Category Archives: Life on a Colorado Farm

My name is Linda Brown. I live on a farm on the western slope of Colorado, in the high mountain desert. I’ve lived here all my life, hailing back four generations on my father’s side. Today I blog about our farm, the everyday activities that keep the farm going. I also write about my thoughts and dreams and goals

Leveling

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The secret to a smooth, slightly sloped (graded) field is the use of the leveler.  It’s important to make sure the water will run down-hill, that there are no flat spots for the water to collect and pool and no giant humps for the water to try to run up over. 

After leveling, Terry marks the field out and starts the water.  We now have water in both alfalfa fields, the soon to be a corn field, and this one which will raise corn.  The bean field is just  ripped, rolled and marked.  It’s nice to not have to work very hard on one crop.  Saves time, fuel, therefore Money!!!

Linda

Irrigation Begins

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Getting the ground ready is all about tractor work, getting the soil ready to accept seeds is about irrigation.

  Terry marks and creases at the same time, which saves on time and fuel.

 Then we have to check all the pipes, making sure all the gates are in place and working

The wind has been rather wild this fall, winter and spring filling even the main artery headgate with trash

So the first order of business, after fixing gates and cleaning the ditches

Once everything is clean here, then boards are set to force flow into our main headgate

Water must flow downhill, so just because we are irrigating one field, all the ditches have to be cleaned and ready to go.

Terry makes it look simple here, but a dam must be placed to hold back the water plus each tube has to have the end dug out so the tube lays flat in the row

Success!

  Once started the water is never turned off until harvest.

 We irrigate and then let the ground dry out until it is at moist stage, then the seeds are planted. Depending on the weather, should be around two weeks from now.

 Have a nice weekend!

 Linda

Honey Hen 2008-2010

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Honey was a funny little hen.  She loved to sit on my lap, work with me in the yard

And tell me stories about her life in the coop.

She let me dress her up for Christmas.  I had a great time with this clever and talkative little bird.

Saturday, Honey came up missing.  I looked everywhere, nothing could be found, not even a feather.

Spring is a hard time on those living things that are at the bottom of natures food chain, they are a quick meal for a predator of some sort.

Honey went to the rainbow bridge, probably by way of either the Momma fox that prowls our place day and night or a red-tailed hawk.  She was out happily pecking and scratching in the old hay pile and then she was gone.

Honey will be missed, that is for sure.

Linda

Utah Flew into Our Part of Colorado Yesterday

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45 m.p.h winds full of grit, sand, and dirt came in from Utah yesterday

Making work on the farm hard

And exhausting.  Fuzzy still enjoyed the first set of water.

But Terry and I came in more than tired.  Wind can be exhausting, then add in being hit with shards of sand, grit and dirt …

A new little calf joined our herd right has the worst of the storm started.  He was a little upset as his rough windy arrival in the world.

Momma and baby are doing fine.

Cold here today, but the wind stopped. That is a gift in an of itself.

Linda

This Weekend

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  Another hole in the pocketbook is taking place as I write this; fertilizer is being applied to new corn ground and the alfalfa fields.  That stuff just keeps on climbing and climbing in costs.

 {{{{Shudder}}}}.

 Next huge cost will be the seed, but I’ll think of that later.

 For this weekend I’m going to mow the lawn…dig out some flower beds and wash windows.

 All happy signs of spring!

Linda

The Water has Arrived!

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Finally we are here!  The first real sign of spring. 

The Ditch Rider was telling us that there are more onions planted this year than previous years.  Onion prices are high $60 for a 50 pound sack, so just like any gambler all most everyone (not us) is jumping on the Onion roulette wheel. 

What always happens by the time harvest comes round for our area the price falls to normal levels  $22.00 for a 100 pound sack, or even lower.  But just like Deal or No Deal if you ‘hit the market just right’ you might have the big money in your suitcase.

Linda

A Call on the Ditch

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The onion guys have made a call on the ditch.  Meaning they want water.

Because of the weather, the Ditch Company is behind.  They just finished cleaning our canal.

This is what it looked like before the backhoe started in.

Normally the water is turned in and flows by our place before March 30th.  This gives you an idea how far behind everyone is.

Anyway, the sun is shinning here today, and for me, that is always a good thing. 

Linda

Think Spring

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We went from snow to a huge wind/dust/flying dirt storm

  50 mile per hour winds beat us up all day Monday and into Monday night with a bitter cold front right behind it. 

 41* today.

 Still the onion farmers have their seeds in the ground and a call has been made on the ditch for water so planting has gotten started.

 Those that are still behind because of too much mud will have to put onion sets in the ground instead of seeds.  Sets are very labor intensive, having to be planted all by hand, but it still gives them a crop.

 The early sweet corn guys are just about ready to plant, just waiting for the canals to fill.  Most sweet corn farmers water first and then plant.  Sweet corn is not frost tolerant.  The watering first allows the season to move a little more closer to steady warm weather. 

 We are at a standstill.  Terry likes to have the corn in and its little heads poking up by the second week in May.  He also likes to water first and then plant, but if he has to he will plant and then water the corn up.  The second way produces lots more weeds, but it will also protect the baby plants.

 Think Spring…

 Linda

Spring Storm for Easter Weekend

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My drive to work in Paonia was in a snow storm.  At least it wasn’t a blizzard or a white out. 

Icy roads should be a thing of last month or even February or January, not April.  There is another front coming in for the middle of the week, but I’m hoping we are warming up enough it will just bring rain.

Snow on freshly plowed fields really isn’t a good thing.  Plowed soil is like a thirty sponge and will absorb moisture and HOLD it.  But I think it is good anyway, because it forced Terry to take a break.  Rest is always good.  He’s home all the time so he will be able to get right out there as soon as the soil get right to roll.

It is Easter this weekend and the sun is finally shining.  The whole sun thing just plain fills me with joy!

Happy Easter, one and all!

Linda