My monthly tree post will be today…. I’m afraid I will forget it if I don’t do the post today.
First the Willow tree
Green is showing up nicely. Every day there is more and more tiny little willow leaves
(I’m still working on the messy pile of wood, every day I cut a little more and move it too the area where we stack wood.)
The Cottonwood tree’s leaves are also tiny and shiny….still the leaves are making very welcome shade.
We were 88* yesterday. Horribly hot for this time of year. The Uncompahgre Valley Water Users have already locked the head gates. Usually that doesn’t occur until the middle of May. (The Uncompahgre Valley Water Users/ ditch riders, managers, board members, manages the water from which everyone in the Uncompahgre Valley uses to irrigate with—-the Uncompahgre Valley is made up of a water area. This water comes from Gunnison and Ridgeway, Colorado, to the Gunnison River, which flows through Delta, Colorado, on its way to the Colorado River through a hugely fascinating series of canals) This means we did NOT have enough snow in the high country this year so water is going to be short.
Our water moves through all of the farms then dumps into the Gunnison (as I said before) on it’s way to Nevada, Arizona, and California. We are required by law (water rights–first filing on the water etc.) to send so many feet of water into the Gunnison so the other states can have water.
Terry is out harrowing off the corn field. We will start water back on this field this afternoon.
Once he gets done harrowing then he needs to re-mark the second corn field, and mark out the new bean ground so we have places to move the water. And to keep from drying out.
Once the head gate is locked we have to make do with an allotment of water, which means we have to irrigate more, move the water more, even if we have to move the water every four hours instead of every 8—and yes even in the middle of the night, if necessary.
So far the alfalfa is looking good. First cutting should be the last of May or the first of June.
You can see the heat haze in the background.
Well, off now lots to do today.
Linda
Life on a Colorado Farm 
Unbelievable, Linda… 88 degrees??? Goodness… We were in the Smokies yesterday and the temperature was 37 degrees and it was spitting snow for awhile…. Crazy Spring for all of us!!!!! Glad you are getting the necessary water to your fields.
Hugs,
Betsy
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My goodness, that water business doesn’t bode well for the summertime. I wonder how folks raised crops before all the water canals were set up?
As for your corn—I have a question that I’ve always wondered about. What keep the critters from coming in an eating the corn before it sprouts? Seems like mice, rats, skunks, raccoons, etc. would find the field of snacks and clean it out??
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Hi Linda, We had 70 degrees yesterday..very warm for April. Your alfalfa field is beautiful:)
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We got into the low 90s over the weekend. This is early to have to start watering plants and turning on the air conditioning, but I think we have more spring weather ahead. `
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You wre warmer than we were. The weather here has been hovering in the low 80s.
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We were up to almost 90 degrees at the beginning of last week. Now we are only in the low 60’s, and dry too. Your alfalfa looks beautiful!
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Sorry to hear it’s so hot and dry already. Weather is out of sync everywhere.
Hope you get some rain soon, Linda. *hugs* ♥
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Wow, that is really warm! Sorry about the water situation. It is so interesting for me to read about the irrigation rules etc. as you see very little of it in NY. Used to be a lot of those center point jobs in the western part of the state, but it has been so wet in recent years I can’t remember when I last saw one.
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It was 90 in SW Oklahoma today. We’ve had rain almost every week. So…. maybe this year things will be OK. I hope it is OK for you.
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Linda, you folks are experiencing the weather we had here in Maine last week. Cold and rainy today, but it is greening up nicely. Enjoy your week, hugs Julie.
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Creative water management. It’s pretty time consuming. I do have memories of moving irrigation pipe in the alfalfa fields at night. But we had our own well water and it was simply due to not getting home in time to do it.
I love willow trees. They lose their leaves last and gain them first. Makes winter feel shorter.
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Super alfalfa crop! Makes ours look pretty sick. As always , interesting to follow the irrigation process.
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Isn’t this heat just STUPID? I love the green starting to show on the trees. Nice……Your alfalfa looks fabulous already!
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Gorgeous tree — I know CO weather is changeable, but 88 in April is downright ridiculous. Tough that there wasn’t enough snow — the water thing I’ve read a bit about before and it just boggles my mind at how complicated it all is.
It also boggles this old retired lady’s mind that you have time in your busy to life to do all that you do with your blogs and memes and do such a marvelous job at it. Thank you for sharing.
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We were warmer than normal here, yesterday, also….101*!! It was hot and is to be 98 today. Even early in West Texas. We are pre-planting irrigating here, otherwise the seed won’t germinate. Looks to be dry and water weary here, too. At least my water is from my wells, but it still will be regulated beginning this year on. Sigh.
Love your pictures…alfalfa lookin’ good, trees, too.
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Hello my friend! I am so sorry you have had such warm days. We hit 105 over the weekend, ick! The field is beautiful!
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Thats a bit warm for April in Colorado..:-)
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You have been busy busy in CO!!! We had had some very warm days too. Then get a cool day that has you shivering all day as you cant seem to acclimate to normal spring temps!!
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