Relaxed Farming - our farm in your classroom

Last night and through most of the morning we had the worst winds yet this winter. They were accompanied by sleet and snow and when we awoke we really did have a stream running through the top paddock down towards the barn! But worse was to come. Our usual late morning check found the polytunnel with several holes in the polythene and the threat of several more to come. The wind had been really flapping the polythene around and unfortunately in several places where it was against the elbows of the frame (the curves that connect the roof to the walls), the polythene was then being stretched. As it stretched, so it flapped around more and more until the material lost strength, and became weaker and weaker and holes began to appear!!
These photos are from when we erected the polytunnel back in the spring of 2010. As you can see from the second photo, the polythene is stretched tight across the elbows to reduce flapping and there is also white tape underneath (which you can also see under the polythene) to reduce friction against the elbows. With winds reported to be up to 70 miles per hour, we have been anxious about the polytunnel. Currently these storms are removing roofs, knocking down trees and worse, so our polytunnel would have been very lucky to have escaped.
We patched the holes as best we could with specialist tape but now that some of the tension has been lost, the risk of more flapping and stretching is increased. The storms are set to continue for a while longer so all we can do is keep our fingers well and truly crossed!!! Due to animal damage (a ram lamb with horns) and subsequent winds in the summer of 2012, we have already had to replace the polythene once. As well as the monies needed, it is a massive job as we have to re-dig the trench all the way round to bury the new polythene - not to mention getting the old stuff out. We don't fancy having to do this again anytime soon...