A lovely spring day.  Perfect for spending a few hours out at THF getting ready for our 3rd annual mushroom inoculation.  Jo, lucky girl, had the weekend off and was able to come with us.  Knowing our daughter well, we stopped at our favorite diner for breakfast before heading out.

Sadly, the biggest job we had today was to take down and remove our work tent.  It had served us well last year, but the unexpected snow storm last month killed it dead.

As you can see, there is no way we could get any use of it in its current condition. First we cleared it out of all the tools, chairs and tables we had stored there.

Then we pulled off the top.

So amazing that the weight of the snow did so much damage.  Not only bent the support beams but crunched them too.  I had really hoped we would be able to reuse it in some way.  Will have to given it some serious thought.  We did savage the bungie cords and most of the poles.  The sides and cover can be used as tarps, but I am determined to figure something out.

Ron did his usual and searched the web for a stronger tent.  One that would hold up to the snow.  Though of course, you can bet next winter he will be getting out to the farm no matter what the weather.  Just to be sure.

So he found one from a company in Canada.  A bit more costly than we had hoped, but we do need the strength.   He placed the order and then waited, and waited some more.  Finally he called them.  After all we do have a timeline.  Everything needs to be set up and ready by April 14.  We have a lot of work to get done the next day and need a tent in order to pull it off.   Apparently the company was having trouble with their email.  So he waited again.  And then called again.  Finally they confirmed the tent would be shipped and delivered this week.  Ron got a call from the shipping company who confirmed sometime this week as delivery date.

So we got the tent down and stacked all the pieces out of the way.  Then we moved on to the next task.  Ron wanted to sort the new logs we had.  Pulling out the ones that were just a bit too big for one person to handle. Those will be used for another type of mushroom that will be “static” and not need soaking.  The sugar maples were stacked in another pile.  Ron has plans for those too.  And we have the “pretties” pile.  Those logs that are small enough for someone to easily carry around and look their best.   Ron is hoping to sell those to people looking to grow their own shiitakes.  And  we have the stack of what we think are quaking aspen.  Which will also be another type of mushrooms.

Normally these would be neat stacks of 25, but nature does not always cooperate.   We have about 150 logs stacked down near our soon to be work area, ready to go.

Now that the logs were sorted, it was time to tackle Ron’s whimsies.  He wants to have fun and silly things scattered around THF.  Things that will bring a smile to any visitor’s lips.

I can see this being  a part of his plans for the next few years.  I am just hoping he gets most of this stuff a garage sales or in someone else’s throw away pile.

We are going to be busy this week, getting ready for this weekend.  Fingers are crossed that the current weather prediction holds true. 10 percent change of rain on Saturday and temp in the 60’s.  I can live with that  Thing is, Ron thinks he is coming down with a cold.  So not good.  He is a big old baby when he is sick.  Anyone have a magic cure?