surviving the June 29 Derecho

I have been a bit surprised that so little was said on this list about how some of us fared in the devastating wind storm which swept the mid west and mid Atlantic states from Chicago to Washington DC.  We had a real mess of broken tree limbs around the house and some trees down across line fences and into hay fields but nothing serious such as trees on vehicles or roofs off buildings.  Our two 150’ tomato high tunnels survived the hurricane force winds but just barely.  The beefed up ground rods and additional wind rope held the structures in place but the series 40 one inch PVC bows flexed so much that the plastic covering was punched full of holes by hitting tomato stakes.  About 10 feet of plastic pulled loose on all of the ends.  I have been approved by NRCS for a cost share on a “Rolling Thunder” moveable high tunnel, but I shudder to think what would have happened had I had it up in this storm.  I priced it with ground anchors estimated for protection in hurricane force winds and that called for a ground anchor on about every bow.  I thought that sounded excessive but after going through this storm I’m thinking that if I am going to follow through with this project I had better follow the recommendations.  I would be interested in how some of you with high tunnels fared in this storm, especially those who have “Rolling Thunders”.  If possible I would like to visit someone who has put one up for the purpose of seeing it and perhaps picking some brains if that is acceptable.  We make periodic trips to Maryland to see a Lyme doctor and could go into eastern PA for such a visit.

With me struggling with chronic Lyme disease and my wife wanting time off during the winter, she is trying to discourage from going through with this project so it is still a little up in the air.  That is why I am concerned about putting the thing up and watching it go up in the air.

Marlin Burkholder
Shenandoah Valley
Virginia




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