Moving a Walk-in Cooler by Hand!

On the Farm . . . what's happening this week (7/12/15) in words and pictures

We've been using an old display cooler to store produce in between harvesting and delivery to share members or farmers markets. When we first used it, we thought it was great - so much better than the refrigerator in the garage we started with. Now three years later, we've outgrown it also. The compressor is finicky and has required constant monitoring to ensure produce doesn't freeze or get too warm.

So our big project for the week was to move the 8 ft by 10 ft walk-in cooler left in an old building when we bought the farm to our pack shed across the drive-way. A trip of about seventy-five yards. It didn't have a floor to help keep it square while being moved, so Bill wrapped cables around it as well as screwing some 4x6 beams underneath for stability. He put steel pipes under the beams, and he and Liam slowly (over a day and a half) rolled it out the old building, across the driveway and into place in it's new home. It was slow and tedious work, but a great project for father and son.

Then Bill went to work installing an insulated floor with a laminated cover in the cooler. The heating and cooling technician came and connected the thermostat and voila! - instead of a small display cooler, we have a working walk-in cooler big enough to hold lots and lots of produce. Later when we aren't as busy in the field, we will spiff up the front with paint, but for now, we are pleased to have a bigger cooler that consistently works.