The start of September found us, not relaxing in anticipation of a colourful fall, but racing the clock trying to get the hoop house structure done in time for planting.

Some of the slower growing plants, such as Kale, were sown indoors and had already begun sprouting in their little pods, ready to be transplanted to the ground. The carrots would need to be sown a.s.a.p. and the beets soon after.

With the tarmac cut and removed, the hoops secured to each other and to the newly erected ground borders, we were ready to plan the end walls. Working with the curved structure was tricky enough, but we also had to be cognitive of the fact we would need to wrap the entire structure in plastic yet retain the ability to open the sides in the summer for North / South air flow.

The ends were framed in, like with any wall construction, using 2 x 4s and allowing for a door and one window at the West end, and two windows at the East.

While securing the central pole to the end walls we were reminded the new structure afforded us much more height (from a peak height of 7' in the previous structure to 8.5' now) as we had to utilize a ladder for much of the work. We also had to take into consideration we will be wrapping the ends with plastic and therefore had to allow for the plastic to fold over the end hoop.

Over the span of one weekend, both end walls were constructed
with thanks to help from Lisa H, Lisa M, Alicia, Jane and Laura.

Lisa has donated, apart from hours of her time, and the design for the new ends, three beautiful vintage windows, which will be re-purposed for this house as air vents.

The internal foot path has been curved into a "U" which now divides the garden into reachable plots; North, centre, South. The new path structure was leveled and buried prior to the fresh topsoil being applied to the expanded portion of the garden.

We've cleverly solved the problem of whether the windows should swing inwards or outwards and how they will be propped open to offer the least opportunity for one to smack one's head. Instead of either option, the windows will be hinged at the bottom allowing them to swing completely open and down, to hang flush with the wall, supported by their hinges. They will be installed in the spring.



We've also designed a way to keep unwanted visitors at bay. A three foot high band of chicken wire has been installed at the base of each side wall. The final sheet of plastic which in one piece will arc over the entire structure, will be installed over top of the wire. In the spring we will simply detach the plastic from the bottom, rolling the plastic up three feet to reveal the wire and allow for ventilation.



















With the end walls up, the door and chicken wire installed, we were able to get the carrots in the ground (and covered with landscaping cloth for extra warmth). The next task will be to raise the roof; to cover the top and sides with one huge sheet of plastic. At this point, we likely have 4 to 6 weeks before the first frost.

Hoop House 2010, continued

And so, our brave little 12 foot wide, 20 feet long PVC tubing structure had served us well for two winters, but was not strong or adaptable enough to handle both hot and cold months.

We needed something Bionic; bigger, stronger and able to allow generous air flow.

Prompted by a heads-up from Lisa M about an ad in our local Buy and Sell, we contacted the owners of a nursery in our region who were downsizing and selling off their extra hoops. Made of metal, taller and with a wider span, at only $40 per hoop this was a perfect solution. Our only challenge was transport and once again, Lisa M came to the rescue; we were able to trailer enough hoops to construct our new 18 foot by 20 foot structure.


I began by installing the new structure over the existing house. This revealed the amount of sod I would have to remove (which was transplanted to other parts of the property), and the amount of tarmac we would still have to remove.

With the new, larger footprint prepared, we were able to dismantle the old structure. I imagine at this point the plants, which had toughed it out all winter in their plastic prison, gasped at the fresh air and breeze. The freedom this afforded our leafy greens, also welcomed hungry snackers and shitting cats. Aw, the joys of urban gardening (more about that later).


During the demolition we reserved the old plastic to re-use on the end walls. The existing walkway, once the centre of the garden, was to become the south arm of an expanded "U" shaped path.





We were now into August and the biggest tasks were still at hand; to construct the end walls with a door and windows, cover the structure with plastic, and solve our unwanted visitor problem.

Following that, we would still have to plant our winter crop while we had sufficient sunshine for things to take root.

Hoop House 2010

When we built our hoop house in 2008, our plan was to see if we could extend the growing season of some basic greens into the fall and early winter. For us, it would be judged a success if we could pick some spinach for Christmas dinner from our own garden.

Our first year surpassed all expectation, yielding food well into March, and our second winter was no different (except we learned the hard way we had planted our spinach too deep).

Unfortunately, our home-made design, though effective, has proven to be problematic and worrisome; the central braces, required to support the snow load, make it difficult and unpleasant to navigate the path; the planting area isn't sufficient; there is no place for tools, pots, or even a watering can.

Something we hadn't considered, our little garden is producing 365 days a year, as the warmth of Spring sunshine triggers new growth and the garden rejuvenates each year with little attention from us.

Yes the sun can be wonderful, but by late May, my glasses fog-up when I enter, even with the door and window open. Ventilation is now a necessity, as cooling becomes as important in summer as warming is in winter.

Our goal for 2010 will be to locate or construct a better, more user-friendly hoop house. Like a wish list for a new home, we need;
- more space (including storage)
- more windows (which would allow for better air flow in the summer)
- a structure which would withstand weather of all four seasons.

In the meantime, our Kale, Chard, Basil, and Tarragon will do their best to tolerate the extreme heat while we find them, and our future goodies, a new home.

Let the planning begin!

Co-operative living, in the UK

The model on which our major food retail is based in Canada is neither historic nor cutting edge. Rather, our food chain stores are like an old machine clunking along, it's business plan rooted in a brief moment in consumerism, somewhere between Leave it to Beaver and the Beach Boys. The stores are bigger every year, boasting more selection and more services. Ironically, these shops are now so big you often cannot find what you are looking for (why is some rice considered "international cuisine" and why isn't Ribena stocked with the juice?).

As Indigo/Chapters have smaller Coles and Smithbooks stores, why can't we have Loblaws Lite? Actually, what I really want is what folks in the UK enjoy; The Co-Operative.

UK's The Co-operative has been in operation in some form since 1844 and a leader in retail for most of that time. The shops have been a fixture in village life for decades, and our friends in the UK remember quoting their mums co-op membership number when sent to the store for a bottle of milk or a bag of crisps. Back in those days, shopping at the Co-op was more about saving a few cents on weekly necessities than it was about business ethics, but the organization has always stayed true to their values and principles.

For me it's a dream store; competitive prices on a wide selection of products, this profitable business is more concerned about the environment and ethics than most governments. As stated on their website ... "with over 2,500 food stores and supermarkets around the UK, the Co-operative's own-brand food range comprises great quality with honest and ethically sourced products. We are the only retailer to sell food grown on our own farms, and we are the biggest supporter of Fairtrade with over 200 lines, which is why we are proud to be ranked the top ethical supermarket in the UK – proof of our commitment to responsible retailing. That’s why we’re good with food." In October 2008, the Co-op was awarded the first ever Lifetime Achievement Award by the RSPCA for leadership position on animal welfare. Among other initiatives, the Co-op has created Walking Bus programs to reduce carbon emission, Recycling Education Centres, and 160 schools have now been fitted with roof-mounted solar panel systems worth £20,000 each, and 20 schools across the UK now have a Biomass Boilers - all creating clean green renewable energy.

As well, their own product labels contain more relevant information clearly printed on the packaging that one can usually find from digging around a manufacturer's website, including food source and how to recycle the container. And what is that I feel - could that be braille? They have programs around global poverty, engaging young people, community investment, and each year a charity is chosen to support. "This year, The Co-operative is aiming to raise over £2million to transform RNID’s ‘Hear to Help’ service from a successful pilot into a national service with 22 projects, serving over 18,000 vulnerable deaf and hard of hearing people throughout the UK. And we have made a great start with thousands of our staff and customers helping raise over £750,000."

And the punch line is, because it is a co-operative, members get dividends!

"In most cases you receive one point for each pound you spend. When we know how much profit we have made, we will change your points into pounds and pence. You will receive your share twice a year: in June and November; in November our members receive an interim payment which values at a point equating to 1p for trading in the first half of the year. The actual amount you receive in June depends on our profitability and the frequency of the share of the profits each year. For instance in June 2009 each point was worth 2p." Members meetings are available on-line to watch, questions can be submitted to the CEO and there is a calendar of member events.

Apart from having shops, some large and some quite small, in every village we visited on holiday (even in the remote village town of Stromness, on the northern tip of the Orkney Islands, where we were chatting with a woman working at the Piers Art Centre who told us she buys her holiday liquor every year with her dividends), the Co-op has a variety of non-food businesses with which to earn points;

The also have the co-operative motor group, electrical group, a communications division and a magazine.

And we have 7 Elevens, Macs Milks and all things biggey-sized.


Perhaps, The Co-op would care to cross the pond?