Today we turned the water off. Unless something happens…like extremely hot weather…the irrigation water for this year is turned off to our farm. From April to September the constant changing of water has ruled our lives.
Terry called our Ditch Rider, Bill, around 6:30 this morning and told him we would be shutting our water off at seven. He said yesterday five other farmers on his canal watch turned off and today (counting us) he has two so far.
So from here to today the Irrigation season has come to an end. (This is what opening day looked like in 2011)
Bill said the water will stay in the canal until November 1st, allowing those who use Uncompahgre Water below us (Grand Junction, Loma, and on down the Colorado River) to finish up their crops. This is a little later than when they turned if off last year because of the shortage of water. Last year they turned off the water the middle to the third week of October.
The rain is still strong today …we are socked in
Thankfully we have been rather wet starting in July.
Terry and I feel really bad for those who have beans pulled and on the ground, and hay laying getting soaked and ruined. The onion guys are starting to worry, even though the onions have not been pulled — rain this late in their growing season will cause the bulbs to rot. The pinto bean guys are worrying that the rains will cause the dry bean to take on moisture swelling the bean…then when the sun does come back and the dry returns the bean will dry out and crack…it seems like there is always something to worry about isn’t there?
We will only (ONLY) turn the water back on if the alfalfa fields start to show stress, then we will give them a quick drink so the roots stay nice through the winter. Once we have a hard killing frost the worry is over until spring work begins again.
The two fields are looking nice and lush and green so (fingers crossed) we won’t have to start up the irrigation again this year.
My hummingbird feeders are down to three and I think I can reduce that to two today. I only saw three little birds eating breakfast in the rain this morning.
“Summer gathers up her robes of glory, And, like a dream, glides away.” –Sarah Helen Whitman.
Fall is here,
Linda
Life on a Colorado Farm 
The angels must have been smiling on you to get all your crops up before the rains!
So as a row crop farmer, is all the work done until next spring? I know the orchards need pruning and lots of work after the crops are off.
d
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Looks like you guys lucked out with the rain holding out until you were done. It is such a fine line and you never know what Mother Nature will throw your way. We are going to have temps in the mid 90’s the rest of the week. Its nice and cool in the AM and PM though! 🙂 We have had such a green summer. We didn’t have to fully irrigate the heifer lots. They stayed green all summer. And I hate hand lines! 😉
Have a glorious day.
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Things are so different here. Just this week I saw the farmers putting in new rows and running water down them for some crop that’s just now being planted. Corn? Probably not, maybe something that’s being planted as a started plant rather than by seed. They will be selling sweet corn until mid October, though, and pumpkins right through Thanksgiving, then Christmas trees.
It pains me to know it’s raining on hay. Any hay, anywhere.
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Hi Linda, Just wanted to let you know that I will be gone for awhile. My younger brother died this morning and tho I don’t know the arrangements yet, I’m sure I will be flying up to Iowa tomorrow. Quite a shock…celebrated his 60th birthday while I was up there last month. Though his health hasn’t been great, this was still very unexpected! I won’t be taking my computer with me, so will let you know when I get back home. Am sure concerned about my mother…she’s confused but I know she will realize what has happened and will be devastated for awhile. Love and hugs, Vadarae Date: Wed, 11 Sep 2013 14:34:50 +0000 To: vgohlke1@hotmail.com
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sounds like you managed better than some of your neighbor farmers this year. *sigh*
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Its such an accomplishment when harvest is done!! Doubly so when rain starts as soon as you are done!! Hay is looking really good.
As soon as third cutting is up we will be moving out of WY. Done there. So we have half the hay to get hauled out of there and clean out the very comfy cabin. Crazy busy….and I still cant help. But I am recovering well from surgery. Another 4 wks of “off duty”. When things calm down a bit we will figure out whats next.
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I’m glad to hear that things are starting to slow down a little for the season. I hope the weather cooperates and you won’t have to irrigate the alfalfa.
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Hoping your neighbors get some sunny days to dry out their crops. These late rains are really unusual. Hay farmers around here are doing what they can to work around the wet weather. Fortunately we’ve had a lot of sun between storms. I saw some beautiful alfalfa fields all ready to bale this morning. That’s the kind of grass aroma I prefer to inhale. Spud harvest is next here and it looks like a good one.
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You are right there is worry everywhere. Fires, Floods and soon it will be ice and snow our country seems to see it all. There are theories as to why I say lets have a moratorium on killing of innocent people and see if the heavens smile down upon us and give us peace of mind.
I am glad your hard work of that nature is almost behind you. I had so much rain this year only the Cucumbers and Basil flourished so Tomatoes but not enough for me to brag about but the Dragonflies, Bees have had a free for all! I can count the butterflies I have had here on 1 hand and the Hummingbirds we so nasty this year not their normal little selves. Probably hating to care for so many young with not enough pretty flowers I made the sugar water 4 to 1 and last month they chose flowers instead 😦 screwy year here
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Mother nature sure is taking care of you so far, hope she can keep it up.
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All of the farmers in this area irrigate, but I’ve never known much about the process until i started following your blog.
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The alfalfa fields look great!
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Glad things have worked out so well for you. Hope the rains stops in time for the others.
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I think all of Colorado needs to have a dry spell for a small while!
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Hi There, First, you need rain and now you get too much!!!! Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate, does she? BUT–glad you got all of your major work done ahead of time… Hope you don’t have to water the alfalfa. Maybe you and Terry can RELAX and enjoy life for awhile now….
Hugs,
Betsy
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We actually went and looked at campers yesterday…who knows we just might ‘go’ somewhere!
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So glad your crops are in..mostly..corn yet..and your alfalfa looks beautiful:)
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Oh! Thank you so much, Connie. I’ve been enjoying seeing what is happening in your part of the world.
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It sounds like the growing season is winding down.
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Gradually, gradually we are making it! Good afternoon, Patty!
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What a challenge, Linda. I don’t think I have the guts to be a farmer! But I sure love your poetry choice. What beautiful imagery. Glad your crops did so well!
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What a relief, to be able to give up the water-changing until spring…and you didn’t get 8 inches of hail at your place, either….I shuddered when I saw that on the news!
Sending out Magic Thoughts for your neighbors and their crops 🙂
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It is just terrible! My heart hurts for everyone over there…too much rain is never a good thing and floods and mud slides more than awful, they are life altering!
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Won’t it leave a lovely feeling when all us farmers have got all the harvest in?
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Oh, yes!!! As every step gets done you feel just a little bit more complete! Good afternoon in far away England!
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So glad you got everything in! We have had weather in the low 70’s and then yesterday it was 94 and as humid as can be. Thankfully we are cooling off again. I love crisp mornings.
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We are still very wet here, but the silage/ensilage guys are working anyway. The roads are full of mud, but at 40% chance of rain for at at least 5 more days they have no choice.
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