Thursday, December 9, 2010

Stuck on you

Ah.... we learn new things every day.  Tuesday, I learned that high tunnels are different animals when it comes to working 'outside' in Winter.

The Scenario:
Temps are low single digits (Fahrenheit).  Not much wind - a blessing.  Sun is out.  Another blessing.  Rob has to pick for the extended season CSA shares and the crops are in the unheated high tunnel.

With the sun out, the temps were above 40 by 11:00 AM.  It made it to as high as 58 (for a very brief time).

Rob wears a black coat.  The end walls of the high tunnel have metal.  The walls are much cooler than the air in the high tunnel.

The Event:
Rob does a few things outside and gets a little snow on him.  Then carries tubs and tools to the high tunnel to pick.  He picks for an hour or so.  Then stretches his back and happens to touch the metal on the end wall of the high tunnel with the back of his coat.  His coat is, at that moment, damp from melted snow.  The end wall is still below freezing.  The coat adheres to the metal.

The Thought Process:
Hmmmmm.  I appear to be stuck to the metal on the end wall.   I'm glad that wasn't my tongue....or my hand.  You know what?  I appear to be really stuck to this wall.  Why was my back so wet?  Oh yeah, snow melted.   You know, I should give it a bit more of a tug.  Oy, that's on there good.  I hope I don't rip the coat.  Maybe I should just unzip the coat and worm out of it?  You know, it might be a bit silly if my coat has to stay on this wall until warmer weather.  But, it could be sillier still if I just stayed here....

The Result:
After a quick internal debate, I determined that I had the best leverage for pulling the coat off if I just left it on and yanked myself free.  It worked.  The coat is fine.  And... new knowledge that I can choose to file away and re learn later (if necessary - but actually unlikely).

2 comments:

  1. wow. just....wow....

    ReplyDelete
  2. I don't have anything to add that Pete didn't already say...

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for your input! We appreciate hearing what you have to say.