Cough, Hack, Sneeze, Wheeze

Posted on March 19, 2009 by Dayphoto

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I will be soooooooooo happy when this burn season gets over! For some odd reason most of the farmers around us have decided to burn off last years’ crops instead of grazing them off.

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I’m sure there would be many sheep and cattle people who would have loved to have the feed!!!!

We graze and then plow under. In an effort to keep our soil healthy we feel turning what is left from the cows (poop and corn stalks) into the ground reduces cost of purchasing fertilizer and adds body to our clay-like soil.

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So until all the ground is turned under we will be plagued with smoke. This is what it looks around our house the last couple of days. Ugh.

Step Two of Our Western Colorado Farming

Posted on March 18, 2009 by Dayphoto

If you are opening up corn ground or tearing up an old hay field, all the farmers in our area plow.

I know that plowing is a dying process back east, but we have heavy clay soil and must plow.

So after disking we Terry plows

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BUT if a farmer is going from a former bean field he can rip the field open because of how the beans grow causing a much loamier field.

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Terry plowed all the old corn fields, and today he is ripping the old bean field.

I’m really glad he has retired, before all of this would have taken place after 7 at night and before 6 in the morning. Now, while I am at work, he is at work “playing” in his fields.

First Things First

Posted on March 17, 2009 by Dayphoto

The first thing we Terry does is disk all the corn stalks not eaten by the cows

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Of course, nothing ever goes smoothly, one of the disks had to collect a big wad of mud. The only thing to do is to pry it out

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Now on the bright side, it was just one disk!

Head ‘em Up and Move ‘em Out

Posted on March 16, 2009 by Dayphoto

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The range cows are headed to another pasture, our farm is all used up for food

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The chickens are enjoying dust baths

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Tallen does NOT want to ride on the tractor

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And the snow is starting to melt in the mountains! Yeah for Spring!

Spring Work Has Begun

Posted on March 13, 2009 by Dayphoto

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Always there are fences to fix and re-fix

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The canal bank has to be burned readying for the water coming on the last week of March

Both Fuzzy and Sammy Sam like to help us (Monkey never leaves the house, the fresh air messes up her fur)

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Other farmers are burning so a haze hangs everywhere, creating breathing problems for me and others (but spring rains help clear it out)

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Hoolie wants to get out and help us also, but her parents said no!

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And I finally got the hedge cut down so I can start over this spring! YEAH! I’ve been trying to do this for two years.

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Thankful Thursday

Posted on March 12, 2009 by Dayphoto

There are always so many things to be Thankful for, but one of the things that came to come to my mind today is Bladen.

He is in the first grade and already very gifted in the math world, understands and does fifth grade math, plays chest and wins, but also is still a little boy. Struggles to understand sentence structure (fourth grade level) and is reading Harry Potter, but says recess the best part of school.

I see this questing mind as an amazing gift, good for Blade, and hopefully good for the world some day.

I asked him why all his pants have a tear on that one leg at the knee, “is it because that is the one that hits the dirt all the time”?

“Yes,” he replied very seriously, “it is my useful leg”.

I had to laugh.

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Wordless Wednesday

Posted on March 11, 2009 by Dayphoto

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The Next Step (the motor goes in – just to see how it will fit)

Consignment Sale

Posted on March 9, 2009 by Dayphoto

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The last consignment sale for the spring season just ended this weekend. Terry always goes, mostly to visit with other farmer friends, but sometimes to get something or other.

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In spite of this economy the prices are staying high on used farm equipment.

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This primarily a man’s world, although women do show up from time to time, just not lots of women.

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Me?

I stayed home and worked on projects that I had been putting off.

Friday Photo Meme

Posted on March 6, 2009 by Dayphoto

Karen from http://www.zemeks.blogspot.com/ asked me to do a photo meme.

So here goes.

snow-at-paonia

Part of my work, requires me to travel to Paonia, Colorado on a regular basis. Paonia is about an hour’s drive from here, and has one of the most beautiful scenery’s around.

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About two weeks ago they had a lovely snow storm, that closed down the sounds and covered the trees with heavy, wet snow. The snow had melted by the time I left for Delta, but for a short while, we had Christmas again.

That is Lamborn Mesa.

I got the photos backward, but you get the idea! 🙂

Going to Grammy and Grandpa’s House

Posted on March 5, 2009 by Dayphoto

Went I got home yesterday afternoon Fuzzy started barking his “Somebody’s Coming Bark”, which quickly changed into “Oh, good, You are coming I am so glad” bark.

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When I went to look I saw the little family coming our way, with Linkin on her bike (she absolutely HATES riding her bike, she is just sure she is going to wreck in the gravel).

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Bladen was walking Hoolie, so she could learn to walk on a leash

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But Tallen thought her ride was just a-okay.

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And Checkers was really glad to see Fuzzy and us.

Checkers has a weird way of greeting people, she tries to smile. It can be a bit off-putting until you realize her stub-tail is wagging and she is trying to do the puppy-dance.

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