Our new grow lights

Now we have our small solar array installed, we are ready to take a major leap forward in growing both baby leaf salads and watercress through the winter, but also with the certainty that they will not be affected by insect damage over the summer months.

The secret to this is the use of grow lights, which provide the desired light needed to stimulate growth, with different coloured light for different plant types and growing requirements. We have been working with a British company, GNUK Ltd, who have supplied us with their LED TELOS 0008, ideal for baby leaf salads.

We have decided that due to the popularity of what we are currently producing and the demand for produce like salad and watercress, we are going to postpone the installation of the aquaponics side of the business, until we have more time to invest in it.

So this means that we are going to utilise the room that previously housed the fish tanks for our new grow lights.

Once the tanks were removed, Melv started to prepare the ceiling for hanging the new lights of which we had 12, to be positioned in two rows of 6.

Very easy to install, via the fittings supplied, we were soon ready for the first of the 12, and as they can be operated as individual components we couldn't resist a little trial!!

All measured out as per the plan, Melv soon gets the hang of it and motors on with the rest.

All in position we were ready for the big switch on - get the sunglasses ready...

An incredible light - very powerful, but next the tricky bit - lining the walls with a reflective material. In our case the most cost effective was going to be tin foil, but being thin and flimsy we knew this was going to be a challenge and a recipe for an argument!!

But as often the case the with tasks you don't look forward to, it was nowhere near as difficult and we made great progress quickly, sticking up with PVA glue and finishing with foil tape.

Then with the lights on you really do need sunglasses - amazing|

It feels a little like being inside a spaceship (not that I have ever experienced that!!), but very clean and clinical and the seeds like it too.

After just two days our baby leaf brassicas were already germinating, we now follow with interest just to see what growing under lights in an insect free environment is really like, and the icing on the cake is that it is just brilliant knowing that the sun is paying for all the energy.

Greening up

It is not only the hedgerows that are greening up as spring approaches, we are too, as we look to achieve something we have always wanted to do - have solar panels installed and generate our own electricity. Despite the lack of incentives now available even for business installations we are still very keen to get a small 4.48kW system in place that can cover our energy use.

Our plan was to have the installation ground mounted, just to the east of the potting shed. This is an area that the hens currently have access to, so the first task was to fence off the site to prevent the hens from using the panels as perches!

Once we had made the site hen free Melv set to making the wooden frame to hold the panels.

Although a substantial structure it soon started to take shape, he concreted in the main upright supports, to which then he could attach the main runners which would hold the aluminium frame that holds the panels.

A compass was employed to ensure that the frame was positioned and angled to maximise the sun's rays.

 With the main supports installed, the next job whilst access was still easy was to stone out the site, to keep it tidy and weed free.

 And as you would expect there was plenty of help on hand, to transport to the stone to the site as the hens were keen to get 'hands' on with the muck truck!!

Trench dug, cable installed, stone down and the frame completed we were ready for the installation - even the sun was out ready!!!

The rest was up to Mole Energy and before too long the panels were going on - so exciting - we could really start how smart our small array was going to look.

Three pairs of hands and the finishing touches we being made by lunch time.

Now it is over to the sun to do the rest - highest generation so far has been 3.8kW, not bad for April - we now have another reason to look forward to the summer. 

We also have another little project that this electricity generation will facilitate - but that is news for a future blog...

New recruits have settled in

There is no danger of thinking that the new chicken recruits haven't settled in...

As Mrs Chatterly, who never stops chatting takes up a position on Melv's shoulder!

Bringing the new beds to life

As the season progresses, we begin the exciting job of bringing the new outside beds alive. The rhubarb, grown from seed, is now starting to come to life as the fronds start to push their heads up through the compost. 

Horseradish thongs are planted in the bed alongside, which we wait and watch expectantly for signs of them to pop their heads up through.

 

Next for the Jerusalem artichokes - a staple for some of our local businesses and a favourite of ours too!

 

Khol rabi seedlings brought up in the polytunnel, definitely ready to be planted out in the March sunshine.

 

Red orach seedlings, grown on from self seeded plants resulting from last years crop, with stunning, beautiful purple, soft leaves that shine in the spring light.

One of the staples - Cavolo nero, once again grown on in the polytunnel, good sized plants were in need of being planted out and we hope will enable us to achieve continuity of supply for those weekly Sunday roasts.

 

Rainbow chard - another favourite, with leaves almost ready for harvesting, once again hopefully to provide continuity, so that local people and businesses can rely on us.

 

 

Now we look forward to watching them grow as the daylight hours increase and the sun's rays get stronger - it's all so exciting!

 

Ticking off the jobs

As a fledgling business we are still building as we are going, or more accurately building as we are growing! As a result, in addition to sowing, planting and cultivating there are still loads of other jobs on the list. With little to know time in the peak of the growing season the winter months are really the only period when it is possible to devote more time to getting infrastructure work done and ticking those jobs off the list.

New doors for the polytunnel was high up the list, to improve ease of access and make the entrances more weather proof and able to cope with strong winds.

Melv made the doors with proper catches and handles which means that we are now able to open and close the doors with our hands full, as we are often juggling numerous pots and trays. He has also constructed inner doors, which will be covered with insect mesh, so no more chasing around with a fishing net trying to catch cabbage white butterflies as they target our greens for their egg laying!!

New doors have been made for both ends, so we can get into the tunnel easily whatever the wind direction and be confident that they will not be blown open by the strong winds that we seem to be having a lot of lately.

 

Moving outside, building deep grow beds free of wireworms, for root vegetables such as salsify and carrots, is an important job which will enable us to provide variety of produce.

Working on ground that has previously been down to grass, means that the soil is prone to being inhabited by wireworm, which are attracted to feed on roots and as a result can be devastating for root veg especially.

Wireworm in 'bait' potatoes we left for them.

 
Constructed out of galvanized sheeting and timber they provide an excellent growing space adjacent to the polytunnel and they also provide the opportunity for the recycling of salad trays, to which we add our own compost, providing an excellent wireworm free media.
 

Our homemade chiller was essential during the warmer months last year, providing the opportunity to hold on to salad trays for a short time, by halting their growth and so enabling continuity of supply. But to satisfy demand it was nowhere near big enough, so doubling the size was another essential job on the list.

Of a simple construction this was a relatively simple job to do. By moving the frame and door out the size of a 8ft x 4ft Celotex insulation sheet the chiller was doubled in size, which will not only meant that it can house more trays but also that we can actually move around in it - luxury.

 

With the chiller unit back in place, the new structure is ready to be used as soon as the warmer months arrive. All that was left to do was the clad the outside, smarten it up and add to its efficiency.

Heading outside once more, having constructed additional grow beds in the adjacent field for plants such as asparagus, rhubarb, artichokes and horseradish, fencing is also on the list and one on the next jobs and as usual the girls are keen to help!!

A taste of summer

Although last year we only had a limited supply, our soft fruits were very popular, particularly the strawberries. We grew a number of different varieties which enabled us to compare the fruits for taste and longevity. We found that both Elsanta and Ostara were excellent, providing fruit early on and late into the season and we plan to grow these two again this year, together a couple of other new varieties we have sourced.

Due to limited preparation time, last year we grew the fruits in baskets and the outside beds, but neither situation provided the best conditions, so this year we are a bit more organized and have been getting ready to be a little more fit for purpose both inside and outside the poly tunnel.

 

For the Elsanta variety, the our early fruits, we plan to get a number away in the tunnel and will use the side of the flow beds to provide the structure from which to 'hang' the plants. By building a simple frame we can easily support a number of grow troughs.

The troughs from our seed tray suppliers are ideal, at nearly a metre long the side of one flow bed alone will support 12, providing enough growing area for 48 strawberry plants.

We have taken the same approach outside on the side of the polytunnel - at over 24m long this provided a perfect space for 27 troughs.

 

At 4 plants per trough, this section alone will accommodate over 100 plants.

Still with a few troughs to spare, the fence line was the next host and using the same technique we built accommodation for the remaining containers.

 

Strawberries galore - well certainly enough to provide a taste of summer for a good number of Godney villagers.

 

With no time to waste, Melv gets the plants established in the tunnel, watered and settled into their new home.

 

And sure enough the plants responded - and after just a few days we were already seeing new growth.

 

A taste of summer indeed - I can almost taste those sweet juicy fruits, it won't be long...