November 16, 2022

Greenhouse Progress: Not Much

Photo taken November 4, 2022.

There are a couple of reasons for the slow-down on greenhouse progress. One is the weather (rain), and the other is that Dan's sawmill needed repair. And while he was at it, he decided to re-level it. Between growing tree roots and the ground shifting as it expands and contracts with varying degrees of dryness and moisture, the mill wasn't level anymore. So that took some time. Fortunately, there's no deadline for this project.

I mentioned in my greenhouse planning post, that we had saved all the old wood windows we took out when we upgraded them. Those will become the greenhouse walls. What we didn't think about at the time, was the old jalousie windows we saved when Dan remodeled the back porch. He replaced two of them, and of course, we kept them. 

Jalousie crank windows. Photo from September 2013.

My idea was that they could be incorporated into the greenhouse roof, because roof vents would be very helpful. Dan nixed that idea, however, so we decided we'll use them on either end of the greenhouse walls. We plan to install a solar attic fan to vent the greenhouse during hot weather, and the jalousie windows would be great for helping to facilitate air flow. 

With the sawmill up and running again, Dan is back to working on posts and rafters for the roof. Weather permitting, of course. Hopefully, I'll have construction progress to show you soon.

Photo taken November 14, 2022.

14 comments:

Ed said...

I love that photo of the jalousie window and Dan's reflection with hammer in hand. Classic!

Mama Pea said...

The jalousie windows in the greenhouse for ventilation sound like a great idea to me. Wish we had thought of something like that for our chicken solarium! By next summer, we need to have a fan rigged up in there to move the hot air out more efficiently than just using the open vents up high near the roof on either end.

Leigh said...

Ed, I know! I'd forgotten all about that photo until I sat down to write this blog post. :)

Mama Pea, a solar shed or attic fan would probably be perfect for you. Our attic fan runs even on overcast days when it's bright enough. It still ran with three inches of snow on the panel! Some of them come with thermostats, which is very helpful.

Toirdhealbheach Beucail said...

"Releveling the Sawmill" - that sounds like a much harder project than perhaps it turned out to be (I have visions in my mind of large, heavy equipment, etc.).

The solar attic fan sounds like a great idea.

Leigh said...

TB, Dan's sawmill is a small-scale entry level consumer sawmill, so not too bad to level. The bottom line is that everything requires maintenance and repair. I reckon it's a matter of choosing options that fit one's pocketbook, temperament, and sense of acceptable work. Higher tech stuff is definitely more complicated and more prone to breakage and end-of-life events. I find that frustrating, others enjoy the challenge. Dan and I are always asking ourselves if benefit outweighs cost. For Dan, the sawmill is worth it. In the end, though, the question is "what can I live with?" No right or wrong answer; it's just a matter of personal choice.

Annie in Ocala said...

Seeing all that lumber that you guys were able to make from your land is pleasing! Are you just soaking it in burnt oil for pest resistance? Here between the termites and carpenter bees natural pine doesn't last long. Spending my lifetime in FL I find old fence lines with posts of heart pine and drag home the bits of posts I can. Mostly for lighter knot fire starter. Those stood for a hundred years but eventually gave way. Not much heart pine left to harvest as the old growth was logged long ago. And now we grind up entire forests for animal bedding...!?!?

Leigh said...

Annie, it is extremely satisfying! Definitely, a least-waste endeavor. Dan is treating anything that comes into contact with the ground as you mention. For the most part, the lumber will be indoors, where we're hoping to keep carpenter bees out!

Rosalea said...

Love that 'workin' man' reflection in the glass!

Florida Farm Girl said...

I never cease to be amazed at how resourceful you and Dan are.

Leigh said...

Rosalea, me too! :)

Sue, thanks!

PioneerPreppy said...

nice progress for Winter especially. I have always wished I not only had a saw mill but enough lumber to put it to use :)

Leigh said...

PP, that's the thing, having enough timber to use it. Most of what Dan mills is old pines, many of which have broken or fallen on their own. Others were removed to keep them from falling on fences and make light for young hardwoods. So, it's more than paid for itself, but I wonder about our trees as a future resource. We will always need firewood, but hopefully, the need for lumber will diminish as we get our building projects done.

Quinn said...

One thing about construction projects: they can sit and wait for (sometimes) quite a while, but then one day of work feels and looks like a LOT of progress! I'm excited to see how this works out :)

Leigh said...

Quinn, that's so true. We've learned to not put completion expectations on anything. Much less frustrating that way!