Fall announces itself with the first, very cooling, very refreshing rain. That can happen anytime after September into October.
You see, September is still HOT here. Maybe not as hot as October, but it still is warm enough Mom is singing a happy song.
As September drifts along (yes, Dad and I think September moves slowly, the nights start to cool down, then the days get slightly cooler until we get to OCTOBER!
Now if you were to look upon the mountains surrounding our mesa you could see the ‘Colors starting to change. Seeing the colors change means for certain and sure we are in AUTUMN!
By the last Sunday of September, the colors in the mountains are ‘at their peak’ causing everyone who lives below the colors to ‘take a drive’. To see the colors, as they say.
Here on the farm, September means the last of the irrigation is being accomplished. First, one cornfield is finished up (Dad watches the corn kernels to see how hard they are—if they are hard, hard, hard that means the corn can not take in any more water. The plant is done. Finished for the growing season. To keep watering is just a waste of time and effort.) Then the next cornfield and so on, until all the cornfields are DONE for THE Year!
After that, all irrigation is concentrated on the alfalfa fields.
Alfalfa has a GREAT BIG TAPROOT, that must have a nice drink of water to go into the winter. Or the plant will die. Also, Dad likes for the alfalfa plant to have a nice growth on top, several inches of growth to help the plant survive.
After a heavy freeze comes then the plant is sleeping safely for next year. That is when the cows arrive to munch down the alfalfa leaves.
Anyway, back to Autumn. Autumn comes here when all the Cottonwoods turn to gold, the days are warm (NOT HOT) and the nights are cool.
As October progresses to November Mom starts hauling in firewood to make warm toasty fires in the evening.
Oh, yes. Fall smells good. The weeds are drying down, the trees are dropping their leaves, the sporadic rains cleanse the earth.
Fall. It also means HARVEST!
We will leave Harvest for the next installment of the Seasons. Along with more of my thoughts on weather.
Until then—
TLC Cai-Cai
Life on a Colorado Farm 