Author Archives: Dayphoto

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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

Still Cold Here

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A cold wind and nasty spitting storm blew in last night, headed up to the mountains, and left us with just the bitter wind.

Sure is exhausting to work in.  We come inside chilled and cold.  You know the wind is bad when you have to walk doubled over just to make headway.  Packing a shovel and siphon tubes is worse.

Sure has been a long, long March.

Sunday is Easter so I’m pinning my hopes that we suddenly slide into better weather.  What could happen is we jump right into summer…wait, wait…don’t put that thought out there.

Anyway…

Happy Easter Every One…Here’s to better weather for all of us!

Linda

Making Memories

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Between all the dogs and the grandchildren, changing water can be a real trip. 

It was bitter cold and windy last night, but of course…she wouldn’t wear her coat.

I remember being just like that…coats seemed so confining.

We really don’t mind the kids coming out…they have learned the rules, no playing in the water where the tubes are set, no playing in the ditch where the tubes are set, and no throwing rocks in the ditch….ever.

They are also learning how to set the tubes and dig out the ends.

What more could grandparents ask for?

Linda

Silage from the bottom of the silo often has a strong odor.  Such silage should be fed after milking.

This little tip is brought to you by an 1883 Delta Newspaper

Spring Time in the Rockies

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 We live on a mesa, which is one of the foothills of the Uncompahgre Plateau

We are an arid land, but made rich and green by melted snow rushing its way through the Black Canyon, then into Gunnison tunnel, and finally through a complicated canal system which irrigates fertile farm and ranch lands.

You can see Delta in the valley and Eckert all the way to Cedaredge going up the side of Grand Mesa (the largest flat top mountain in the world)


During WWII farming was America’s’ biggest war industry.  On more than six million farms, something like 30 million people-men and boys, women and girls-worked. 

  Today less than 2% of America’s industry is farming.

The Uncompahgre Plateau is in the background with one of the apricot trees in the forefront

Twenty two million American workers produce, process, sell and trade and … live on farms– slightly less than 2 percent of the total U.S. Population

It’s a good life. 

And that’s all anyone can ask for.

For the last in the series about the bank robbery head over here.

Linda

We Opened the Corn Ground

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I know this story is getting old, but here it is again…  wind, rain and spitting snow and wind, and wind, and wind

  The wind makes a huge mess with trash.  We opened the head gate to start the water in the corn field.  Tally was all excited to start helping dig out the roaring water and trash (she really couldn’t help, but she wanted to)

Too much trash!   The trash cleaner catches most of it, but still some comes through

It takes all of us working together and fast to keep the water from flooding into the other fields and the road

Trash gets stuck in the pipe so much of it have to be pulled through the gates

 All the end have to dug out, since the marker can only get so close

All along the way the trash collects and has to be removed

The girls walked the water, making sure there weren’t any clod/dams in the way. 

(When the grandchildren have company spend the night– the company still has to come ‘help’ while everyone works. The company LOVES it…such a neat way to spend your days!)

The goal is to keep the gates clean so the water spills freely

water makes it clear to the end of the field and subs over to the middle.  The water is starting to sub (the darker soil) in this photo.

It’s more than exhausting to work in the wind, but add in COLD and spitting rain mixed with snow then you are more than tired at the end of the day.

Blachly’s Widow Raises 8 Boys

Linda

We’ve Started Irrigating for the Season

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After making the ditches

Of course once the water is turned down

Along with it comes the trash

There is a reason the farmers in our area call it “fighting the water”.

It is still cold here.  And sticking your hand in ice water to dig out trash lets you know just how cold it is.

The wind is also (still) blowing.  Terry takes one field and I take the other,

between the two of us we are able to get everything set before dark.

Tonight we start the water on the corn ground.  I d.r.e.a.d. the corn ground…oh well, it must be done.

For more excitment on the Delta Robbery in 1883 go here:  http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com/

Linda

Now if I Did This……..

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Well, I’m sure I would hear about it.  But if you are the guy who made the ditch and rolled the field and you knew you still had to level the field….

Then I guess it is okay.  LOL 🙂 

Linda

A Call on the Ditch

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The Onion farmers placed a call on the ditch—meaning that they are wanting water.  The Ditch Company sends out the ditch rider and some helpers for this first ‘call’. 

Winter is always hard on the canals and ditches… so when the first water comes it’s always full of trash

The water pushes all the trash before it

Cleaning itself as it flows toward California and ocean

The ditch riders and thier helpers will wait until that water gets to a ‘slow’ spot

Using forks, rakes, and a back-hoe they will lift all the trash out into a great big heap

We, and all the other farmers, will fight trash—all year long. 

But nothing like the guys who open the canals for the very first time.

Linda

More Spring Work

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Ground that was in pinto beans last year does not need to be plowed (in our neck of the high mountain desert).  Therefore, the ripper goes through and opens the field up.

Misty did part and Terry finished it

Everywhere Misty goes…goes Hank (the cowdog)

Back and forth. He is always one tired pup when the day ends.

The apricots are starting to bloom.  I wonder if we will have any this year.  Seems like we get apricots every 5-7 years.  They bloom so early the freezes get them.

I still enjoyed seeing thier lovely bee-feeding blooms poping out.

Linda