Sunday with Grandparents

Posted on September 24, 2012 by Dayphoto

The grandson had soccer at Aspen again. Both parents were able to go, and the youngest granddaughter went with them Because ‘There A Kids To Play WITH’.

But our oldest granddaughter wanted to stay with us.

So we baked cookies, gathered eggs, walked dogs and petted each and every kitten and cat a the shelter then after lunch we watched the Bronco game.

Because she loves to play on the monkey bars at school she wanted to show us what she could do…

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Then it was time for supper and a bath, before her parents came home.

It’s a tad bit fun to have a day all to yourself with your Grandparents!

Linda

Water—-The Lifeblood of Life

Posted on September 19, 2012 by Dayphoto

We received notice yesterday by the Ditch Company that the irrigation water is to be shut off early this year and (depending on the snow levels over winter) to start later next year.

Although, we have turned our water off, there are those who have planted winter wheat and also those who have just cut their hay and will need to water the alfalfa field one more time before going into winter.

“Due to drought conditions and the heavy usage of stored water this summer, the Uncompahgre Valley Water Users Association –UVWUA- will be shutting the Gunnison Tunnel off two and a half weeks early this year. The shut-off date will be October 15th. This decision has been made to conserve Taylor Reservoir water for next year. Growers planting winter grains should plan accordingly. Pending the type of winter we have this year, there is a possibility water will be turned on later than normal next spring. For questions or comments call the UVWUA.”

You are looking upon our head gate for the irrigation water to our place. Our share of this canal (the Ironstone) is taken out at this point. It goes back in at the end of our farm.

We were watching the Rural Farm News (yes, we do things like that) and the report on there was this drought is the largest drought in years, and years, and years, encompassing most of the United States clear into Canada.

As much as I dislike snow and ice and the dark and cold of winter….I’m sure there isn’t a person out there that doesn’t want a lot of moisture this winter.

Finger crossed and toes crossed for moisture for drought stricken regions everywhere!!!!

Linda

Fall Maintenance Work

Posted on September 18, 2012 by Dayphoto

Terry and I spent yesterday switching out the broken gated pipes for new pipes,

putting in new seals in the pipes that needed them.

He also decided that he wanted to not replace the four broken pipe but extend the dirt ditch further into the field.

If he likes this he might (MIGHT) turn the whole ditch into a cement ditch…heavy on the might. The cost will be high, but the work load (after the ditch is made) lots easier.

Fall Maintenance work just makes spring work that much easier!

Linda

Saturday in Aspen

Posted on September 17, 2012 by Dayphoto

Saturday, our grandson had a soccer game in Aspen, Colorado. Our oldest granddaughter also had a soccer game, but hers was in Orchard City, Colorado, then to stretch everything just a tad bit more, our son-in-law had to work…he is the Assistant Principal at our local High School…he had to be at the high school because of volley ball games there all day.

SOOOOO enter the grandparents….we opted to take Blade to Aspen, we hadn’t been there in years and years and besides we wanted a day with Bladen. He is ten now and often times we don’t have him by himself, we get the girls by their selves, but rarely Bladen.

On the way up we stopped at the Crystal River to show him where some hot water enters the river.

Over the years people have created a fun little dam which allows for ‘dipping’ , he was delighted.

What a soccer field!!! In Aspen you are on top of Rocky Mountains.

Here is a quick shot through a very dirty windshield of some of ski slopes!

Linda

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Posted on September 16, 2012 by Dayphoto

Once more we have been lucky to have family come visit.

Terry’s sister, Carolyn and her husband, Wayne came in a stayed a couple of nights. We took them to Grand Mesa for the day and to my father’s lake.

(Since Tallen, was with us, she had to show Uncle Wayne and Aunt Carolyn the teeter-totter)

Fall is everywhere up there!

The day was perfect…bright blue skies, golden trees, and lovely sunshine.

Linda

And The Rain, Rain, Came Down, Down Down

Posted on September 12, 2012 by Dayphoto

Lovely, thirst quenching rain. Although, Fuzzy panicked and ran into the corn field with all the thunder and the lightening. It took me about an hour to get him to come out. Boomer stayed with him the whole time. Both dogs were wet, and muddy and soaked. They got to sleep on the back porch until they both decided it was way too hot for them and went outside around two this morning.

It is still cloudy here, although not raining. Everything looks so happy and clean outside. Rain is a blessing. It’ s just hard to have it rain during harvest.

(And YES, we do have weeds….)

Whenever it rains I always think of that wonderful little song from Disney—

Linda

Winnie The Pooh And The Blustery Day:

The rain rain rain came down down down
In rushing, rising riv’lets,
‘Til the river crept out of it’s bed
And crept right into Piglet’s!
Poor Piglet, he was frightened,
With quite a rightful fright.
And so, in desperation
A message he did write.
He placed it in a bottle
And it floated out of sight.

And the rain rain rain came down down down
So Piglet started bailing.
He was unaware, atop his chair,
While bailing he was sailing!

And the rain rain rain came down down down
And the flood rose up up upper.
Pooh, too, was caught and so he thought,
“I must rescue my supper!”
Ten honey pots he rescued,
Enough to see him through,
But as he sopped up his supper,
The river sopped up Pooh!
And the water twirled and tossed him
In a honey pot canoe!
The rain rain rain came down down down…

YIPEEEE

Posted on September 11, 2012 by Dayphoto

We made it!

The last load went to the beanery yesterday evening.

The rain came in sometime during the night.

Two gifts….beans are done and a nice rain shower.

While walking back in from the bean field I saw a sun dog…cooler weather is on it’s way!

Linda

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Posted on September 9, 2012 by Dayphoto

A huge storm is supposed to come in tomorrow, bringing 40% rain for Monday, 30% for Tuesday, and 20% for Wednesday.

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We are still working on the pinto beans. Keep your fingers crossed it misses us and stays in the mountains only.

Talk to you in the morning…we have lots to do today!

Linda

Harvesting Pinto Beans

Posted on September 5, 2012 by Dayphoto

Of course you have to hook everything up to the tractor. Terry likes to use the 730 to pull the beans

That thing on the front is the bean puller…here’s a better photo of it

Then the bean blade

The puller lifts the beans up and the blade cuts them off

Moving down the field everything is pushed together into rows

The rows are allowed to dry for week (unless it rains, then a mess occurs)

All pulling of the beans occurs in the morning, while the dew is still on the plants. If you look you can see how dry the bean pods look. They are very dry. A little dew holds the pods together so they don’t shatter and spill the beans into the ground. If a pod shatters and the beans spill, that is then end. There is not a way to pick up the beans from the dirt.

After a week. It’s time to start combining. Combining is ALWAYS after lunch. You don’t want the plants to be wet and clump in the combine and cause a wad mess. You also don’t want wet beans going into the combine and molding. If you deliver wet beans to the beanery (where they sort, sack, and sell the beans) they will refuse your load.

For a farmer that is money and time lost.

Dry beans for the combine only!

We are not big farmers and our equipment is not new, but it is paid for and Terry knows how to fix it if something goes wrong. He also has a small combine herd of combines that he uses for parts since our stuff is really dated.

Here the combine is picking up two rows of a time and shelling them and putting the beans in the hopper

The weeds and the bean straw is flung out the back

Leaving just the straw behind.

Once the day turns to evening and the cool comes on, the farmer must stop. Lots of time the lights run until the operator just gets too tired and calls it a day.

The hopper of the combine is dumped into the bin of the grain truck

When the truck is full, but no over flowing it will be driven to the beanery about 5 miles from our home. The trash you see in the beans (weed leaves that made through the trasher into the beans) will be screened out. Then the beans are sacked ready for market.

But first….we got to get them there!

After we get done with the pintos our next crop to harvest will be the corn. But that won’t be until the end of September.

Linda