The growing season in Ontario is relatively short, but it sure can produce some amazing food!  There’s nothing quite like salads made from the first fresh lettuces in June, nor is there anything like tomatoes picked right off the vine in August!  To extend the growing season and ensure that there is a wonderful bounty to be had all year long, the Stubborn Farmer has started setting up greenhouses.  The greenhouses from Rimol Greenhouse Systems came in hundreds of pieces, but between at least five people, over several days of work, the first one is up and ready to go!  The seeds are being planted as I type.

First up was square the base, to ensure the ground poles would line up and the bows would fit in. To help with run off, we made gravel trenches at the base of the house so it won’t be flooded in the spring rains.  Next was adding the polycarbonate on the ends and installing the doors.  At this point it really started to look like a proper structure.

Burying cables for the heater (for when it gets really cold out!) took some heavy machinery and good ol’ muscle power, but once that was installed we only needed a calm day to successfully cover the whole structure in one giant sheet of poly.

For now, given that it’s May already and hopefully we’re finally getting into warmer weather, this is all we need.  Soon though, and certainly for the fall, we’ll add a second layer of poly and a fan to keep air in between that will provide even more insulation for the winter crops – like kale and squash.  Can’t wait to for all the seeds to sprout!