This Bright Sunlight Morning—-Thursday, May 24, 2018

Posted on May 24, 2018 by Dayphoto

The hay swather’s sound is rippling through out our clean country air

The sunlight is brilliant on the thick stand of alfalfa, as the early morning light pours forth; warming the plants, drying the dew

The scent of JUST CUT ALFALFA piercing the air!

First CUTTING!

May the rain stay away until the hay is made, in the bales, and sold.

We have a stack of customers already calling wanting hay.

Two weeks we should be done…two weeks and then the rains can come.

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

The Feeling of a Mountain—Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Posted on June 7, 2017 by Dayphoto

Today I am counting my blessings:

The first cutting of hay has been cut, dried, baled and stacked.

(And at the time of this writing, several loads of have been sold–loaded up and gone to new homes)

The biggest blessing is the fact Terry had to have an emergency appendix operation Sunday morning—shortly before noon, but is doing much better today.

Thankfully Saturday night we had turned the water back into the canal so I haven’t had to worry with changing and setting of the water.

Our children, near and far, came to see their Dad and to help us while Terry was in the hospital— it made the loading of the sold hay go ever so much easier, than if I had to do it by myself.

They have all gone home now, but the several days Terry was in the hospital I was there with him. That left the kids to pick up our slack plus do their own work also.

What a huge relief!

In the midst of all this, I found another small heart!

It might be a mountain right now, but I know ————— somehow we will get the cultivation of the corn done and we will get the pinto beans planted.

I can do the irrigation…that isn’t even an concern.

The others things will sort themselves out as we proceed forward.

It will just take us (Terry and I) to take it one step at a time…that is really the only way to walk up, across and down and mountain.

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

First Cutting of Hay/Alfalfa —- June 3, 2014

Posted on June 3, 2014 by Dayphoto

The header is a photo of our home coming in from first light Irrigation. The sun just starting to rise — creating such a beautiful backdrop to the house and buildings I had to stop and take a photo.

Terry started cutting the alfalfa yesterday afternoon

It is some of the best alfalfa we have ever had…the standing alfalfa reaches my knees. The rows are fat and thick and fluffy.

It’s so thick he is having trouble getting the old mower through the field. He will finish up this morning sometime before noon.

The yellow at the bottom of the field is Sweet Clover. We don’t bale it up but fork it over for the deer to munch on…cows will eat it, but customers don’t like buying it. Instead of wasting this sweet smelling weed we let the many deer (who live on our place) have an dried “hay” treat.

Now if the weather will just hold off for the week and we have a drying breeze —not a row tossing wind–we will get this alfalfa into hay form, then into small bale form, we will get it onto the back of trucks or trailers, and haul a huge bunch down to Delta Elevator for them to sell for winter feed.

Please keep your fingers crossed and send Magic thoughts for good hay making weather…Terry and I will really appreciated it!

Your Friends on a farm in Delta, Colorado

Linda

Only Two Left, Only 2 !!!!!

Posted on May 23, 2012 by Dayphoto

There are some things on the farm a person just can’t do without, a shovel for one. I always seem to be in need of shovel….the scoop shovel is a good example. It’s very good for grain and then a separate one for cleaning out the chicken house and the barn (no mixing of shovels for food items, now, ya hear!

Then there is the shovel for the irrigation water, each field has at least two shovels in it….one for Terry and one for me. We like different types of shovels, the shovel that fits best on your shoulder and has a nice weight in your hand is what you look for.

Then I have a shovel for the yard…this one has a large shovel so I can dig up clumps of stuff in one or two digs, not a whole bunch of little ones.

I also have a little red shovel that I use for my water trough flower beds.

And I have two rakes….a leaf rake and a regular rake. I only need the two. They are for yard work and that is all.

There are other implements that are more than necessary but used only for that particular thing…like planters for planting and the lawn mower.

But the thing I use the most for all sorts of things is….

BALING TWINE!!!!

And I only have two left! (WAIL)

Baling twine is what I used to put the top on the chicken run with, baling twine holds my vines to the trellis, baling twine has been know to ‘tie the gate shut’ until one of us could get to town and get the proper latch.

Or to close the garage door until the opener can be fixed ….. that was three years ago and we still have that on the ‘to do’ list.

Baling twine is the farmer’s (at least us) answer to what others use duct tape for.

And I ONLY have two left!

How this all came about was last year when Terry decided to sell the cows, he decided that he would sell ALL the hay, since we wouldn’t need any to feed over the winter. We kept enough for the chickens and Misty’s goats, but that was it.

Gradually the bales were used and I stored the very precious, to me, twine so I would have some when I needed it.

I’m so glad I did.

Terry should cut the alfalfa sometime the first of June (depending on the weather), he will bale up the hay and haul it into the yard. He sell the hay….BUT I’m requesting several bales to hold me through the year. And on those several bales will be two strings of baling twine!

Linda

(P.S. No! I can not go out and cut off any length I might want out of the baler….I can’t EVEN think of that….{{{ shudder}}}!)

Momma Deer and the First Cutting of Hay

Posted on June 2, 2010 by Dayphoto

We had a very busy four days off, Terry got the beans harrowed off (you have to do this or the crust on the top will prevent the little beans from coming through), it’s been so hot and windy that everything has dried out all over again. Irrigating is a constant.

We celebrated Evan’s 39th birthday. Gosh I’m getting old, Shannon is 41, Evan 39, Kimi 35 and Misty 32 where does time go?

Memorial Day we took flowers to graves, looked at where our family plots are and celebrated

With lots of food and family and cooking.

Tuesday, Terry cut the hay…first cutting of the year

The ditch rider came by and locked the gate on our headgate. The spring run off is over so any extra water is done for the year. If it stays as hot and windy as it has been we will be changing water every 10 hours instead of 12. We do get a reprive every once in awhile when a cold front blows through, but that doesn’t last long.

Of course now that the hay has been cut we want the hot weather to stay and rain to come again some other day. 🙂

The following Archaeological Rock Art I call “Momma Deer”. The white chip-like markes are from people vandalising the ‘sign’ by shooting it with guns.

I have several furlough days in June, but I get to work on my yard (and do some things I can’t get done when I’m getting a pay check ). It all works out in the end.

Linda

Almost to First Cutting of Hay

Posted on May 13, 2009 by Dayphoto

It won’t be long now, maybe two weeks, maybe less. The hay is coming into its full glory. As soon as it starts to bloom it will be time to cut hay for the first time this season.

Terry loves ‘making hay’. The dry alfalfa kind (not the other kind, oh, wait, hum, okay. I’m getting off the subject).

So while we wait to harvest hay, we will still be watering the corn and the hay, and Terry will plant the pinto beans, and then it will be haying time!

Not long now!

Hay-001