Trash! Trash is a BIG deal, and this year seems worse than other years. Mainly because of the wind! I like the wind; I like the fact that the wind is one of our helpers in that it brings the leaves to the tops of trees. But I don’t like the wind for all the trash and weeds that blow along with it.
Then you couple wind and trash with water (which sinks all the trash) you get a mess! And if you aren’t diligent you will get ditches that are stopped up enough to flood whole fields.
So every couple of hours YOU MUST GO CHECK THE DITCHES for messes like this one!
Look closely and you can see bubbles (white foam) and the each of the cement ditch, which means that we don’t have enough gates in the gated pipe open and a build up is about to occur. The build up means the water flows over the side (NOT GOOD) and creates another mess. We don’t like those types of problems.
This photo shows you success. The water made it all the way down the 25 acre field to end of the field. YEAH!!!! The furrow with the water will form a crust that will make the water flow down better next time. Imprint the row. This is good. This is the goal. To get the water to seal the row, but at the same time provide enough moisture to sub across to the next row!
You will notice that every other row has the water in it. That is the way you water corn, every other row. So this field will be planted to corn in about 10 days. Beans and hay are watered differently.
Talli used a stick to help dig out the trash. She called it her shovel.
The grandkids like to come out and help irrigate. Blade and Linkin were way down the row digging out the stuck corn stalks and other bits of trash but Tallen stayed with us.
Life on a Colorado Farm 
Do any of the farmers there use sprinkler systems? We have so many center pivot sprinklers here that the area looks like it is covered with polka dots on Google Earth.
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What a great helper. How fun to get to be muddy. The boys must love it, and they could be a big help….future farmers.
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This is amazing. You do lead an interesting life. I bet it is hard work though. Through your excellent blog we’re all learning new things. I think it’s great!
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I really am enjoying this whole preparing/planting thing you are showing us. It is facinating to me all that goes into putting down a field of food! More folks should see this… it would make us appriciate our food more.
Talli is just TOO CUTE! Little helper.
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Your little granddaughter is so cute! I bet the grandkids love to come help water and play in the mud LOL
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It’s been really interesting seeing your posts about irrigation. I am from much different topography and climate so I have never seen it done your way. I just don’t have those expanses of near level ground. I am really impressed at the skill it takes to prepare those fields and the organization it takes to delivery the water to each farmer.
Great job, keep up the photos and descriptions.
-mmp
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Oh what a cutie Tallen is! And such an adorable name too.
Thanks for all the irrigation info. I find it really interesting, since I never knew how it’s done. (I’m sure hubby knows all about it! LOL)
And thanks for all your comments on my blog, I really appreciate them!!!
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And I forgot to say, I hope you and your family had a lovely Easter weekend! 🙂
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I don’t envy you having to deal with water trash that’s for sure.
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That was pretty interesting about the the irrigation stuff. I didn’t know that. I agree with the wind bringing the trash – we are constantly in the back field picking up the plastic grocery store bags
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lil helper looks like a little angel. mud looks very similar to what we have here… after 4 inches of white stuff!! you sure are having your adventures too, not to mention a good tutorial
gp
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Wow! I am amazed at the amount of work involved in your kind of irrigation.
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It’s a good thing you have good help! 😉
How many acres is that field? Or do you measure in something besides acres?
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Tali has gotten so big! She is a beautiful little girl. Looks like she enjoys helping her Grandpa. That is awesome they get to hang out with you guys so much. 🙂
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I’m enjoying learning about irrigation and your photos are amazing. It is the farmers who are the backbone of this country and I appreciate all the hard work you do.
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