About Dayphoto

My name is Linda Brown. I live on a farm on the western slope of Colorado, in the high mountain desert. I’ve lived here all my life, hailing back four generations on my father’s side. Today I blog about our farm, the everyday activities that keep the farm going. I also write about my thoughts and dreams and goals. On Friday’s I always write about TLC Cai-Cai. Our sweet kitty who helps keep the farm safe. And Boo Berry Betty, a breeder dog learning to be a Farm Dog! The lovely thing about blogging it opens the world up for all of us to reach out and meet people from many different cultures and different ways of life. You can find me every day (but Saturday) at https://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com/ Your Friend on a Western Colorado Farm, Linda Brown

The Adventures of Boomer on Friday—Head Held High

Posted on September 18, 2015 by Dayphoto

With my head held high, I rode proudly with Mom to the middle field. It was here she and I and Dad are working to harvest the last of the alfalfa; now turned to hay.

Just going out to help my people is a very moving experience—I sometimes even get tears in my eyes. Of course, it could be because we are on the four-wheelers. Also, if the wind is blowing the little bits of dust does seem to make my eyes water. (Just saying.)

We went out early, then almost early, then sorta early, by this time it was getting hot. After that Mom and I came in and fixed lunch. I got (2) TWO, mind you chicken wing bones! I also got ½ can of 98% beef and a rub on the belly and both my ears scratched. There is always free-to-eat-anytime dry as sawdust kibble, but I don’t figure it counts are real food.

Since Mom and Dad were concerned that a rain storm was due to come in; right after the lunch dishes were done, we went back out.

It was HOT out there!

I mean so hot my tongue hung clear out of my mouth and dropped saliva all down the fender on my side of the four-wheeler.

I mean it was HOT! After the morning, which was sorta on the cold side, getting used to the heat was something else.

So when Mom came in with the second load, (Mom picks up the broken bales and the loose alfalfa –the stack wagon can’t get that stuff) of a broken bale. (There were three broken bales and two loads of loose stuff. Mom’s trailer holds one broken bale.) I STAYED HOME!

The second she drove into the hay barn I jumped off and headed to my water dish and my spot in the shade.

There I stayed even when Mom called and asked if I wanted to go back out with her…I just wagged my tail and laid my body flat in the cool shady grass. I would have gone if she had made me, but Mom didn’t make me. I heard the four-wheeler go out then a little while later, in mid-snooze, I heard her come back in. Then go out………………

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Boomer

The Start of the Pinto Bean Harvest, Thursday, September, 17, 2015

Posted on September 17, 2015 by Dayphoto

Right after breakfast and the next set of irrigation water on the alfalfa field, Terry, Boomer, and I header over to hook-up the bean puller and bar.

This is the bean puller

And hook up the bar on the back of the 730. You understand that Terry does most the work. Boomer is off somewhere checking out the news and I’m pretty much there to give him a tool, or the handyman jack, or move something out the way. 🙂

That’s the blade…the puller pulls the beans out the ground and the blade cuts off any stems the puller misses.

The pinto beans are ready. The plant is dry, with only the weeds staying green and growing.

Up and down, careful, careful…you don’t want to run over the plants and loose your crop.

Slowly, ever so slowly,

The beans are put into rows. Once the day warms up, Terry stops— warmer air will dry the dew off the pods causing the pods to split and spill the beans.

Tomorrow (if all goes well) he will put on a different blade and go out and lift all the rows UP so they are fluffy and can have air circulate among the plants.

Then we wait. Terry says (if the warm weather holds and NO rain), in about a week the green weeds should be dry and he can start combining.

Harvest! A huge process with nice results.

Your friend on a Western Colorado farm,

Linda

Sometimes….Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Posted on September 16, 2015 by Dayphoto

Around ten o’clock yesterday, Terry exclaimed…”I’m tired of doing work! I’m tired. I want to do something different.”

“Okay,” I replied. “What do you have in mind?”

“Let’s take a little drive, nothing far, or hard to get too, nothing full of dirt and concern over hunters. Someplace we can see that is different from the farm.”

“Hummm”…..we pondered together.

“Let’s go to Ouray,[ Colorado]!” he announced. “We can get a bite to eat on the way up, stop and get my part for the pick-up on the way back, and be home by supper.”

So we did! 🙂

Your friend,

Linda

The Last Cut of the Year—Wednesday, September 14, 2015

Posted on September 16, 2015 by Dayphoto

They weather held. What a good thing to have happen.

Although the mornings were a tad chilly, and it took awhile for the dew to dry to just the right point.

The hay crew and Terry got ever last bale in the field stacked and covered.

Monday it started to sprinkle around 9 in the morning, with a weatherperson’s promise of more to come.

Monday morning the irrigation water was started for the last time on the hay field. Helping it go into the winter in a good way.

Joy on the farm and in farm yard!

Your friend,

Linda

My Love of Light–Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Posted on September 15, 2015 by Dayphoto

I love the light…first light of the daybreak…when things of the dark go to sleep and those of the day start their rustle and bustle

This time of year the air is sharp and chill,

but warms through the day, until a nice and toasty heat is radiating off the land

By nightfall, the things of the farm pause and draw breath, slowing for the long rest.

Brilliant evening light filters through every crack and crevice

The plants pause first, then the animals and birds slow, stopping their frantic search for food; if you are still and just listen you can hear the earth itself draw a slow and peaceful breath.

There are many, many names for God. The reason being; one small word is not enough to describe love.

As always your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

Guest Post— Monday, September 14, 2015

Posted on September 14, 2015 by Dayphoto

Awhile back I got this really nice email from a gentleman, Jack Smith. He wrote he accidently stumbled upon my blog while looking for more information on chickens and chicken coops. Once there he said he spent much time checking back over my posts and decided he wanted to contact me.

Well, to make this into a short story, Jack Smith, is my guest today, providing us with a infographic about Chicken coops. Jack graciously explained a little of his interest in chickens and why he designed the infographic. He is also connected with the site…gardenholic.com, if any of you are interested.

Hello! My name’s Jack Smith and I’m very glad to have been given the opportunity to write here by Linda.

I designed the infographic you just saw above and I want to talk a little bit about why I created it and about keeping poultry. When I first started looking into how to build a chicken coop I was shocked at the amount of information there was. All the different types and the poultry lingo were all a bit much for me as a beginner and I felt intimidated.

Was I ready for such a huge task?

In reality, building your own coop is a relatively simple DIY project. Chickens aren’t as picky as you and me! My fear is that the vast amount of information on the subject will put off newcomers to our hobby and prevent them from taking the first step into keeping poultry. That’s why I decided to collect just 8 key features that you should have in your coop and put them into an easy to read and understand infographic. I hope that this will soften the entry for newcomers and show them that even just a simple coop is better than no coop!

If you are interested in keeping chickens then I would highly encourage you to get started. Not only do they produce some of the most delicious eggs I’ve ever eaten, backyard chickens are also a great pet for children [and adults] . I believe that children can learn a significant amount from animals and chickens don’t require nearly as much attention as dogs (trust me).

I truly hope you enjoyed my infographic and maybe I’ll be back here to speak to you all again sometime!

Another small gift from the readers of this blog to you!

Your friend,

Linda

1 of 1

A Rainbow from Duluth–Sunday, September 12, 2015

Posted on September 13, 2015 by Dayphoto

Mary from Duluth, Minnesota (the tip of Lake Superior), saw this rainbow and thought of me.

I think I am one of the luckiest people alive to be sent such special gifts–rainbows from here, there and everywhere. Thank you, Mary.

Now each of you can see this special present of love and hope!

Your friend on a Western Colorado farm,

Linda

The Adventures of Boomer on Friday—Finishing Up

Posted on September 11, 2015 by Dayphoto

Mom and Dad finished stacking all the firewood this week. We have firewood in Mom’s pile by the old basketball hoop, by the machine shed for Dad’s stove, and out by the hay stacks—just in case.

The cats and I always know that the wood pile means MICE!!! It also means Stewart and Stanley have a cool place to hide from me! (That part I don’t like so much.)

Then Dad took out the hay swather for the very last time this year.

(Dad keeps saying this is the last year he is farming-if he can find someone else to farm this place he is re-tir-ing from farming. He says if he can’t find someone he is just going to let it sit idle.—-Hummm I wonder if he really is going to retire from farming!?)

Then Dad and Mom and I…I go EVERYWHERE with Mom! Everywhere!

Went out to take care of the ends on the hay…Dad raked and Mom and I gathered the scattered ends.

After that we ate supper—and changed the water.

Mom always gives me the talk when we get to the water—“No rolling in anything dead, smelly or stinky, Boomer! Don’t run off. You can sniff around, but you come right back when you hear the four-wheelers start”. Then she gives me a kiss on the nose and we are off! Mom and Dad down the ditch bank and me INTO the corn field!

It’s cooler now, much cooler, out on the ditch banks. Also the grasshoppers are BIG and thick and nasty…they like to jump on us as we walk through the weeds, makes my hide twitch. I can hear Mom say things like: “Ew get off me you big ugly thing”! When I turn around I can see a grasshopper stuck on her shirt, or pants, even once in her hair. Dad always laughs about it. Mom not so much.

We are only watering the corn now. The pinto beans are close to being pulled so Dad doesn’t want the ground muddy.

There will be one more irrigation, after the hay is hauled and stacked, then this irrigation season is DONE!