Early, early Terry, Boomer, and I were at one of the cement ditches putting in new gates for the coming year. The old ones were broken and/or crumbling so they needed replace.
The shadows were long, ever so long, and the air brisk and chilly when we went out.
By the time we finished the shadows had shorted to almost represent solar noon.
Still… we are done now. Set for another year.
A good feeling. Water should start around the second week or the third week of April. (for us)
The water is already in the canals heading our way. I guess I could say this another way…we will start water on our place the second or third week of April.
The ditches are now ready! Which is a very good thing!
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
Life on a Colorado Farm 
My brother Ron does irrigation around Grand Junction. The canal, irrigation system in Western Colorado is truly amazing, an enormous accomplishment for the area. We don’t hear enough about how it works and is maintained. Without it the Grand Valley could not produce the agriculture, and even green lawns in the towns and cities, that it does. Thanks for this.
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That’s the same for us up the Uncompahagre…without Blue Mesa and Ridgway dams we would be mesa’s of sage, chico, and rabbit brush! You are most welcome. (Grand Junction gets most of their water from Grand Mesa as does Cedaredge and North Delta.) Pretty amazing really.
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Not the gates I visualized when I read the title. But yup. I get it. For the water….
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You lift of the handle to divert the water into another channel or shut the handle to keep the water going on down the ditch.
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There never seems to be a lack of jobs that need to be done on a farm. I’m glad you got this task finished and are now ready for the water to arrive.
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Yes! The ditches are ready…and Terry is working on the fields. Soon, soon. it’s never ending work. We hope to take a short little trip the first week in April, before all the work really begins.
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I’m always learning something new here about how our food is raised. Thanks for the lesson.
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I like how you called our farm enchanted one time. out on the ditch bank today, I remembered you saying this and thought it really does fit.
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Your Terry is a man of many, many skills, and I think we don’t even see a fraction of them…
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Sorta like you!
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My skill range is very narrow compared with his, and sadly lacking in the physical strength area 🙂
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Just different set of skills but right up there in ability!
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That sense of accomplishment goes a long way, doesn’t it? 🙂
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It does. And it HAD to be done or another year of messes. You would not think so but cement does wear out.
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Water wears down anything. 😦
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And cows…they are a tad hard of things
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I am so glad we have another year to watch the water come in :-).
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Me too 🙂
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Well done .. You are always so busy! Bring on the water 😃
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We saw there was water in the canal two miles away from us…maybe tomorrow the water in our canal (the FNLateral of the Ironstone) will be here! 🙂
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