Forest for the trees

I’m converting the cider orchard irrigation system to overhead sprinklers from drip lines right now.  Overheads will allow me to mow under the trees and get a cover crop to germinate, key parts of an organic orchard management strategy.  They also allow for cooling of the orchard if 45 degree “heat domes” like we experienced last year become normal.

Like any big orchard project this one has had its unforeseen challenges.  A key part of installing overheads is mounting the sprinklers to tall, upright posts 12-14ft high in order to get above the trees and distribute the water.

After buying all the miles of pipe, hundreds of PVC irrigation fittings, valves, connectors and trenching all the lines in, I stopped in to Growers Supply to buy the posts, the most important and expensive part of the project.  Only, when I got to the front of the line, I was told they were sold out of posts. Everywhere. Blame the pandemic. Blame the war in Ukraine. Whatever the excuse, the sole supplier of posts in the Okanagan was out and no idea when they would get more.  How to install overheads without any posts to raise the sprinklers over-head?

I was relating my situation to Dave, my crusty orchardist neighbour and one of my farming mentors. He scoffed when I told him I was stumped.  “Take your chainsaw, your son, and package of hot dogs and go out in the bush and cut some. Make a day of it,” he said.  Dave was a logger for 30 years, so this solution shouldn't have surprised me.

But wouldn't that look a bit ridiculous mounting a sprinkler to a delimbed tree? I asked. He dismissed this. “All you care about is the height.  These will serve the function and they are free for a day in the woods with your son. They will last you 5-10 years and if they rot, go replace it with another one.”

So that's exactly what I did yesterday.  I took my four year old son Rowan, my dad who has helped with so many projects and we drove out to an old cut block in the hills behind Summerland. We managed to cut 60 posts out of a pile of small pine trees that the loggers had left as too small for the mill. Rowan brought his Fisher Price chainsaw and “helped”, but the highlight for him was sitting in the back of the truck with dad, a juice box,  some animal crackers and a huge grin while we slowly bumped down the road.  We got posts, but also got to spend a fun day together.

There are plenty of situations in life where the only solution to a problem is to pay. It's nice to find one once in a while where a little sweat (and fun) can get you there too.  I’m sure there will be a few raised eyebrows from other farmers as they drive past when they see what I’m doing.  It also won’t likely be the last time.

See you next month,

Mike