Part 3: 33′ Growing Dome Installation at the Shumei Natural Agriculture Garden

As the 33′ Growing Dome at the Shumei Natural Agriculture Garden at the Rodale Institute continues to take shape we see how many wonderful volunteers are pitching in to make this project happen. Richard Miller, Growing Spaces installation supervisor, has been kind enough to send us updates as they go.

4-9-13 Tuesday: I checked hubs again and rechecked for tightness. Then it was time to install the vents. Oh, yes thank you, if I do say so myself they look great (this, coming from the vent maker)! With that out of the way we could get to the exciting part of covering the Growing Dome with the polycarbonate glazing panels. We knew it would be tough because of the gravel floor in varying degrees of thickness, even though we leveled it to our best ability. Plywood underneath ladders is awkward! I thought it went well considering the challenges of this particular build and the experience level of our crew. It must have been because had so much great enthusiasm! The pictures tell the story.

4-10-13 Wednesday: Our last day is supposed to be today, no really?!! If it had been just the Growing Dome, we would have been there, but with the weather and the unanticipated foundation work we got behind. Our schedule is set and we have to leave tomorrow! Right? Right? Well…So today I couldn’t work, my sinus infection had got the best of me and I was down for the count. Shumei took the day off from the Growing Dome build to plant their potato crop. Then that night it rained and watered all the potato seeds!! The timing was great.

4-11-13 Thursday: Great pictures don’t you think? I don’t think a narrative would compare to the picture story. Oh! Back to leaving Shumei… So, my wife Janet and I have decided she will stay on and I will leave for Colorado. After all, what the crew needs is experience and a leader who knows how to do it right. She’s the one for the job!

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