Is It Spring? February 9, 2014

Posted on February 9, 2014 by Dayphoto

Yesterday we went from snow to slush. The day warmed up to somewhere in the 50’s.

Although, having lovely warmer weather is nice, the mud isn’t. But we MUST go through the mud to get to dry ground.

The weatherman predicted rain for today, but nwt is just saying cloudy with temps in the 50’s again.

Could we be so lucky that winter has decided to leave? Only time will tell. The Old Farmer’s Almanac is stating that February 16th is the day ‘winter’s back will be broke’. Until that time yesterday, and so far today, it feels like maybe…..just maybe…we are heading toward spring. One day at a time!

I’m ready and I’m sure you are also!

We are heading up to the Uncompahgre Plateau to go sledding today. The little grandchildren haven’t been this year so to celebrate a shift in the weather we thought this might be a fun thing to do.

I hope your day has the same feeling of hope in it, the same sense of renewal, laying buried almost ready to burst forth.

Your farm friend,

Linda

The Storm That Wasn’t –February 6, 2014

Posted on February 6, 2014 by Dayphoto

I had everything buttoned down and latched tight, three loads of wood sitting under the carport where it would stay dry, and nothing happened.

I’m not complaining. I’m also glad to be ready than to not be ready.

It is snowing in the mountains, which is hand-clapping/jig-dancing good!

Terry talked to one of the water guys yesterday and he said there is enough snow at Taylor Reservoir to fill the reservoir when spring comes WITH 7 more feet besides. WONDERFUL!! The next trick is for Mother Nature to dump enough snow in the Gunnison area to help bring up the Blue Mesa Reservoir to decent levels.

(While we are talking about water I really hope and pray that California starts to get water! I read where there is huge talk about not allowing farmers to have water to farm this coming year–instead sending all the water to the metropolis areas. What a mess that is going to be…drinking water, but no food. The price of food will skyrocket, farmers will go out of business, and land will sit idle allowing the soil to blow away! I really hope that moisture comes soon for all of them!)

We are progressing here in the health department, the little goat is to have 8 shots, we are closing down on that number. She always enjoys coming to me because I have the graham crackers so giving the shot isn’t hard. The little hen’s head is looking somewhat better. Her eye is starting to de-puff. I saw a tiny crack of chicken eyeball looking at me as I applied her medicine today. I was very concerned that the eye had been pecked out, but NO! She still has her eye!

So slowly, slowly we are wending our way to health and toward spring. I’m into the count down for March-twenty-two days left in February. February always seems like a loooooooong month to me. Thank Heaven’s its a short month!

Your farming friend,

Linda

Now There is a Sick Goat February 5, 2014

Posted on February 5, 2014 by Dayphoto

Now Misty has a sick goat, which means, now I have another patient. She’s a sweet old goat, but no matter how sweet she is she will not be coming into my house at night. 🙂 It’s okay as she has a really nice goat house and her sister/friend.

But every morning I go down to administer a shot to the soft furry old lady. She and her sister each get some yummy graham crackers before I give the shot, then lots of pets and rubs on the back bone where it gets itchy and is hard to scratch.

The hurt hen is doing better. She sleeps inside every night and then goes out to the hen house during the day.

When I get up at night to put wood in the fire I always stop and talk to her in her little laundry basket night nest. She coos and purrs at me in a sleepy in hen voice. Then I wish her a sweet goodnight and go on back to bed myself.

It’s a good thing I’m an early riser because she IS a chicken after all, and does love to get up early. Soon after breakfast I take her back to the hen house, turn on the red heat lamp so she can adjust to not being in the big house.

She is eating and drinking and healing very well. I must wait now until her pen feathers start to come back in, which will be a long ways out yet, before I can bring the little black hen over for company. Until then we will continue this new little routine.

We had lots of snow yesterday, colder temperatures last night, then tonight (by 5 o’clock) the weatherman says another snow storm will make it’s way in here and be here for a length of time.

The storm leaving our area was just beautiful. Most of our storms arrive from the west (southwest, west, or northwest) and head off toward the east or northeast area.

This is the storm as it pushes itself over Cedaredge and Grand Mesa heading to some other part of the county.

Well, I must be off now and go take care of the goat, haul in more firewood and in general just get busy!

Your farm friend,

Linda

I WON February 4, 2014

Posted on February 4, 2014 by Dayphoto

One thing you need to know is I NEVER ever win anything! That is one reason I never play the lottery or buy lottery tickets or even try to enter into sweepstakes. I just don’t win. So instead of throwing money away, or spending hours and hours trying to figure out how to win a sweepstakes I just don’t do it.

But...Lisa was having a contest over on her blog. (She is an outstanding weaver, and I’ve long admired her work.) I thought long and hard about it; then decided I was going to go for it.

And I WON!!

Aren’t these just the most beautiful dish/tea/hand towels you have ever seen? I am so excited to have won and now they are here!

Thank you so much, Lisa!

Your farm friend,

Linda

Moving Forward-February 3, 2014

Posted on February 3, 2014 by Dayphoto

Well, the Bronco’s lost. What more can be said. Now we move forward to next year. There really is nothing else to do.

The chickens have all been sorted out and deposited at Shannon’s. The poor little hen is now out of the house and in the hen house all by her little lonesome. I feel better with her out there…she has lots of room to move around in, food and water as she wants it and lots of lovely alfalfa to peck at.

When I placed her in the hen house she walked around with the most pathetic little clucking sound–I know she was looking for the others. But not for a while little girl. Not for some time really. Your whole head has to heal and the feathers starting to emerge before I bring back Little Bear (her best friend). Chickens (fowl) will peck on anyone and anything that has blood on them. Once started they get that ‘Mean Girl’ or ‘Bully’ or ‘Mafia’ look in there eyes and only death will please.

(Don’t look at the following photo if blood makes you sick)

As I told the Big Black Hen (of course the best egg layer in the house) as I reached down and grabbed her, peeling her off Little Buff Hen…”YOU STOP IT RIGHT NOW!!! I’m the biggest chicken in this house and I don’t put up with this kind of attitude!”

Some of you have asked if I know why this started…not really, but maybe…boredom! The whole flock loves to be outside running and flapping and dusting. But we had a huge snow storm Friday, which has left nothing uncovered. The next day we had a small melt, but that is all.

Although, I have a nice coop, with enough space (chickens need ten square feet per chicken) and a lovely covered run —I even cover it in plastic for winter time use such as this–they have refused to leave around the feeder and the water, except to lay their eggs.

This made them largely bunched up. Crowded and bored…I tried to push them out into the covered pen, but they squalled and squawked until they could get back in and make sure they had all the rights to the feeder. I put the feeder/water out with them…no they wanted the inside feeder/water.

It’s been a struggle and the result was bloody.

Shannon’s pens are larger and covered and empty. They won’t have electricity out there but they will have room. As time passes and everything calms back down I must bring another hen over to help with the loneliness and to help her bond back with the hens.

At night I will bring her into the house so she is warm. Not having other warm feathered bodies to huddle up too would be too much.

So that is where we are now. Everything starting to settle down and another snow storm due in here any minute. We have a 60% chance of snow by noon.

A chicken having room to ‘do stuff’ is good for healing. The other chickens (and Tommy) back at their original home. (Shannon decided if she was going to take the hens she might has well take her turkey home too.)

You friend on a farm in western Colorado,

Linda

Ground Hog Day (without photos) February 2, 2014

Posted on February 2, 2014 by Dayphoto

The sun is shining here and it’s cold, cold, cold! Guess that means we will be having 6 more weeks of winter. (I’m not surprised, are you?)

On the news front–

No calves yet
We had a wee melt yesterday so that helps
I have a hurt chicken in the house

I would take a photo of this poor little hen, but you really don’t want to see. One of the other chickens (maybe all of the other chickens) ganged up oh her and ripped her comb off, bloodied her head and the side of her face and, possibly, damaged her eye.

I was out in the hen house when she came running to me and the big black hen ran just as fast and jumped right on her back and started pecking. I grabbed the black hen and got her off the little buff hen. Picked up the little buff hen and brought her to the house.

Inside I put her in the cat carrier, added water and food, but she just didn’t care. So I wrapped her in a towel and sat her on my lap. Gradually, gradually, I was able to get the blood all cleaned off and some water down her throat. It was a long haul.

She liked my lap. I talked to her, she talked back; little coo’s and chuckles of love. I wish I could understand hen. Off and on throughout the night I would check on her in her little cat carrier…”Are you okay, Little Hen?” I would whisper. “coo, coo, peep, chuckle”, she would reply back.

She is doing better today. We had a wee sit on my lap while I checked her over, petted her feathers and talked to her about how to take care of the pickle she is in. She and I decided that there is no way she can go back into the pen with the other girls. She thinks staying in the house would be just fine, although the cat carrier is rather uncomfortable. I could just let her out; she would enjoy the house.

Hummmm, I don’t think so, my fine little hen. I must do some sorting out there so you can go back and have lots of room to do things.

I called Shannon and asked her to come get the other hens, but to leave Tommy. This little hen will be able to stay with Tommy when I get all of the other sorted out. Tommy will be company and help with the body heat in the chicken house. We got down to 7* last night; I’m thinking another cold front must be moving in again.

On a brighter note I am going to take your advice and suggestions and writing a proper book about the dogs Everyday Life on the farm. It will be an eBook when I’m finished. I’ve talked to a knowledgeable lady who is willing to help me once I get everything in the proper format and length for publication.

Here is part of what she told me: The market for eBooks for children is rapidly evolving. As more and more school systems buy tablets for their children, more children have their own tablets and computers at a younger age, we think this is going to be the next huge market.”

I’m rather excited and a bit over-whelmed, but I’ve been working on this for sometime so I do have some ideas to begin with. I’m not sure if the Adventures of Fuzzy and Boomer will be just for children or for everyone. I guess I will let them help me decided.

Anyway, I thank each and every one of your for your comments and private emails that have continued to encourage me to give this a go. Like one of you said, it never hurts to try.

Your friend,

Linda

There is Always One — January 30, 2014

Posted on January 30, 2014 by Dayphoto

I don’t care if you are working with cats, dogs, rabbits, sheep, pigs, goats, horses or cows…there is ALWAYS ONE! That has to live outside the box…

Yesterday Mr. Davis and his daughter were helping our neighbor move his cows from Mr. Love’s place to two miles down to My-Way Cattle Company’s corn field.

You can’t tell it here, but one of the cows jumped into our field giving Mr. Davis and his daughter a merry chase up and down the fence line. Terry went down to help and to see if our electric fence was still working (it was). Seems the errant cow had also taken them on a merry chase just below our place…running happily through the swamp on Gennis’s land. Once they got her back into the quickly moving herd she marched along very nicely, until she got our cornfield…HOP she was back over the fence galloping into the middle, standing there snorting frozen breath while they got the fence open and got into the field with her.

Then across the field she went, down to the end of the fence line by Misty’s house, back up the fence —by this time Mr. Davis, his daughter, two dogs, and Terry were all starting to squeeze her into the canal whereby the up gate could be opened.

NO! Not this girl, no sireee! DOWN THE CANAL she ran, ducked UNDER the bridge, kept on galloping to the end, and pushed herself under the fence to the other side coming out on our lane. Two more dogs arrived from Mr. Love’s end of the herd, I was on the lane…she turned so fast dust and sparks flew off her hooves. Within seconds she was hidden well in the middle of the herd heading north, right where she was supposed to be.

There is always one!

It’s acting like snow here, if we will get some I don’t know. But all around us the mountains are socked in giving me hope for fuller reservoirs this summer!!

Your farm friend,

Linda

Winter Work January 29, 2014

Posted on January 29, 2014 by Dayphoto

Terry started covering the rest of the transmission ditch. Terry’s been putting in transmission pipe for some time — a transmission ditch is just that a ditch that takes the water from point a to point b or c or d or whatever. We do Not irrigate out of a transmission ditch. A transmission ditch is just a mini-canal.

With water always an issue, and getting worse in the southwest part of the United States, we are always trying to think of ways to help the water stretch further. (We are in the abnormally dry area). An open dirt transmission ditch has lots of problems—water is lost through evaporation (the sun beats down and takes up water into the air), the ground itself has to absorb the water until it get full enough of the water (turns to mud) for the water to move fast enough toward the take out point to get enough to start the siphon tubes or to fill the gated pipes, and then there are the weeds. Weed seed just naturally flows toward soil in water, when the water is stopped from that transmission ditch, the weed seed stops with the water; delightfully growing and growing taking up even more water as the season progresses.

So yesterday Terry began the closing in the ditch, shifting the ground so the deep frost will start to dry out, and gathering the weeds in a pile so the cows can munch through them. Even if we get snow the snow will blow on over toward the canal now and not land in the ditch causing us to have to wait even longer before we can begin.

Once the ground is frost free (or Terry gets tired of waiting) the backhoe will come in and dig the last link to connect all the transmission lines together. Then Terry and I will start laying the pipe; then covering up the pipe. Once done we will be ready for the new year to begin.

This weekend is the second consignment sale for the winter. We’ve decided not to take anything up to it, but wait for the first week in March for the third consignment sale. Every day we moving closer and closer to the beginning of another season of farm work.

Once that happens I know that we have advanced into spring!

Your friend on a Western Colorado farm,

Linda

P.S. Cully if you are reading this, your email doesn’t work. I’ve tried to answer your comment two times and the mail comes back undelivered. Please know that I really appreciate you taking the time to read and to stop by and comment. I’m sorry if you aren’t able to get my replies. I do try to reply to everyone who leaves me a comment. 😦

The Golden Corral for Cows — January 28, 2014

Posted on January 28, 2014 by Dayphoto

Right at noon the cows arrived for a lovely feast.

Mr. Davis has been bringing cows to our place for 45 years now. Until three years ago his cows shared with our cows. Now they have the whole place to themselves. Unlimited food and water, not as big as the Uncompaghre Plateau, but good sized enough they can wander here and there and everywhere.

It took them the better part of the afternoon into the evening to mosey on up to the Back Forty where the water is…the first food bar (one of the corn fields) held them until around 4 in the afternoon, then they started moving into the yummy alfalfa field until it was too dark for me to see anymore.

This morning they came walking up from the Back Forty to start another day of grazing. (Part of the Back Forty was in that ugly fire we had two years ago.) The cows like sleeping there, lots of nice brush, warm hillsides and drinking water.

In about two weeks (maybe sooner) we will start to see little ones popping up all over. We will wake in the morning to see them scampering about, or have the gift of watching one being born. The thing to remember about these cows as they are wild cows, raised on the Plateau, use to protecting themselves from wild dogs, coyotes, mountain lions, Lynx and other predators. Meaning that the dogs and I can’t just trot out there to check on things like they know us as friends. We have to take our time, let them get use to us, let chicken-hearted Boomer get use to them, then we can walk freely about.

Off now to take Boomer and Fuzzy to the groomer. SHHHHHHHHHHHHH don’t let Fuzzy know, I won’t be able to get him in the car.

Your farm friend with COWS AGAIN!!! YAY!

Linda

Yesterday January 27, 2014

Posted on January 27, 2014 by Dayphoto

The rancher that brings up about 80 head of spring’n heifers called yesterday and said he would be here either today or by the Friday. He has all but 20 of the young girls gathered and ready to string up here anytime now; was the farm still available?

Yes it is!

First thing Sunday morning the fences were walked and the panels hooked up. We panel off certain areas of the farm…like the hay stacks, the equipment area, and the corrals. The rest we have fenced, therefore it is just a matter of checking the fences, and making sure the electric fencer is working.