Corn Planting Time

Posted on April 23, 2012 by Dayphoto

One field of corn seed is in the ground.

Terry planted Friday and with this hot weather we’ve been having 80+* for the last several days, the corn seed has already past the swelling stage and starting to shoot roots.

Terry will plant the other field of corn today.

Since the first field is already shooting roots he will harrow off the top of the row bed so the little tips of the corn won’t have a hard time coming through and also that will knock some of the weeds down. Usually the corn bed is harrowed about five days after planting. (This should happen Tuesday sometime-Wednesday at the latest, if it goes too long the corn will be up and will struggle to get through.)

Friday and Saturday we spent getting the gated pipe ready for the other half of the farm and setting the new earth/dirt ditch. After much thought and heavy pondering…..gated pipe is EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE NOW…..We decided to go to earth/dirt in place of some gated pipe that broke. The ditch is pretty soft right now so will take lots of extra effort on our part until it seals. Or imprints — meaning holds water and remembers where the water is supposed to stay….not run off here and there and everywhere.

Of course the gated pipe (two sticks) had to break somewhere in the middle and at the beginning of the pipe. So we had to ‘adjust’ all the remaining pipe so we could put the earth ditch at the END of the gated pipe. That meant lots of jerking apart (by hand) and picking up and moving, one on each end, then shoving back together again.

We had a little break and watched our oldest granddaughter play soccer. Breaks are always nice, they make you appreciate what you’ve accomplished and give you a mini-rest.

The soccer field is in the valley, on the banks of the Gunnison River, and at the doorway of the Adobes. You can see the ‘dobies in the background. The ‘dobies give rise to the foothills surrounding Grand Mesa.

(All the locals call those adobe hills, which skirt the base of the mountain ranges in Utah, New Mexico, Colorado and Arizona, ‘dobies.)

Linda

Sunday Stills– in Honor of the First Sunday Stills Author — Ed

Posted on April 22, 2012 by Dayphoto

Ed’s brain child, Sunday Stills, was to create a place where people from all over the world could come together once a week with a photography challenge. This week our challenge is to pick our favorite assignment and post it in honor of Ed’s birthday on April 18th.

I picked flowers.

Go here to see some of Ed’s favorite assignments!

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Linda

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Posted on April 17, 2012 by Dayphoto

After several days of extremely cold weather, we are gradually starting to warm up. During that time the Sour Cherry trees started to bloom

Then we dropped down even colder — 18*– a couple of nights in a row, which took out some of the blooming fruit I’m sure.

Still the Wild Plum trees that I have growing in a thicket started blooming

We have these trees along the edge of the canal to keep the water from eroding the bank

By the weekend the Crab Apples were in their full glory

Terry sat up the alfalfa marker and got that field ready for water. By which I mean he marked out all the rows so we could turn water into the field. Several morning this week there was ice on the furrows. Not heavy amounts of ice, but still ice.

When you think of it that is cold….it takes lots of cold to form ice on running water.

The good news is that cold front has moved on, the bad news is this very same cold front is what causes horrible storms in the plains….cold air moving out of the Rocky Mountains hitting warm air coming up from the oceans.

My heart goes out to everyone in those storm damaged area.

Linda

Sunday Stills—Reflections

Posted on April 15, 2012 by Dayphoto

The Sunday Stills assignment this week is called Reflections.

We were moving water the other evening (from this field to another field) when I noticed the beautiful sunset reflected in the water (bokeh) off the trash catcher!

The weather is pretty cold here again. I had to light the wood stove back up and keep it full we are so cold. 43* with a wind (always the wind in the spring always) making us 30*.

We supposed to have warmer weather next week, which pleases me. It’s no fun being outside (in water) when its darn cold.

We have two more fields to set water on

Then we should be able to start planting.

Happy Sunday everyone!

Linda

A Cat and Catnip

Posted on April 11, 2012 by Dayphoto

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While I was working in the herb garden Sammy-Sam, one of our cats, decided to work with me.

No, hummm, he decided to partake of the catnip.

A spring storm is blowing it’s way into our lives starting this afternoon. But last night, Boy, was the sky beautiful!

The whole sky over us and around us was amazing!

Linda

Opening a Ditch

Posted on April 10, 2012 by Dayphoto

I dug out a camera I had purchased awhile back. It wasn’t a real expensive one, I think I got it for around $90, since I knew my other dear old battered and well-loved camera would someday bite the dust. This camera doesn’t seem to take too bad of photos so I shall continue to use it.

We finished watering our largest field. Which means it was time to move the water. We had to take the water from that field down to the one by our house.

Therefore we had to open the ditch. (Winter is not good for my body, but I’m fast getting into shape.) We only have to open the ditches once, but, oh my, is that ever a job!

Even though Terry makes the ditches with the ditcher there is still lots of trash in the ditch, he turns the water down and then leaves and goes on down to the trash gates, I stay behind and fork the trash out of the ditch.

It starts small, but by the time I make it to the trash catchers I’m hefting huge wads of wet weeds out the water. ( I couldn’t get photos of the wads — I think Terry would have been a tad upset to see me taking photos while massive amounts of weeds were heading toward him.)

Weeds plug up division gates and get caught in the pipes causing floods. Floods are never good as they always go where they are not supposed to go.

By the time I get to the trash screens Terry is already in the field flushing the pipe. This field by the house is set with gated pipe, trash in that pipe is one major pain. It plugs up the little gates and backs up the water. You are looking at a screen that has stopped trash.

We like gated pipe for some fields and cement ditches and siphon tubes for other fields. We even have dirt ditches with siphon tubes for even other fields. Terry is thinking of changing out some of the gated pipe back into a dirt ditch, they (dirt ditches) really are lots easier to work with than gated pipe. You wouldn’t think so, since it would seem all you have to do is open a gate and the water flows out. Pouring another cement ditch is financially not feasible so if we change it will be to dirt.

Trash is the main reason. Here in our part of Colorado when the wind blows heavy it always blows in weeds and icky stuff which lands in the water and then get caught in the gates. With a tube the weed will usually flow on by since the tube is under the surface of the water. With a gate the weed runs right to the gate and tried to get out with the water and plugs up the gate. You then have to put your hand into the water and dig out the trash. For every gate that is open all 20-30 gates.

Anyway, I could lift and toss an 80 pound bale of hay now if I had too. Three weeks ago I don’t know if I could even pick it up.

The pear trees are blooming! They sure are pretty. We’ve had three nights of bitter cold (18* one night) and another cold front moving in by Friday. I remember these days from my youth and how my Dad and my Grandfather would stress out during spring.

Being and orchardist isn’t for the faint of heart that is for sure.

Linda

Happy Monday

Posted on April 9, 2012 by Dayphoto

Linda

Happy Easter Every One

Posted on April 8, 2012 by Dayphoto

My camera fell out of my pocket as I was changing siphon tubes yesterday — right into the irrigation ditch. Boo Hoo Sob! I found it but I do believe I can no longer use that camera, and it was my favorite! WAAAAHH.

But just in time for Sunday Stills I have a almost appropriate photo.

It’s cold here, frost on the ground and freeze warnings in effect. I built a fire last night. Still it is April and a time of wonderous joy!

Happy Easter Everyone!

Terry and Linda

Getting Closer to Starting Water

Posted on April 4, 2012 by Dayphoto

Terry finished rolling late Monday evening

(Rolling is where you smash the plowed clumps down into soft manageable soil)

After the fertilizer was spread he covered it up by marking out the water furrows

(That’s the combine herd…and a couple of old cars which really needs to be hauled away…. Someday, I’m told, we will get to it.)

Straight rows are a must. Other farmers drive by and always (I do mean always) make a comment on if your rows are straight or not.

With today’s tractors the GPS does all the work, therefore the rows are perfect. We have no such tractor…Terry relies on scribes (marker bars), getting started right, and driving straight. Otherwise, he has to take a ‘ribbing’ until the rows grow shut.

Today we (this is where I start helping him with the farming) work on setting up the gated pipe, making transmission ditches and waste ditches, it won’t be long now until we start water. In fact any day now.

Getting closer—–

Linda