We did it!!!
The last set of irrigation water has occurred. Tomorrow, Terry will turn off the water to the farm. The only time we will turn it back on is if we don’t get any rain and the alfalfa starts to suffer.
We are not only winding down. We have WOUND down!
(The irrigation water stays in the canal until the first week in November. Many farms below us still have crops to irrigate. It’s just that we are done.
The canal is not done.
YAY!
Your friend on a western Colorado farm
Linda
It’s been a whirlwind this past week. We listed the hay for sale Sunday (last week) and sold every single last flake and straw by Wednesday afternoon!
Exhausting and exciting all at once. (I’m sure you could tell I had my blog posts all messed up; my days and times all blending together!)
WE ARE DONE!
WHEW!
Thanks to everyone who came and purchased!
“Surely it is in the everyday things around us that the beauty of life lies.”—Laura Ingalls Wilder
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
Driving home one evening Terry and I saw black smoke rising swiftly and darkly on the horizon
It was still strong and black on the Uncompahgre Plateau when we went out to change the water.
But, the fire map I consulted didn’t mention anything, so I guess this is subscribed burn.
Sure looks scary to me.
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
The smoke is back, seeping into everything (again)
We have made it to the third cutting of alfalfa…both fields are cut and drying now
It will take longer to dry since the nights tingle with Autumn cool
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
The morning air is cool almost cold now.
Although, we have been warming up into the 100’s (again) in the afternoons.
I’ve been out-and-about taking photos of the wildlife (if I can find them)
Leaving the little Beeglie at home resting.
The smoke is back —thick (see above) and miserable
So without further ado
I will give you my wee collection
Of the critters
Who, like us, are harvesting and
Prepping
For winter
And yes
I do take out treats to feed some of them
But, of course
I don’t feed all of them
The little hummers are leaving us now.
I’m down from 12 feeders to two.
Well, there you have it.
A small collection of fun creatures who share the farm with us.
Yep!
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
When the day finally darkens down to a point I can no longer work outside
I’ve been working on an embroidery kit (which I’ve had for years and years)
I am now at the stage whereby I have started hand-quilting each square. I have never quilted a day in my life. But, Kate from Tall Tales from Chiconia is an outstanding mentor; so I’m now giving it a go.
The kit is not large 14 squares. Once I get them hand-quilted, then I have to put them together…that is going to be the rub. But, I’m not going to worry about it until I get to that next step. The quilt will be for my personal use, so if it isn’t perfect I don’t have to obsess about it.
Muddling onward I go. 🙂
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
The pinto beans are ready for harvest. The leaves have dried and fallen off leaving only the pods.
Early, early Terry headed out to put the bean puller on the tractor and get into the field.
It was cool enough he had to put on a jacket. It’s important to go early…long before the sun heats up the earth like an old-fashioned flatiron.
The pinto bean plants need to be cold,so when the tractor goes through the pods stay on the vines, and the pinto beans stay in the shell.
The process is in steps–first the pinto beans are pulled
Laying the beans in neat rows to dry.
Then the bright morning warmed up, gilding everything. It was time to stop.
One field down, one more to go.
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
The last set of Linkin’s (shared) pigs had her babies.
She got to help birth them (she helped with the first pig, named Apple); this one is named Cookie. I thought I had blogged about it, but I can’t seem to find where it was to link back to it.
She’s been with them every step of the way. From the second they arrived at the neighbor’s farm.
Mr. Chapman has been an excellent friend and champion to Linky. She was with Apple, even helping deliver the pigs —Mrs. Chapman right there showing her how. And now with Cookie. Linky even got to help deliver two that were stuck. The pigs are excellent Momma’s and adore ‘their little human girl”.
Sadly, Linkin even had to bear the loss of the pig in the front, when she had a heart attack and died. “Life and death,” Mr. Chapman explained “all goes together.”
For this little farm girl, now transplanted to a subdivision, she has been given the gift of both worlds. Terry and I will always be most grateful to Mr. and Mrs. Chapman.
Your friend on a Western Colorado farm,
Linda
We took a short ride. Just over California Mesa, onto the Highway 50 heading toward Grand Junction, Colorado.
Close to Dead Man’s Curve we turned off, traveled onto a rutted dirt road. We were taking a break from the ordinariness of every day. A small hike within the desert landscape that is home to rare plants, Indian rock art and rugged rock formation is all we wanted. Nothing more than an hour. There was still necessary things to do back home and evening was descending.
Above us Highway 50 was filled with fast moving vehicles traveling 65 m.p.h. I”m sure they never even looked into the rugged area alongside the highway.
That’s alright…works for me.
Way down the canyon road live fruit farmers …some of the riches and most delicious fruit comes from down in this canyon.
You can see the highway going from the point in the middle to the left side of the photo. The blue mountain in the center is Grand Mesa, the right side shows a part of canyon hill.
We didn’t stay long. Just a short hike.
Back home (after doing the last of evening chores) we sat on the patio watching the evening turn into black velvet skies, shimmering with stars and the early rising moon.
Sunday breaks are very necessary.
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
Today is Sunday…Thankfully a day of rest. We always try to take this day off, of course there are some things that just don’t rest–like changing the irrigation water. But for the most part we ‘MADE IT THROUGH THE WEEK!’
The last load of pinto beans went to
The Beanery at 7:15 in the morning.
Terry went over and helped Nick unload our truck at 1:00 in the afternoon. The truck is now all cleaned up and put away until we start the corn harvest –sometime after the middle of October on, depending on how the corn dries down.
The little girls spent the day with us so they helped me do my job in the hay field.
I had a load with the old dog, the crippled dog and the two girls 🙂 but they enjoyed themselves. Linkin (I call her Nee-Nee) helped me straighten and pick up bales.
(Tallen is waving at Grandpa coming into the field for a load)
It was her first time, but she is old enough now — our kids started around 9 years of age so I figured she could too.
The tractor broke down on the first load of hay heading into the haystack 😦 but by that time is was supper time and Misty was back home. (Kelly and Bladen went to Bladen’s soccer game in Leadville and were spending the night in Gunnison with a college friend of Kelly’s last night.0 So Misty stayed and helped us. She is feeling better again, thankfully.
While Misty and Terry brought the broken tractor to the shed, the girls and I finished up the dishes. The last load of hay came in just as dark was settling down on the land. They wanted to help irrigate so off we all went to the old alfalfa field to start the water … IN the Dark!
While up there I lost Fuzzy. The poor old thing just has the hardest time keeping up with everyone. He wanted off the four-wheeler to walk with the girls so I put him down.
While following them he must have stopped to sniff around for a spell and they walked on. He didn’t come back and didn’t come back and didn’t come back. Fuzzy can’t hear or see very well so I was getting very concerned. Finally I took the four-wheeler and drove into the upper end, which is by the hay field…turned on the lights and drove around looking for him. I was almost to start panicking when I saw his white paws trying to get to me.
He and I were VERY happy to see each other that is for certain and sure!
By the time all of this was over and we sat on the back patio for a spell just to wind down it was past 10 o’clock when we finally went into the house and the little family went home.
We are supposed to have a couple of rainy days starting today sometime so getting all the crops in and covered feels very nice.
Have a restful Sunday everyone, Terry and I are sure going to try.
Linda
Life on a Colorado Farm 