FN Lateral | Life on a Colorado Farm

The irrigation water is about to get here!

We are getting the canal repaired and ready for the thundering, crashing, life-giving source called water to appear any time now.

We went for a ride last night to see how far away the water is from us….once it gets here..irrigation starts. Irrigation starts and doesn’t stopped (even if it rains), until time for harvest. Twice a day or even every six hours, if the water is short, we move and set water. Often times through out the day we are checking rows making sure the water is flowing through…going clear to the end, to move to the next field, then the next until it finally flows back into the canal and then onto the Gunnison River….which will connect with the Colorado River.

It’s five miles away. Not long now.

Today or tomorrow!

We are cleaning all the cement ditches (yes by hand), Terry made all the ditches he could with the ditcher

And the waste ditches with the blade

And we repaired the gated pipe. Gated pipe always

Always, seems to pull apart over the course of winter.

The first of the fields to receive water (the alfalfa fields) are marked out ready to go

We just wait….

Any day now…any day!

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

Our internet isn’t working today. I am hoping this gets posted, but one never knows.

The water in our canal is clear as the Blue Mesa Reservoir, of which it comes from. Very few farmers are irrigating now—although there are some…new seedings of alfalfa and winter wheat.

By November 1st the water will be stopped and stored in the Blue Mesa Reservoir until next spring. The canal will dry up…if our grandchildren were here, it would make a great play ground.

Today I’m taking advantage of our warm summer-like days and painting the chicken house. We got the pump winterized and the hose put away yesterday, and all the lines blown out. Today I finish getting my last gallon of paint on the hen house and the picket fences.

Terry is working on the corn combine…with the thought corn harvest will start in a month!

I hope this makes it to you! I’m rather addicted to the internet. 🙂

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda