A machine and method are provided for laying down an air permeable shading material over a row of harvested produce items and of subsequently retrieving the shading material in a manner that permits its reapplication over another row of produce items. The machine includes a frame, wheels supporting the frame on the ground, and a roll support that supports a roll of a shading material. The machine additionally includes a reversible motor that imparts a rotational driving force to the roll support. The machine is configured and controlled to loosely lay shading material over a row or to wind shading material back onto the roll in a manner that inhibits side-to-side movement of the material relative to the frame and that inhibits material wrinkling.
