September 12, 2013

Posted on September 12, 2013 by Dayphoto

Sometimes we forget just how far we have come in the conveniences of our day:

From the Past

Compiled from Delta Newspapers by the Delta County Historical Society

251 Meeker Street, Delta, Colorado, 81416 (970) 874-8721

From the Delta County Independent

August 22, 1913

President Joe Cook of the Mississippi Normal College believes that the first step in the education of women in our country should be the elimination of needless farm drudgery. NO matter how good the rural school may be, he declares it cannot help permanently in making life in the country attractive unless there goes with it the movement to lighten the labor of women on the farm.

The water supply in particular rouses President Cook’s indignation. He is convinced that as much as nine tenths of the drudgery of women on the farm is due to antiquated methods of handling the water supply. The getting of water from the source of supply to the point of application requires more manual labor than any other item of housekeeping. The water for the kitchen has to be lifted from the well, carried to the kitchen, poured out of the kettle into the dishpan, and from the dishpan out of doors. This makes six times the water is handled, and a bucket of water containing two gallons, with the containing vessel, will weigh 20 pounds.

The cooking of three meals a day on a meager allowance of water will necessitate ten buckets, which will make for cooking alone 1,200 pounds of lifting a day. When to this is added the water necessary for bathing, ,scrubbing and the weekly wash, it will easily bring the lift per day to a ton: and the lifting of a ton a day will take the elasticity out of a woman’s step, the bloom out of her cheek, and the enjoyment from her soul.

To eliminate this item of drudgery is easy, according to President Cook. All that is necessary is for the farmer to realize that the farm is also the heir to modern invention; a system of water works, pump, gasoline engine, tank, bathtub, commode, kitchen sink, basin, and plenty of pipe an d valve’s.

Such a system, if intelligently planned, will not only supply all the household needs, but will supply practically all the farm needs besides.

When we were first married we had to haul our water for domestic use. As you can imagine we were not wasteful…no turning on the faucet and letting the water run and run and run while you get a glass out of the cupboard, then rinse the glass out and couple of times, stick your finger under the water to make sure it is cold, then filling up the glass with the water, getting a couple of swallows of water for a drink, dumping the rest of the full glass out, THEN turning the water off.

Nope! Never ever anything like that…although, I did have visitors that would do so. I had to explain I had water in the refrigerator all nice and cold if they would like some. (It doesn’t pay to be rude, you know 🙂 )

Then we got ‘city water’ — water that is connected RIGHT TO YOUR HOUSE! Oh the joy!

We still are careful about the use of water (it is such a precious commodity, as all of you so well know), but having it right here at the house in the amount we need without hauling it is so lovely.

The day is bright and shinning and beautiful! The sun came out yesterday and started drying up all the rain. Harvest will begin again for those to whom the rain stopped!

Have a perfect day everyone, see you back here tomorrow!

Linda

Today

Posted on September 11, 2013 by Dayphoto

Today we turned the water off. Unless something happens…like extremely hot weather…the irrigation water for this year is turned off to our farm. From April to September the constant changing of water has ruled our lives.

Terry called our Ditch Rider, Bill, around 6:30 this morning and told him we would be shutting our water off at seven. He said yesterday five other farmers on his canal watch turned off and today (counting us) he has two so far.

So from here to today the Irrigation season has come to an end. (This is what opening day looked like in 2011)

Bill said the water will stay in the canal until November 1st, allowing those who use Uncompahgre Water below us (Grand Junction, Loma, and on down the Colorado River) to finish up their crops. This is a little later than when they turned if off last year because of the shortage of water. Last year they turned off the water the middle to the third week of October.

The rain is still strong today …we are socked in

Thankfully we have been rather wet starting in July.

Terry and I feel really bad for those who have beans pulled and on the ground, and hay laying getting soaked and ruined. The onion guys are starting to worry, even though the onions have not been pulled — rain this late in their growing season will cause the bulbs to rot. The pinto bean guys are worrying that the rains will cause the dry bean to take on moisture swelling the bean…then when the sun does come back and the dry returns the bean will dry out and crack…it seems like there is always something to worry about isn’t there?

We will only (ONLY) turn the water back on if the alfalfa fields start to show stress, then we will give them a quick drink so the roots stay nice through the winter. Once we have a hard killing frost the worry is over until spring work begins again.

The two fields are looking nice and lush and green so (fingers crossed) we won’t have to start up the irrigation again this year.

My hummingbird feeders are down to three and I think I can reduce that to two today. I only saw three little birds eating breakfast in the rain this morning.

“Summer gathers up her robes of glory, And, like a dream, glides away.” –Sarah Helen Whitman.

Fall is here,

Linda

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Posted on September 10, 2013 by Dayphoto

The rains have arrived. They threaten all day long, then around 8:00 in the evening they began.

We were lucky that it waited until we got home. Just as I drove into the shed the rain started falling in a serious manner. Terry didn’t believe me when I said it was raining (he beat me in) but as we walked out of the building he became a believer. 🙂

Today Terry has a meeting, which leaves just the dogs and I to change the water…I hope it isn’t raining at that point. I also dread the drive on a mud slick ditch bank, but I know it can be done.

Yes, I do!

Anyway, The Farmer’s Almanac has printed their predictions for the up and coming winter…I’m already ready for Spring. I guess I shouldn’t be so selfish, as I know some of my Dear Blog Friends are also ready for Spring—-they can only have Spring if we have Winter so I’ll slap on a Happy Face and ‘try’ to be okay with Winter.

Now for the Good part of Winter…if the predictions are true we will have snow, which means the reservoirs should recover some, which is a very good thing.

Your Grateful the pinto beans are harvested and sold and the hay is baled and stacked friend,

Linda

Just for Fun

Posted on September 9, 2013 by Dayphoto

Just for a bit of fun or in the interest of the moment I thought I would tour you of the parts of the farm I talk about — The Back Forty and the Upper End.

This is the head gate…you’ve been here many a’time with me, but I’m going to start here…where the lifeblood of the land (the irrigation water) starts

Those are two alfalfa fields on either side of the irrigation road. They are not our fields but our neighbor’s.

To get to the head gate we go past lots of ‘fun to hide in’ areas. (Fun for the cows when we had them.)

When we had cows this was their favorite pasture. We call this the Upper End. It is the Upper End of our place. You can see one of our alfalfa fields in the corner.

The Upper End is full of hills and dales. When the kids were little we would take them and their little plastic sleds and head up here and go sledding in the winter.

Shannon had a goat, Bambi, and the dogs who always went with us…the dogs didn’t sled, but Bambi always road down on his own sled every time. He would even help pull it back up for another go at the hill. 🙂

From the Upper End we take the only road over to the Back Forty,

That is Terry the tiny blue dot going toward the Back Forty.

The Back Forty is stunning (in my opinion). All of the front of the photo is our land. The view is from the hill on the Back Forty. Our land ends way over to where you see the two trees and the dry looking spot. This was also the area that burned, a couple of years ago.

I could take you to the Burn Road, but I didn’t this time. The Burn Road is the road Terry built so the fire trucks could make it to the burn instead of waiting for the fire to ‘get closer’. The ‘get closer’ was almost a disaster –coming 1 foot from the equipment and 5 feet from Misty’s house and barn. “Never again,” he said, so he built a road. I’ll have to do that sometime, just so you can see the West side of the place.

We are not big, we are small farm, but we are lovely farm full of diverse lands and wonderful pastures. At the new alfalfa field

You can see the into the south west portion of the Uncompahgre Plateau. You say “Un-come-pah-gray,” meaning — rocks made red by water, rocks that make red water, or just plain dirty water.

Between the two blue mountains (part of the Plateau and another mesa) is Grand Junction

This is a little further away so you can image the span.

Well that is a short little trip to give you and idea of the places I talk about when I say the Back Forty or the Upper End.

Thank you for coming along for the ride,

Linda

Tired

Posted on September 8, 2013 by Dayphoto

Today is Sunday…Thankfully a day of rest. We always try to take this day off, of course there are some things that just don’t rest–like changing the irrigation water. But for the most part we ‘MADE IT THROUGH THE WEEK!’

The last load of pinto beans went to

The Beanery at 7:15 in the morning.

Terry went over and helped Nick unload our truck at 1:00 in the afternoon. The truck is now all cleaned up and put away until we start the corn harvest –sometime after the middle of October on, depending on how the corn dries down.

The little girls spent the day with us so they helped me do my job in the hay field.

I had a load with the old dog, the crippled dog and the two girls 🙂 but they enjoyed themselves. Linkin (I call her Nee-Nee) helped me straighten and pick up bales.

(Tallen is waving at Grandpa coming into the field for a load)

It was her first time, but she is old enough now — our kids started around 9 years of age so I figured she could too.

The tractor broke down on the first load of hay heading into the haystack 😦 but by that time is was supper time and Misty was back home. (Kelly and Bladen went to Bladen’s soccer game in Leadville and were spending the night in Gunnison with a college friend of Kelly’s last night.0 So Misty stayed and helped us. She is feeling better again, thankfully.

While Misty and Terry brought the broken tractor to the shed, the girls and I finished up the dishes. The last load of hay came in just as dark was settling down on the land. They wanted to help irrigate so off we all went to the old alfalfa field to start the water … IN the Dark!

While up there I lost Fuzzy. The poor old thing just has the hardest time keeping up with everyone. He wanted off the four-wheeler to walk with the girls so I put him down.

While following them he must have stopped to sniff around for a spell and they walked on. He didn’t come back and didn’t come back and didn’t come back. Fuzzy can’t hear or see very well so I was getting very concerned. Finally I took the four-wheeler and drove into the upper end, which is by the hay field…turned on the lights and drove around looking for him. I was almost to start panicking when I saw his white paws trying to get to me.

He and I were VERY happy to see each other that is for certain and sure!

By the time all of this was over and we sat on the back patio for a spell just to wind down it was past 10 o’clock when we finally went into the house and the little family went home.

We are supposed to have a couple of rainy days starting today sometime so getting all the crops in and covered feels very nice.

Have a restful Sunday everyone, Terry and I are sure going to try.

Linda

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Posted on September 5, 2013 by Dayphoto

We started the pinto bean harvest –which reminds me, Terry raises Bill Zee pinto beans. Pinto beans have many different types of beans just like apples have different varieties.

Everything was going really good

Until around Three in the afternoon

When the auger broke. A belt.

The hopper had to be unloaded by hand.

This is the sunshine on Grand Mesa

What a day..

That evening I went up to fork the ends on the hay and to fluff the rows. (While Terry changed the water).

I must say I enjoyed myself very much, I even saw a tiny (almost) rainbow.

The hay is ready to bale. I’m not sure if Terry will bale today or tomorrow morning, but he will have to soon. Plus keep on combining.

Lots of work hitting us right now, but when we are done we can take a break until the corn is ready.

Exhausted but happy,

Linda

Wednesday September 4, 2013

Posted on September 4, 2013 by Dayphoto

Sort of in a rush…we begin combining in an hour.

So far the rains are staying away…

if everything holds together we hope to be done by this week end.

Your harried friend, Linda

Monday, September 2, 2013

Posted on September 2, 2013 by Dayphoto

Although today is technically a holiday here, Terry and I will be doing what the day calls for—Laboring. 🙂

My little hummers are becoming less and less at the feeders, although I see many of the little juveniles feeding on the flowers throughout my yard.

The honey bees are having a great time at the honey bar…I do feel a little concerned they are not out gathering pollen but hanging out at these feeders. I hope it doesn’t cause a problem at the hive later on this winter. 😦 😦

If I don’t feed them they want to swarm the Hummingbird feeders so I guess it is six of one thing or 1/2 a dozen of another. Sure is perplexing.

I caught this little moth having a great time in the petunias…yes, I am one of those that adores petunias. I love their colors and the heavy rich scent that fills the air.

The rains are being really nice and staying away. But they are still here and moving all around us. I loved seeing the sunset on the rain chuts last night.

Well, off to do the many things for the day. Terry will be cutting the old hay field, then he has to remove all the bean pulling equipment, and move the bean combine up to the shop to get it ready for the harvest (hopefully by Friday).

As for myself I have the lawn, the hedge, the many, many weeds to take care of and canning, plus all the other chores that keep a house and yard going.

Best wishes for a perfect Labor Day,

Linda

Saturday the Last Day of August 2013

Posted on August 31, 2013 by Dayphoto

Terry pulled half the pinto beans yesterday before the dew left and the pods became too dry. Pintos have to be pulled early so the dew will keep the bean pods from cracking open and spilling the pinto beans out onto the ground. Once the beans are spilled there is no way to pick them back up.

Today he has been out there since full light. He hopes to get the other half of the field done before the heat hits.

Depending on the weather he will wait about a week then start combining the rows, gathering the beans into the hopper and then the truck and then off to the Beanery to be sacked and sold.

Rain clouds keep building every afternoon, which causes us a huge amount of tension. So far so good, the storms stay around us in the foothills and on the plateau, which is good.

Another thing that is good is we sometimes get a rainbow!

Feeding the bees seems to be working. I use a dollop of honey early in the day…by nightfall it’s all cleaned up.

Terry also said we are on the very last irrigation of the corn. Boy, has summer ever flown. Although, we will still irrigate the hay fields the work load of changing water is fast disappearing.

I’m not sure but I think most of the adult Hummingbirds have left, I still have lots of little ones feeding. I’m not having to fill the feeders as much so I’m thinking this is a sign the large majority of those delightful little birds have gone. I know the Bullock Orioles are gone since I haven’t seen any for two weeks now.

I’m off now to fork the bean ends back so we don’t lose any…those tiny little beans are what we’ve been working all summer to have. 🙂

Your friend,

Linda

The Way It Was –From the Past

Posted on August 29, 2013 by Dayphoto

From the Past

Compiled from Delta Newspapers by the Delta County Historical Society

251 Meeker Street, Delta, Colorado, 81416 (970) 874-8721

From the Delta County Independent

A horse belong to Edward Goddard took fright at a passing automobile on Delta’s Main street last Tuesday morning and raced around the corner of Main and Fifth with enough speed to cause everybody and everything to give undisputed right-of-way. The buggy trailing behind the Goddard horse went over and was considerably wrecked before the race was concluded.

Linda