Spring Work–Water News

Posted on March 20, 2013 by Dayphoto

So far the water news is still bad…but it hasn’t gotten worse…which is good.

60% of of the farm ground is all that is going to be planted this year, leaving 40% to lay. There will be less alfalfa hay (to get hay started it takes lots of water, once started you don’t have to water as much, maybe once a month, but in the beginning…) less onions and no very early Olathe and Mountain Sweet Sweet corn…there will be mid-summer sweet corn… hopefully. All other crops have been reduced radically…possibly pinto beans will be planted everyone is waiting to see. Pinto beans are planted much later in the spring.

This lack of water effects everyone….letters have been sent out to those that live in sub-divisions, or in the town/city proper….if you water with Uncompahgre Valley Water you will NOT have access to the water…there just isn’t any extra. (In this case) Farms have the priority to the water, and only farms. If you wish to water your carefully crafted lawn and yards you will not be able to use the ditches, if caught doing so you will be fined. I’m sure if these people wish to use their city water they will be able too, at this point potable water is not being rationed…

Then there are those who make their living OFF the farmers…their livelihood is now cut by 40%—just like the farmers.

Sure is a sad mess!

BUT we still have 60%, which is better than less than that so there is hope!

Terry finished up rolling the plowed ground.

Next he will fertilize, disk that in, and then level the fields, after that he will mark out the rows in preparation for the water to be turned on.

Then we wait….once the water is on we are tied to the land until the water is turned off. Irrigation is a constant thing (but is you really want to know a secret—I super enjoy irrigating… I love the smell and the feel and the whole experience.)

So no matter what the farm year is proceeding and so will we!

I am a tad better today, but still not up to going to the Museum for my morning of extreme fun, maybe next week. ( I say that in all seriousness, for I do so enjoy my time there.)

Thanks to everyone for your kind thoughts and well wishes!

Linda

Smoke Season

Posted on March 19, 2013 by Dayphoto

The whole problem with spring!

Today I’m sick. Too much smoke yesterday. So I spent last night with an asthma attack and hay fever…today it feels more like a cold. Sure am tired of the long drawn out ‘not feeling good’ time.

Anyway, things should get better as a cold front is moving in late Wednesday night (I saw a sun dog this morning) complete with high winds and even rain turning over to snow.

The storm is supposed to move on out by Friday so at least the air quality here will improve!

Linda

A Project With One of My Grandchildren

Posted on March 18, 2013 by Dayphoto

A man brought in two huge buckets of of fossils, Indian artifacts and just plain interesting things to the museum. I asked Jim if I could could bring the buckets home to catalog them, instead of doing them at the museum. He said, “Sure!”

So I asked my little paleontologist/anthropologist/rock hound granddaughter to come up and help me with the project. She was more than ready…

We have several boxes of all sorts of really neat stuff…even petrified dinosaur poo…(that was her favorite) and some fossilized eggs, which were my favorite.

Many, many, many fossils and some really cool Indian things.

We were able to get it all finished and completed so I can take it back to the museum on Wednesday.

Linda

St. Patrick’s Day Sunday, March 17, 2013

Posted on March 17, 2013 by Dayphoto

We are experiencing a cold spring storm…feels like February out there again. But it only feels that way….we all know it is really March so soon it will feel warm again.

It rained off and on all day yesterday which effectively brought all farming to a stop.

That’s okay, it will begin again. Until that time the rains will wash off all the winter blahs and bring on the green growing things.

And it brought to anyone who looks up into the sky….RAINBOWS!

Today is St. Patrick’s Day….Happy Wear’n of Green to each and everyone of you.

Linda

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Posted on March 13, 2013 by Dayphoto

Today I go to the museum. I have found that I am guarding my time jealously for my ‘volunteer job’ at the museum. It is something I enjoy that much. I should finish up the journals of Mr. Ash today and get to start on some other absorbing project.

Terry is now plowing. All spring work is right on time…we always start the second week in March. This year is normal.

We still don’t know the water situation, but everyone is getting ready anyway. Although, only 60% of the ground every farmer farms is only what is getting ready. (Did that make sense?)

If the water situation improves then everyone can plant more…we have until the middle of May to plant… until then we move forward with just the 60%.

The soil is turning good, just the right amount of moisture.

Old corn ground must be either burned off-then disked, then plowed, or grazed down/disked up/ and then plowed. We are NOT fans of burning….we believe in turning the plants over to improve the soil…manure is another great way improve soil (We are still of the old school 🙂 )

This weekend Mr. Davis will remove the cows. Then I will be cow-less again for another year.

So another day begins…our night got down to about 22* but today we are predicted to head up into the 60s.

Spring is finally here!

Linda

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Posted on March 12, 2013 by Dayphoto

Spring work has begun….

Terry has been disking the corn stalks.

I loved these photos of the spring buds and the spring work.

Still cold here, but warming up, it only got down to 20* last night.

Linda

Monday, March 11, 2013

Posted on March 11, 2013 by Dayphoto

Sunday’s can be long, long, long..so we have taken to doing something as a family…

after many different things

we settled on bowling

We don’t try to out-do each other —that is how Linkin and I think, anyway…but the others sure get competitive 🙂

Afterwards they all come to our house for supper. Sure is a fun afternoon!

Linda

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Posted on March 10, 2013 by Dayphoto

The big nasty cold storm blew itself away last night and left us with a sunny (:)) day. The dogs went out as soon as the sun came up…they were ready.

Looking around I saw green

Everywhere

Little bits starting up

and the promise of tulips not far off!

JOY! JOY! JOY!

Linda

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Posted on March 6, 2013 by Dayphoto

I was looking back at some old photos and ran across this

It was taken on March 22 a couple of years ago. If the season is similar we have around sixteen more days to go…..

YIPPEE!

Linda

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Posted on March 5, 2013 by Dayphoto

We are still cold here, but getting warmer every day. Although, it IS still coat wearing weather, at least it isn’t layered coat wearing weather :).

Terry started working on the ditches yesterday, but the wind was just too bad. In fact it blew one of the yard lights off it’s pole, so he had to stop.

The wind blew the storm over Grand Mesa, which is how our storms go…in through eastern Utah, then over Grand Mesa to the Craig, Steamboat Spring area and on to where ever they go from there. Sometimes they lose their steam along the way, but always they leave us by going toward Cedaredge and Grand Mesa.

We will start work on getting the spot ready for the old grainery...this might take some time, but it has to be moved before the first cutting of hay. Where it sits now is where the haystacks are going to sit.

I must be off…the sun has warmed the frost off of things and I need to be doing!

Have a nice day everyone!

Linda