Sunday, April 7, 2013

Posted on April 7, 2013 by Dayphoto

The water fights have begun…not with the farmers but the subdivision people and the ditch company. I am so thankful I am not a ditch rider (although, there was a time I would have enjoyed being a ditch rider.)

So many people don’t understand what ‘priority rights’ mean—nor do they want too. They also don’t understand that the water levels are way, way, way below normal in Taylor and Blue Mesa Reservoir. Drinking water and farm water comes first.

Sort of sad really.

The water is still three miles from us. It will be that way until sometime next week. There are so many canals, laterals, and ditches that have to be cleaned and flushed before the water gets to us — we are close to last on our mesa before the water heads into the river.

Since the water is not as close as we thought we have been able to slow down the pace some and get caught up. A nice little gift of time.

Terry is calling Monday to see when they think the water will get here. Once it’s here and the head gate is unlocked (and locked back at 50%) we will hit the ground running.

Nothing like the life of a cat, is there?

Linda

Wednesday April 4, 2013

Posted on April 4, 2013 by Dayphoto

Terry and I spent the morning cleaning out the waste ditches yesterday. Then as I continued getting the rest of the ditches cleaned he came along with the 4240 and the blade making the ditch that carry the water from our field to the farm just below us.

All of our water comes from another farm(s) to us. After we use it then it goes on to the next farm then to the river and onto California.

I was asked how we siphon out of a pipe under ground. We don’t. The transmission pipe/ditch is just that….a huge ditch that brings the water onto our place. Our head gate is on our place but some peoples’ head gates are a mile or so above their place. The head gate is the beginning of the transmission pipe.

We are putting as much as we can under ground so the water stays weed free, seed free–safe from the sun. We still have sections of transmission ditches that are open (pipe is extremely expensive). We use siphon tubes out of smaller ditches, either made of dirt or cement. Then we use gated pipe for the rest of the place. Lots of ways to get water into the fields.

I also was asked if we practice crop rotation…YES we do! 🙂 We were green before green was cool!

Anyway, we always plant corn after pintos, sometimes alfalfa, but alfalfa is a five-year crop so once it is in the field it stays five years until it is old (showing signs of weeds). We plant pintos after corn or maybe alfalfa…always always working toward good soil maintenance. After all healthy soil is the most critical way of having healthy plants.

So moving on so you aren’t bored we heard the water was at Pea Green last night. That is 5 miles from us. Today we will finish the ditches, fix the gated pipe and then mark out the fields. We want to be ready for the water as soon as the head gate is unlocked!

Spring work is here!

Linda

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Posted on April 3, 2013 by Dayphoto

The trees are showing signs of waking up…we are moving forward even though we must still have a fire in the early morning.

Water is in the early canals and heading our way…I always find it exciting to see the water rushing toward us as the canal opens. For the rest of the season my heart sings as I heard the water rushing, rushing onward bringing life to water starved land.

Maybe today our water will get here, maybe not, but when it does I will let all of you know.

Linda

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Posted on April 2, 2013 by Dayphoto

Terry finished ripping the old pinto bean ground. Old pinto bean ground doesn’t have to disked, plowed, rolled, and leveled, it only has to be ripped and rolled and then marked.

(He is using the ripper here.)

Terry will finish rolling it today, then he (and I) will continue work on the transmission ditch. This our main ditch from the head gate to our whole farm —it is where we are laying pipe so the work load can shrink. Just like moving everything to your computer the upfront work is hard, but after that everything is a breeze.

Putting the main ditch in pipe, underground will help with the loss of water from evaporation the slew of weeds that love having an unlimited supply of water, and HIP HIP HOORAY keeping the trash out of the rest of the ditches.

Oh, there will still be some trash, because THE WIND DOTH BLOW IN OUR PART OF COLORADO, but it will shrink considerably!

We’ve been having storms playing along the edges of the Uncompahgre Plateau and over the canyons, sure makes for exciting sky photos!

Happy Spring Tuesday!

Linda

Monday, April 1, 2013

Posted on April 1, 2013 by Dayphoto

Yesterday was ever so delightful! I hope yours was also.

Today we woke up to wind, which means it will blow all day and possibly blow in a storm. More than likely it will blow in a cold front, but that is okay, we are still doing ground work, nothing is planted yet, and no water.

ALTHOUGH!!!!!

The Uncompahgre Valley Water Users higher ups have decided that they WILL start the irrigation water today!

No April Fool’s either!

It will get to us by Friday or next Monday at the latest.

50% of normal. I would NOT want to be a ditch rider this year you can bet we are going to hear of water fights and uncivilized behavior when it comes to the water for the farms. All ready the subdivision people are complaining that they won’t have water (they do, they can use city water).

As I understand it, If we were over on the eastern slope around Sterling and Pueblo it wouldn’t be the subdivision people complaining, it would be the farmers also. The cities have all rights to the water FIRST.

But I’m not going there. The whole ‘water thing’ is just so emotional and frightening that I can’t really get my mind around it.

Terry and I will do what we have to do and be grateful that we have what we have. One never really knows what the rest of the growing season will bring, it could be normal.

Have a nice Monday everyone…we are off to lay pipe!

Linda

Happy Easter Everyone!

Posted on March 31, 2013 by Dayphoto

Terry and Linda

Fuzzy and Boomer

Sam and Monkey

And the chickens

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Posted on March 27, 2013 by Dayphoto

Terry is leveling the fields. He will plant only two fields this year. These two fields with the alfalfa field will be our crops.

The Uncompahgre Valley Water Users have cut the amount from 60% to 50% of your allotment. (Although, we will still have to pay for the 100% allotted to our farm–as does everyone else who farms. Doesn’t seem right to me, but that is what it is).

If–-IF — there is more water (which we all doubt) by the end of May, he will plant, possibly, some pinto beans. We just have to wait and see.

We would like to plant more alfalfa, depending on the water, maybe we will and maybe we won’t.

I guess, Dear Readers, you are in just as much of a quandary as we are. As my Mother used to say: “Time will tell.”

And so it shall.

Thank you for all of your magic thoughts and your concern…we are moving forward in faith and hope and with a little luck we will make it to harvest!

Linda

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Posted on March 26, 2013 by Dayphoto

This is what we had yesterday!

Lovely! I enjoyed every minute of it….I worked in the yard for four hours yesterday, it was so nice. 47*.

Terry finished up the ground work on the fields he is going to plant…next he will level the fields, then fertilize, mark out and we are ready for to turn on the water. They are still saying they will turn it on April 1st. It takes a full week for the water to get to us, but when it does get here we will be ready! 🙂

The temps dropped to 15* last night, a huge warm-up from the night before! It is predicted to get to 62* today with a low of 23*.

Unless something changes (where the weather is concerned it just might) we are on our way to settled weather!

Linda

Monday, March 25, 2013

Posted on March 25, 2013 by Dayphoto

The cold front is still here, but gradually moving on. By this coming weekend we should have somewhat warmer weather.

Yesterday morning we were 2 above Zero, this morning we were 5 above Zero…just a little bit warmer, but I’ll take it.

The day will warm up better than yesterday, we should see warmth around 47* this afternoon. Gradually, gradually, we are heading back toward spring.

Just as Terry and I were going to head off to upper end our son-in-law showed up with half-a-load of firewood for us. What a cool gift!

The hope is this will last until May…which by that time (WE THINK) it will be warm enough spring is really here!

I can remember my Mother saying that anytime we have an early Easter (an Easter in March) the weather is always bad. That you can’t have winter end until Easter comes. Even if she isn’t right, so far this year is seems to be so.

Have a good Monday everyone!

Linda

Sunday, March 24, 2013….March Leaves Like a Lion

Posted on March 24, 2013 by Dayphoto

We were up at 2:30 on Saturday morning to take Evan to the airport to go see Joylene in Canada.

Everything went really good for him until he got to Denver …then he was grounded until 8 that evening…

Snow storm…big one…that is already on it’s way to the rest of the country.

Terry’s sister and her husband live in Greeley and sent us over a photo of just what the snow looked like there…18″.

It didn’t snow here, but we did have the wind…frigid, face freezing wind and lots of it– 40 m.p.h. gusts with 25 m.p.h. sustained winds.

Today we are frozen…more like January and February instead of late March. I guess March is leaving like a lion…not long now until April.

I’m looking forward to April. This is a little robin, poor things they really look cold this morning.

Our wood is down to four logs so this afternoon we are heading to the upper end to cut wood from the downed trees, this time last year we were not worrying about heat except in the early morning.

Each year is decidedly different one never really knows what will happen.

I saw a headline on the internet saying this the winter that doesn’t leave.