A Space to Fill Forever—Monday, July 20, 2015

Posted on July 20, 2015 by Dayphoto

On Sunday the work slows down to just the things which must be done

We changed the water in the pinto bean field (that is our house and barns in the distance)

And changed the water in the smallest corn field. (Grand Mesa is in the background) Flowing

That is all.

I walked through my yard, watering the pots and deadheading some of the flowers.

It was like walking through a cloud of perfume, in some places. The low hum of the bees filled the air along with the chirps of the birds.

The peace was strong enough to fill forever.

I am blessed beyond measure.

Your friend,

Linda

Racing Against Time—Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Posted on June 24, 2015 by Dayphoto

I am sorry about not being able to post yesterday…the internet was down. Sure was frustrating!

Anyway, it’s back up today, for which I rejoice greatly!

We are racing madly here. Everything came together all at once—the pinto beans needed watered, the corn needed fertilized and cultivated, and needs water —the hay needs hauled in from the last field, and the water sat on it. (Not to mention weeding in my yard –two more huge beds to go—helping a tad down at the other house…clipping hedges and other yard work–ironing and straightening up my house, mundane things but necessary.)

The days are just not long enough 🙂 🙂

Although, we get up at 4:15 and then finish around 10 at night, there always seems to be something more needing done.

Don’t read bad into this —————— I LOVE EVERY MINUTE OF IT!!!

We hauled hay until too dark…Boomer and I picked up the loose bales and broken bales and Terry hauled in the loads.

It was miserable hot yesterday…my car said it was 111*f (43.89c) when I ran to buy groceries for the month. That’s HOT!

Around 8:30 or 9:00 p.m. it looked like a hail or rain storm broke over Peach Valley. It was just too hot not to develop some sort of activity in the heavens.

Today we are still in the same race…although, we are gaining on the pinto beans (the beans are up! YAY!) with the water, the small corn field is wet, and cross all fingers, Terry will get the big corn field fertilized and cultivated today-then we start water on it tonight).

Two more days of hauling hay and that will be over. Then, if it rains, all is well.

Although, we are busy; it’s a good busy!

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

Update—Thursday, June 18,2015

Posted on June 18, 2015 by Dayphoto

We have had Bladen here for the week. It’s been a full and busy week having a 13 year-old, very energetic boy staying with us. (We feel so very blessed.)

(We went from a cool rainy time to a suddenly HOT 100* -37.77 c– all over night. Time to cut the alfalfa!)

I have had my lawn mowed, the edges cut, and a variety of other things done, which cut my work load in half. There have been rides to get the pinto bean seed with Grandpa, then many trips out to the field to take the bean sacks to Grandpa— so Grandpa could plant them. Then a trip out to bring Grandpa home for supper or lunch, or to gather the pinto bean sacks from the edges of the field.

But all work and no play makes life very dull.

So a fun evening with Uncle Evan and Auntie Jolyne playing a game occurred.

Cousin Zack, (Blade’s Dad’s brother’s son) came and spent the day (yesterday) with us..swimming in the afternoon, ice cream with 8th grade friends, and a round of miniature golf. (All withOUT grandparents hovering around!)

Terry and Blade have been staying up ”’WAY”’ late watching American Ninja Warriors. Since Zack spent the night it was guys night watching the amazing feats of the competitors. (Going to bed early can occur at their own homes. 🙂 )

Zack will go back home this evening, but not before more ‘cool’ things happen. Life at Grammy and Grandpa’s should be extra special don’t you think?

We will pick up Linkin on Saturday (she has been at camp) then we will take the kids and meet their parents half-way Sunday afternoon.

July the kids will be traveling with their parents, then in August we will have Linkin for a week.

Every moment is one cherished!

Your friend,

Linda

Planting Corn-Thursday, April 30, 2015

Posted on April 30, 2015 by Dayphoto

Terry is planting corn today. This will be a several day activity, as corn is our major crop. Still it isn’t our only crop, we also have alfalfa and pinto beans.

This is the workhorse tractor on the farm. Anyway, see all that lovely moisture coming up as he plants? The ground is perfect to start the little corn seeds sprouting and growing.

How do you like his welding table? Part of a motor, tee hee.

Anyway today I’m dancing a happy jig–I only have to go down and feed and love on the kitty down there, she doesn’t want to come live here, so the renters and I agreed she could stay in the old chicken house. She is around 7 years old or so and loves that house. I think she has had enough stress in her life…it looks like one eye is blind. Sigh! I will take her in and have my vet check her over. Hopefully everything will work out for all concerned.

The sun was amazing, it looks like we can even see the flames on the sun in this photo.

Off now to do MY STUFF!!! Mow the lawn and clean my car! Yippee YAY!

Your friend on a western Colorado Farm,

Linda

Socked in- Sunday, September 28, 2014

Posted on September 28, 2014 by Dayphoto

A HUGE rain storm rolled in last night complete with rolling thunder and stunning flashes of lightening. By 9:00 in the evening we were wet. The rain hasn’t let up since the storm rolled in. On one hand the lovely drenching of all the parched and dried spots in the lawns and fields is a very good thing—on the other hand not so lovely. It’s harvest here. Not for us. We have finished our harvest of the two first crops and are waiting for the corn to dry down before we start the third and last crop –corn.

There are others, neighbors and friends, who are in the middle of onion harvest, or their pinto bean harvest, or getting in the last cutting of alfalfa turned hay.

Moisture like this is not good for harvest. 😦

This weekend found us in Craig, Colorado, to watch our grandson play Middle School football and take

Ellie up to play with Linky for a spell. Of course, we also got to enjoy the little Cowgirl and her REAL Cowgirl girl friends.

Craig is home to Tri-State Generation plant. My Dad worked at the station right after it was built- until he retired. Daddy started work for Colorado Ute—now Tri-State–at the Hayden plant, then was promoted to this plant right after it was built.

My parents moved to Hayden, Colorado, the year I was pregnant with Evan. They stayed they for over twenty years, Daddy retiring from Colorado Ute (Tri-State) and Momma retiring form Peabody Coal.

It’s sort of ironic that our youngest daughter and her family are now back in the Moffat/Routt County area don’t you agree?

Anyway we are back to a decidedly very wet fall day. It has the feel of a huge weather switch coming…I wonder if a killing frost will follow all this moisture; I would not be surprised.

It’s all most October…a killing frost is just around the corner, if not imminent.

Your friend on a farm,

Linda

All Through—Monday, September 15, 2014

Posted on September 15, 2014 by Dayphoto

Thankfully the pinto beans are at the Beanery (this is the name of the elevator that cleans and stores the pinto beans in our area—the Olathe Producers is another elevator which does the same thing).

At the elevator the pinto beans will be cleaned and sorted and culled…any broken (splits), discolored beans, and green pintos will be sifted into the proper pile to be sold.

Green pinto beans will be thrown away along with any chaff or weeds or weed seeds. The discolored beans has a very small market for animal feed….cows love pinto beans. The splits will go to a factory to be made into smashed canned pinto beans ready for your taco.

The other pinto beans…the really nice ones will be sold at market value for whole pinto beans to be used however the buyer wishes. The whole pinto bean market is what a farmer strives for…that is where the most money is to be made—right now the market is extremely volatile/unstable. Terry will talk with the owner of the Beanery sometime today to see if they can sell the beans for us and for what price.

Then Terry will decide if we hold them for a spell or sell. Mostly he likes to sell because a truly fresh pinto bean is liked by most people. If you have ever eaten a truly fresh pinto bean you will be stunned at the difference in the cook time, the flavor and the size of the bean.

There isn’t pay check until the beans are sold!

Oh, for the record….I’ve been asked several times if we take subsidies for farming.

NO! NEVER! Neither did my parents or grandparents and neither has Terry’s Dad or grandfather. If we can’t pay our own way we don’t do it. That is why we both worked in town…and why we have old equipment…if you can’t afford it you don’t need it…has always been the mantra on our farm.

ENOUGH of that ….since Terry got Linkin a new compound bow, we thought it would fun to take Tally shopping. She wanted a “REAL COWGIRL HAT”. Not a fake one made of plastic.

Off we went to the Davis Clothing Company where she picked out a black hat…no pink one for her, Thank you Very much! It was really nice to shop at the Davis Clothing Company, Rena, Mr. Davis’ daughter, let Tally try on several different colors—then she steamed the hat so it was the perfect COWGIRL shape, and took her to the special three-way-mirrors so Tally could see which one was just right for her. The experience was very nice.

Later, at home, Tallin wanted to practice with Terry’s longbow and her ONE arrow, of course wearing the COWGIRL hat! What a hoot!

Well, the two big harvests are out of the way (the hay and the pinto beans), and the irrigation is about done— now we wait until the end of October or later for the harvest of the field corn. A little break in the farming before the next big round of hard work.

All is good and right with the world!

Your friend on a farm

Linda

Rain and a New Bow, September 10, 2014

Posted on September 10, 2014 by Dayphoto

The header is a photo of the sunrise after our amazing, extremely wet, rain storm.

Thankfully the storm is moving on today and warm dry weather is predicated for at least seven more days. The above photo is the rain socking us in; some places got as much as 3″ in an hour! Our canal is clear to the brim; swollen with water.

It’s for sure we are wet.

The hay is covered and safe, but the pinto beans are…in the mud!

What happens now? We wait until eveything dries back out. Then Terry will go in with the rod-weeder and lift the pinto beans up out of the mud and dirt and fluff up the rows again. Then we wait until they are dry. After that he should be able to combine.

Terry gave Linkin a new compound bow. She is just getting the feel of it here. Proper form is to have your hand close to your cheek and your other arm level with the hand next to your cheek.

She LOVES it! We had to go out first thing this morning (even in the mud) to give it another go at using it.

She and her Momma will leave later on today!

The visit was a nice treat,for this Grammy and Grandpa, in the middle of a very wet week.

Your friend,

Linda

Stretch Marks, Labor Day, Monday, September 1, 2014

Posted on September 1, 2014 by Dayphoto

It’s that time of year….

(Third cutting of alfalfa)

When all of spring and summer come together

Third cutting of hay is cut and drying…Terry is raking and turning the rows even as I type away.

Soon, very soon…maybe tomorrow or the next day…it all depends on the weather, he will pull the pinto beans.

The corn has passed the blister stage, moving into the dough. After that it will be ready to ‘dry down’.

We are on the last little bits of irrigation. No more changing water on the pinto beans, only one more good soaking of the alfalfa, after the last bale has been hauled and stacked (possibly two if the fall is terribly dry—alfalfa can’t go into the winter dry or the crop will die.)

All that is left is watering the corn, by the end of September (in 30 days, maybe a few more, but not many-maybe even less) the irrigation water will be turned off to our farm.

We will be done.

After that we wait…until the last of October or the first of November when the harvest of the field corn begins. Those that have ensilage or chopp’n corn, or silage (it’s all one in the same) will start filling the silos this week.

The stretch for harvest has begun!

Then winter’s silence will descend.

But not for awhile.

Not for awhile.

Not just yet.

The gift of the spring and summer’s work will be collected. The work is has begun!

We will stretch ourselves thin, eat on the run, get up before dawn and settle back down way after dusk. It will look easy to those driving by—people who have moved to the country to get away from the crowds.

I suppose it is, after all these years…it’s because we practice all the time. The continuing education credits come when this year’s paycheck comes in. (We are paid once a year for pinto beans and corn. The hay brings in small checks as the bales are sold.)

Harvest! It is what we work for— the accumulation of the year.

Your friend on a farm in Western Colorado,

Linda

An Enchanted Summer–Sunday, August 17, 2014

Posted on August 17, 2014 by Dayphoto

We have had the most unusual summer…

We have had visitors from near and far,

W have raced through forests and witnessed local towns annual celebrations, watched exotic dancers with barefeet dance and veils plus swirls of skirts on extremely hot pavement at the Farmer’s Market in Grand Junction.

We’ve wept at the loss of grandchildren moving from ‘just next to us’ to a town three hours away.

We’ve been guests at our local racetrack as we watched a long-time friend and his family race to the finish line, often times in first place.

This week we are nearing the end of summer. (Summer always ends when school starts 🙂 )

The two youngest grandchildren, the two granddaughters will stay with us just before school starts for them. It is our last full week of the little tykes then their lives will begin with large brush strokes of ‘being the new kid in the classroom’ and first time (for Bladen) on the Middle School Football Team–“Go Bull Dogs”

Grandpa and I will help them collect memories of ‘life on the farm—on a fine summer day’ as much as we can.

Then on Friday they return to Craig, Colorado, and we begin again to prepare for harvest.

The pinto beans leaves are starting to turn yellow. Possibly one more irrigation then we will be done for another season with the pinto beans. Terry is working on the bean combine (I help here and there—‘come hold this bolt, or lift up on the auger’ — you know stuff like that.

And he is getting the hay swather ready to go…the pinto beans and the last cutting of hay will happen very close together. In-between there are hay customers, weeds to pull and now the house across the field, of which I need to mow, water, weed and take a paint brush to here and there.

We are very lucky, Terry and I! Family and friends have filled our days. Soon our son will be getting married and we will welcome a new member. The harvest will begin and my canning will finally be done.

In the evening we will continue to sit outside, as the evening slowly changes into dusk, then dark watching the multitude of twinkling stars. The next day we will begin again.

As each of you will do!

Your friend,

Linda

Crop Report—Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Posted on July 30, 2014 by Dayphoto

Second cutting of hay is stacked and some is sold. Terry is delivering 60 bales to Delta Elevator as I write this. One more cutting and we are done for the year. Golly, summer is flying by.

The pinto beans have grown shut! See that corn stalk! Grrr! Corn is NOT good in pinto beans. Corn kernels and pinto beans are the same size so they go through the combine together and make a TARE on the pinto beans. Meaning the beanery has to sort the corn out, which they dock the farmer for the time and labor to do so. I am going to have to figure out how to get out there and get that stalk before harvest!!!! And NOT smash or harm the pinto bean plants in any way. 😦

The pinto bean plants are now setting pods and the ‘new crop’ of seeds starting grow in the pod. You can see the seeds developing.

The field corn is starting to grow kernels. The brownish/red silks are showing that the little hairs have been pollinated and the cob is starting to grow the seed. (We eat the seed in some form…ground up for corn meal, boiled on the table, or for animal feed). The white silk shows that the ear has not been pollinated yet. As the wind, or birds, or animals move through the corn the pollen from the tassels will float down and pollinate the silks. Then we wait for the kernels to grow and swell and develop.We have one row of sweet corn along side the field corn. Sweet corn is shorter than field corn. I picked 2 ripe ears of sweet corn yesterday and we had them for lunch. Yummm!
The raccoons and the deer and the skunks like the sweet corn also. 😦 I try to watch my crop closely to grab what I can before they get it. Most the time they beat me.

We heard that there were bears in one of the commercial sweet corn fields two nights ago. Bears think sweet corn is yummy. I hope they don’t come down here..I only have the one row …..

Our rain has moved on, although, they are saying there is the possibly of thunderstorms this afternoon. Still the day is fresh and lovely.

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda