It’s that time of year….
(Third cutting of alfalfa)
When all of spring and summer come together
Third cutting of hay is cut and drying…Terry is raking and turning the rows even as I type away.
Soon, very soon…maybe tomorrow or the next day…it all depends on the weather, he will pull the pinto beans.
The corn has passed the blister stage, moving into the dough. After that it will be ready to ‘dry down’.
We are on the last little bits of irrigation. No more changing water on the pinto beans, only one more good soaking of the alfalfa, after the last bale has been hauled and stacked (possibly two if the fall is terribly dry—alfalfa can’t go into the winter dry or the crop will die.)
All that is left is watering the corn, by the end of September (in 30 days, maybe a few more, but not many-maybe even less) the irrigation water will be turned off to our farm.
We will be done.
After that we wait…until the last of October or the first of November when the harvest of the field corn begins. Those that have ensilage or chopp’n corn, or silage (it’s all one in the same) will start filling the silos this week.
The stretch for harvest has begun!
Then winter’s silence will descend.
But not for awhile.
Not for awhile.
Not just yet.
The gift of the spring and summer’s work will be collected. The work is has begun!
We will stretch ourselves thin, eat on the run, get up before dawn and settle back down way after dusk. It will look easy to those driving by—people who have moved to the country to get away from the crowds.
I suppose it is, after all these years…it’s because we practice all the time. The continuing education credits come when this year’s paycheck comes in. (We are paid once a year for pinto beans and corn. The hay brings in small checks as the bales are sold.)
Harvest! It is what we work for— the accumulation of the year.
Your friend on a farm in Western Colorado,
Linda
Life on a Colorado Farm 
I love your water management posts. So interesting to see farming in a completely different part of the country.
LikeLike
Absolutely stunning photos Linda!
You are so right when you say you make it look easy.
At the rodeo Cameron and I usually push calves in the chute for the roping etc. it’s confusing. The calves have numbers, so you have to pick out the number that’s next. One at a time. Well they had some youngsters (6) doing it, oh I felt bad! We made it look easy.
It was 45* here this morning! Brrrrrrrr! Have to grab a sweat shirt in the mornings now!
Cheri
LikeLike
I am continually in awe at the work you and your husband do on your property. Its amazing that one person can do so much with the aid of machinery. But more important you live on the land and are dependent on nature and weather to earn a living. I really don’t know how you do it year after year with your livelihood dependent on so many factors. Maybe its faith that inspires you or love of the land but I commend you both for a job well done !
LikeLike
these are just beautiful photos! happy and successful harvesting to you!
LikeLike
So happy for you and a good harvest year. Farmers never know about the weather from year to year.
LikeLike
Your words are as thoughtful and beautiful as your photos.
LikeLike
I didn’t even think about the fact that you don’t get paid until the crops are in—DUH! Glad the alfalfa brings in a bit of money until then.
LikeLike
Hi Linda, your photos are always so incredible. I often visit but don’t comment, love seeing what is happening on your side of the Rockies. Hey, somehow I’ve lost touch with your friend and fellow blogger from Washington who did day care and also was involved in dog rescues. Could you send me her link. I’d love to catch up with her.
Hugs, Noreen
LikeLike
I would’ve been one of the people thinking farm work was simple, but after following your blog for a while, I have had an EDUCATION! The word “work” was invented for farmers!
LikeLike
Linda, we begin grass silaging today – we so often coincide with your alfalfa don’t we? Can you explain a bit about your irrigation system please – does the state provide your water and pump it through your farm in drainage channels in Summer? Do you have to buy it? Presumably the land is so dry that you need this extra water.
LikeLike
I was hoping you would write about the bean harvest, then i found a post you had written earlier. I’m always so curious about how things, which we use, are produced and harvested, so this was really interesting. We’re on the other side of the food production, raising chickens and beef cattle, and we know all about the late hours, drought, watching the rain clouds, etc. for our hay crops. Keep up the good work!
LikeLike
Happy Labor Day… Hope you are having a great day. We finally got some rain here this weekend (which we needed)–but this week promises to be a hot one… I’m SO ready for Fall…
I love reading about your daily/monthly/yearly schedule of what comes next/what to do/what not to do, etc… I know that the equipment through the years changes and is improved??? I guess… BUT–is anything else about farming changed from when you all started it years ago?
Hugs,
Betsy
LikeLike
Fingers crossed for a good harvest, a clean run at it, rain when you need it, dry when you don’t, and just a little time to eat and sleep before you slow down and put the land to sleep for the winter. Thank you for the lovely post.
LikeLike
Being farmers today takes special people, people that are willing to work hard for not much money. I come from a long line of farmers in Germany. My father and mother worked so hard while both of my grandfathers had people work for them .
LikeLike
I got a chuckle out of your title. Twenty-nine years ago on Labor Day (it was Sept. 2), Hurricane Elena hit the coast of Alabama where I was living at the time. Every pregnant woman who was due that week, including myself, went into labor at the same time. I remember they sent me home in 24 hours because they were out of beds.
LikeLike
I hope prices are good for your once a year paycheck! 🙂
LikeLike
I had never thought about the one paycheck a year plan. I learn something every time I visit.
LikeLike
Thank you both for all your hard work! God bless. ♥
LikeLike
Hi Linda, We spent the weekend with friends down in Gardner. They’ve been busy cutting their hay too. It’s impressive to see all those machines in action and then the reward of all the bales stacked neatly. Nice work. Looks great!
LikeLike
I haven’t been very good about reading blogs, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been thinking of you and wondering how things have been going. This is a busy time, for sure!
I love all of your sunset pictures. They are stunning.
Here’s wishing you a happy harvest!
LikeLike
I think this is one of the most beautiful of your posts, in word and image. Stunning, thought-provoking. At least for me. I am one of those people who goes to the country to “get away”, and yet when I am there, in France, I am surrounded by people who work—hard— like you and Terry. Day in, day out. Season in, season out. Year in, year out. They are in the fields before we wake up and after we go to sleep. I see the tractors moving up and down the field behind our house, the light in the cabin glowing in the dark. A lone lightening bug hovering over the earth. And I know there’s someone in there. grappling with nature in a way that I will never know. I have such deep respect for them, for you. A sort of awe, really. And a longing to know what that’s like, to be that close to the earth for your whole life.
LikeLike
Harvest, the time when you reap what you sow… And yes, you guys do make it look so easy, and we know better! I treasure these fall days – hard work and all. Have a wonderful Tuesday! Thanks for the beautiful photos 🙂
LikeLike
Blessings on your harvest. Big blessings.
LikeLike
I’m never tired of your sky photos. Happy Harvest time!
LikeLike
It looks like such a great life to live, on the farm. Hard work though, eh?
LikeLike