It’s been a shade too hot here for May, temps running around in the 80s*. Fuzz and I pretty much take it easy, not lots a guy can do when it’s already so hot. We were laying around in the shade just the other day wondering together what August is going to bring.
Fuzzy said maybe rain.
I told him I sure hope so.
Dad harrowed off the corn, which means he knocked the dirt off the top of the corn beds so the corn can poke up through the ground and not have to work its way through too much dirt.
We are dry here….pretty much has Dad and Mom very worried about getting the entire farm wet.
The ditch rider came through and locked all the head gates down to 70%! That’s a HUGE amount of water. And Mom said we still have to pay for the 100% even if we don’t get it.
Then she let out a big sigh.
With the loss of 30% of water it makes the folks have to change water more often; instead of twice a day (morning and evening) they are changing it every 8 hours – day and night.
Another headache for this lack of water thing is because it is so dry and hot, the water doesn’t want to go down the furrows in the field.
Not just on our farm but everyone’s around here.
So the folks go out and ‘walk the water through’ — which means they have to help the water down the rows by making sure a corn cob or a dirt clod or weeds don’t make a mini-dam and stop the water from going anywhere.
BIG JOB!
That works for Fuzzy and I as we get to go with them every time they go out. Nighttime is the best, but I like any time.
I was over sniffing some stuff behind the equipment area when I heard Mom holler for me to come. I didn’t, man, there was just so many things to learn about I didn’t want to stop and go wherever they were going.
So they left me!!!!
Can you believe that?
They just left me!!!
I had to run like the dickens to catch up with them at the head gate.
WHEW!
Mom was checking out the fruit trees, it looks like we are going to have apricots and cherries for sure this year.
And the lilacs sure are nice.
Coming in from the last day set of water we saw it!! —- THE CORN WAS UP!!!
Yippee! Makes all the hard work worth it. (Of course now everyone has to keep the corn alive and growing until harvest, but a least it’s up!)
Well, as you can see not much going on around here but everyday work.
Fuzzy and I sure enjoy it,
Every single minute!
Boomer
Life on a Colorado Farm 
It is amazing to me what farmers have to do to make sure their crops do as they are supposed to.
Boomer, tell your mom that I hope y’all get some rain and that the corn stays healthy.
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Your corn looks great! Hope you get the water you need. Makes me feel guilty about complaining about too much rain.
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Dear Boomer,
I’ll keep my paws crossed for rain for ya’ll. My mom sure would like the lilacs. She funny about smelly flowers and plants. When we lived in Arizona she really liked when the citrus trees were blooming.
Take care,
Nessa
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Lots of exercise for you boys and nice to see the corn up but not so much seeing it is so dry. I don’t know how Mom and Dad do it boys, that irrigating is exhausting work!
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Boomer, you and fuzzy stay in the shade and keep those varmits away from that corn! Sophie does not want to go walking anymore because it is 106 here in Texas!! We are melting!
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We always learn so much about where crops come from and how much you have to go through when we visit here. Sure is an exciting place to be a dog.
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Congratulations on the corn! I’ll pray you get some rain.
Michigan lost most, if not all, of their cherry crop this year to a late freeze. That’s what my brother said.
Glad your crop seems to be growing well. ♥
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Hi there fellas – wow, I was just blown away by your post today! Such a lot of extra work is created when the water is restricted like that. Even having to walk the water in is another job in itself. Hope you guys helped paw the water in?
What a great sight for your Mom and Dad … to see that the corn was up! They’re all such hardworkers and gosh I hope the rain comes soon for them and all the farmers over there.
Beautiful fruit trees – they do look healthily loaded! Lovely Lilacs too.
All the best, Susan xx
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Maybe the rain we’ve been getting will head that way.
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Another lesson in farming!! Thanks, Boomer. The corn looks good.
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Wondering if any of the farmers there use the big center pivot sprinklers like the spud farmers use here. I sympathize with you and your irrigation problems. Your posts bring back a lot of farming memories. Your corn and lilacs look great. We are still a week or so away from seeing them around here.
Hey to Boomer and Fuzzy.
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Changing the water every eight hours..I guess you do what you have to do. I hope you get rain soon..it has been dreary here but it only spits rain..it doesn’t really rain like in years past. Many trees did not make the winter..too dry I think. I am also afraid for the summer and what the weather will bring if it doesn’t rain:(
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Boomer, you do an awesome job of explaining all the work — and the joys — of farm life to someone who knows little. And you make it very interesting! Thanks for including “mom’s” great pictures too.
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You guys are about 3 weeks behind us right now. Our corn is about 3 feet tall. The oats are about a week from being cut for hay. It’s windy today and I can see the dust flying out in our fields, too. All our rain was late and sparse. We have to pump ground water here. I don’t think anything gets a dog to hear a “come” signal better than leaving him behind a time or two. At least that works with Queenies and Kelpies.
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every time i read about your work on the farm i am shocked at how dry your land is.. you work SO hard.. here they plant it and it comes up, this is old swamp ground.. fantastic series of shots for us so we can learn how it is done in other places.. c
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Next time time you get hollered at to come, ya best do that Boomer. They won’t dilly dally waiting for you. ‘Sides, I think it’d be a lot more fun riding a four wheeler than running to catch up! Glad your corn’s up, same here.
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I really enjoy reading about how your watering works, but I’m glad we don’t have to do that here. Big. Job.
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Hope Fuzzy and Boomer get some rain!
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How exciting, seeing the new growth of corn. I just love the ambiance of a farm life.
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So will it be knee high by the 4th of July???
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Reading your blog you sure get a feel for how hard farming is…this was the life many people knew for most of our country’s history. Now, we take all that for granted. Don’t have a clue. I was fascinated with how much you have to do to get water to your plants! And, your corn field is amazing!!!!! I have five stalks growing in my back yard, and I am so proud of them…FIVE! That’s it! 🙂 It looks like, with rain and some prayer, you could feed an army with your corn! It’s all pretty impressive! I do hope you get lots of rain this season!
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