Devastation !

[sewer rat]

Not sure where to put this thread but decided here was the best option.
Well, today was a bad day - I was out doing my box deliveries and I got a call from my farmer landlord Finlay - my 24' x 60' tunnel is in bits.
It has stood up to 70 - 80 mph winds all year but today it gave up the ghost - don't know wind speeds but there are lots of trees down and Finlay has had skylights blown out of cottages too.
The cover is in tatters and the company say the new one will not arrive for at least 5 working days.
When I got back to my site, Finlay and another mate had attempted to tie the cover down as best they could but the wind was so strong it just kept ripping.
However, the crops inside - calabrese (due to pick central heads next week), kale (ditto) winter lettuce (ditto) and the PSB haven't suffered too much, but if the wind changes direction they'll get hammered too. I have staked all those that are worst affected and fleeced the whole lot but we'll just have to wait and see what the full evxtent of the damage is in the morning.
Have taken down the staging and spent an hour chasing pots and cell packs all over Easter Ross, moving as much into my store as possible.
Anyway, will post some piccies when I can find the right cable for the camera.
Will post photos when I can find the right cable for the camera !!

[shirlthegirl43]

Oh dear Rat. Hope the wind drops and the veggies survive to harvest. Good luck with getting the new cover on. Are you insured for things like that or is it a 'tough luck' thing?

[Seahorse]

I'm really sorry to hear that SR! I get in enough of a taffle when something of mine gets weather damaged, I can only imagine how much worse it is when it's your livelihood too I really hope the winds drop and your exposed crops make it.

[smallblueplanet]

Hope things calm down very soon SR. It seems wrong to say I look forward to seeing the photos of the devastation.....but it would be interesting to see how you've been doing.

[rustylady]

Hope you get things sorted without any further damage, Ratty. BTW, how are the family, specially the new addition?

[terrier]

I suppose when you're fighting nature you've got to lose some battles. I hope the damage turns out to be not that bad, best of luck.

[Protea]

Oh no! poor you! what a nightmare.

Still, at least the crops inside haven't been blown away too, or too badly damaged. Fingers crossed the wind drops (its pretty windy here in Bedfordshire but i guess i should be counting my blessings as the greenhouse is still upright).

Best wishes

[bluemoon]

It's pretty windy here too, but at least everything is still standing and our livelihoods don't depend on it even if they weren't. I hope you manage to salvage everything SR. I'd much prefer to be staying home tonight, but it's no 2 son's 21st birthday party so no excuses, I have to venture forth. Still, shouldn't complain too much I suppose, there was thick snow for his eighteenth.

[bobleponge]

Gutted for you SR. Hope all is not lost and you manage to salvage the majority of stuff

[janeyo]

Nightmare, hope it gets sorted as much as it can be soon

janeyo

[muckdiva]

Hope you are able to sort things soon SR, it's bad enough when things are damaged - even worse when you have to wait for replacements. Fingers crossed everything is ok till you can put a new cover on.

[Snadger]

My heart goes out to you Rat!

When it's your livelihood it's a bit different to us amatuers having a spot of bother at the lottie!

I hope everything comes good in the end.

[sewer rat]

here are some piccies

[pigletwillie]

Oh dear Rat, looks like it got pulled out of the ground and then flapped about till it ripped.

I do hope that the wind drops so you can repair and then replace your cover.

[veg4681]

So dear, so sorry to hear about the damage on your polytunnel, those blasted wind or is that gale. I gathered the crucial damage is the hassle/cost of replacing the cover otherwise the metal frames are still intact with the vegetables in saleable condition.

It's one of those unfortunate incidents we all have to put with from time to time, in fact just last weekend, we had a break in the shed at the farm and thieves made out with £60 worth of petrol in tanks yet we're relieved, even grateful they didn't go for the more expensive tools and equipments.