Category Archives: Life on a Colorado Farm

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

There in the Star-Flexed Sky—-Tuesday, September 18, 2018

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Boomer and I went for wee walk last night (and a couple of nights ago)

Mindy following along behind, besides, in front, sometimes hidden, sometimes right at my feet

We went when the moon was just a sliver, followed by a shining star

I got it in my head to try and take a photo or two of the stars shining down on us as we walked along…the orange lights at the bottom of the photo are the house lights way over the mesa and down in the holler from our farm

 

It was surprisingly fun to soar up above the earth with my camera

This is Venus shining gloriously in the west.

Someday I would love to have a camera which could take better photos of that wonderous sky at night.

But until I am very rich…I will enjoy the camera I have…

and my wee walks

with very good friends

As we explore the beauty of the night!

From my world to your heart,

Linda

P.S.  That is the pinto bean header on the pinto bean combine at night.  I thought it was rather neat looking!

Hugs

 

 

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That Mournful Throb in the Western Sky—-Monday, September 7, 2018

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The huge fire on the Uncompahgre Plateau (Facebook Page) has grown and expanded to an even larger amount…filling the sky with more dark smoke as fresh timber is consumed.

The visible smoke is directly behind us now. Rising to meet the sky where the smoke and the air become as one. 

(You need to be signed onto FaceBook to open the blue links)

It’s all so terribly sad to me.  The beautiful forest quickly becoming nothing but ash, the animals fleeing…some with their fur on fire….all the fooddestroyed for those who must forage to stay alive—-the thoughts of this destruction over-whelms me.

Very sadly your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

On Hills Shinning with Rain—Sunday, September 16, 2018

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I opened my email to a wonderful message:

“Hi Linda, I follow your blog daily from my home on the edge of the Highlands of  Scotland, somewhere so different from where you live but I love living in the country and I so enjoy seeing the difference in the countryside that you live and work in. You obviously love your farming life and you are always so positive. Anyway on our way home yesterday, about an hour from home, we saw this amazing rainbow over the mountains near Braemar and I instantly thought of your love of rainbows and knew I just had to send it to you with my best wishes. It was the best rainbow I’ve ever seen, with each colour clearly visible. I hope this Scottish rainbow brings a smile to your day, as you do to mine. Please give Boomer a big hug from me
Your friend

Helen Cameron”

And there it was on the edge of the very green field, next to some beautiful hills, the sky all misty and silver with rain

Was this beautiful multi-colored arch of lights suspended from one hill to the next!

A wee miracle in the quiet moments which clutch at our hearts.

When I wrote to her and expressed my thanks, at the same time asking if I may post her photo, giving her the credit, of course, she wrote back:

“It was good to hear back from you and yes you can share the rainbow. It’s very green here because we get plenty of rain, so different from where you are, although this year it was actually much drier and warmer here than usual. It’s great to know you got your harvest all done. Around us, the farmers have just finished harvesting their wheat and barley too and now it’s feeling really like autumn”.

Thank you so much, Helen, for sharing with me and with my readers.

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

Sometimes I See My Momma—Thursday, September 13, 2018

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Sometimes (lately) I see my Momma.  It always comes as shock.

At a time when I least expect to see her.

Sometimes it’s just her voice I hear, but it’s loud and clear…like the time I was getting ready to open one of the shed doors and she said, very strongly, like she was standing right next to me: “Linda, Be aware!  Pay Attention”!

It was so strong, so loud, so real, I even answered her—“Of what, Momma?”

As I turned toward her voice—of course, she wasn’t there.

Momma died in 2000.

Or I’m washing my face, or my hair and I look up into the mirror over the bathroom sink and I see Momma…right there her smiling face covering my face, then it fades.

It always startles me.  Then I think, it must be that  I am looking more and more like Momma.

Or I’m doing something, peeling potatoes, washing up the dishes, scrubbing the floors on my hands and knees as my arm and hand move back and forth I suddenly see Momma’s hand(s) as she did those things I am now doing.

It’s rather shocking because my hands have dented and bent knuckles…one caused by a hit from a basketball when I was in high school…Momma’s hand never had knuckles like mine.

Another time I was walking out to the hen house and I could have sworn I saw Momma coming down the long, long lane toward me. I almost ran toward her, then the strange apparition was gone.

Faded away. As if it had never been.

I can’t explain these visions or feelings, or things heard; they are like wind blowing through the treetops, the changing lights in the smiling sky…but last night as I lay down to sleep, I felt Momma kiss my forehead just like she used to do when I was a small child.

Thank you, Momma, I love you too!

From my world to your heart,

Linda

DONE!—-Wednesday, September 12, 2018

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By 10:13 a.m. the air was dry, the ground was dry, and the bean pods dry.  So we began again.

Gradually the day wore on.  A cool morning warming into a very hot afternoon. Still, we worked on, stopping only for a very fast lunch.  Then back to the field we went.

The day flew by, the loads in the hopper emptied, the truck went here and there and back again.

Then there it was…the last long trip, up the very steep incline

Final destination—-The Beanery!

Since there was only one truck in front of us, Terry stayed to unload and bring the truck back home. Boomer and I came back, we didn’t need to stay and take Terry home—nor did we need to come back later and pick up the truck

We were done!  That word brings much contentment—as well as the action Itself does!

Done!

The 2018 pinto bean harvest is finished.  The feeling cannot be bought at any price in any market in the world!

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

 

Day Three—We Continue—-September 11, 2018

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One more day…we should finish today!  It’s been long, hot and tiring.  I have had too much sun (I’m outside the combine) and the dust is thick.

It’s a huge process, but one we enjoy.  We must we’ve been doing it for 50 years. 🙂
Terry is setting up the auger so the beans can go into the truck in this photo.

We trashed up yesterday and had to stop and clean out the inner workings of the combine…took some time, but we got it done.  See the pile of trash.

It was cloudy and windy all afternoon, but the rain didn’t fall on us.  Which was a good thing at this point and time.

Also, I had gone to get a tool when GUESS WHAT I FOUND!?!?!  YES!

A pink heart-shaped rock!

How cool that is!

Off to the field now.  Have a great day everyone.  Bar breaking down we should finish today!!!

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

 

Letting in Insects and Sunshine—Monday, September 10, 2018

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Good Morning!

After taking off Sunday—we always try to keep Sunday free of un-necessary work

We began again on the pinto bean field.  Because of the nature of dried pinto beans, we can’t start work until around 2:00 in the afternoon–and then will work until the light holds no longer.  (although there are lights on the combine, by that time of day we are tired.)

Mornings are not lazy nor are they particularly drifting

They are full of all sorts of tasks and projects which must be done by lunch. Then there are those things which also must be accomplished in a most ordinary fashion in a daily basis

By two o’clock in the blazing magical light of the afternoon sun, we set back out for the pinto bean field

Once more until it is time to stop-grab a quick supper, continue on…then gather ourselves into the last push of changing the water before dark

Working together in a companionly way

Until we stop for the night.

Harvest…a lovely satisfaction.

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

 

 

2018 Pinto Bean Harvest —-Sunday, September 9,2018

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The pinto beans are finally dry enough we started the harvesting process.

Off we went (Boomer and me on the four-wheeler, Terry in the grain truck) until we arrived at the in-place combine.

The earth was warm, the air hot to scorching, and the dust flying out of the back of the combine as the dry plants were lifted up, shelled and loaded into the hopper….while the broken stems and pods were crushed and flung out the back.

Then later in the day…late afternoon, a surprise rainbow appeared.

We took a wee break as the daytime dissolved into the night.  Setting the water for the still green and growing corn field.

Then we went back to the field continuing until full dark.

Glorious Harvest!  No one could ask for more.

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

 

A Wee Ride—Thursday, September 6, 2018

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One day last week we took a wee ride; after putting the top on the car 🙂

This was the most darling yard in Ouray, Colorado.  I just had to take a photo to share it with you.

As everyone knows, not only is the west burning, we are also in the midst of a terrible drought.  Water has been extremely short this year; areas in the up-country (Cedaredge and the North Fork truly suffering for water.)

Here on the farm, we have made due with 60% or less of our allotment (we have shares of Uncompaghre Valley Water).

The horror stories of the shrinking of our dams prompted us to drive up and see…Blue Mesa is extremely low…extremely

Ridgway Dam so low the boat unloading and loading dock is wayyyyy up there.

Everyone is saying if it doesn’t snow this winter…and snow LOTS!  In feet of snow…there will be no farming next year.

Very scary!

Still, no matter what, I have hope!

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

 

We are all Members of the Earth—-Wednesday, September 5, 2018

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We woke up to a gray morning, clouds closed down and mist like rain falling on the land

It has rained off and all so far this morning the light gray with the ghostly shimmer of falling raindrops

It’s beautiful.  We are so much a part of the earth that when the earth suffers so do we.  And when the earth is nourished so we are.

A wee ride to the Upper End to set the water in the pasture up there was a tad wet…but ever so joyful!

Your friend on a western Colorado farm

Linda