Wind machines and smoke pots

[hurley842002]

We do too, mostly the culture of freedom, more land and less crowding. We plan to move back here when my wife retires from the DA's office in a few years. The Grand Valley has just about everything....

Yeah, if there were a Job opportunity for me out there, I'd jump on it, we enjoy our stays in GJ on our way to Commiefornia every year, still been meaning to take the boys to that Dinosaur museum on your way out of town, but never seem to fit it in the schedule.

[Gman]

I remember the smudge pots and wind machines when I was growing up in Orange County, CA. You know, back when they grew oranges there circa 1970. Some crops are protected by sprinkler systems that envelop the vegetation in a sheath of ice protecting it from dropping way below freezing.

[hollohas]

I had no idea about some of this stuff. Thanks for the post OP. Pretty darn cool.

[Irving]

Agreed. I did into the hail cannons a bit and they are like turn of the century chemtrail machines. Same with cloud busters.

[buffalobo]

I've wondered if you were actively farming; it seems that sod farms are big around Hoyt. It's interesting to hear about your background around Delta/Cedaredge. Before I began making wines we would buy wine by the case from Surface Creek. Over the years since I've regularly bought grapes from a vineyard on Cedar Mesa to make some outstanding Gewurztraminer.

We had federal crop insurance but didn't buy private. It didn't pay much but it would usually cover our chemical bill for the year.

We are working toward a small beef/bison operation. We refuse to go into debt for it so very slow developing.

Just natural that folks grow fruit and make wine. There were always a few grape growers and vineyards but it really boomed shortly after I left for school. Some great wines made there now. Will always remember the homemade wines, juices, ciders. Apple festival always produced great food and drink.

Our families probably passed each other in our travels. We had friends in Palisade and my sister dated a boy from there for a while. My folks had a place right along Hwy 65 between Eckert and Cedaredge after I graduated H.S. circa 85.

[D_F]

It'll be a lean year waterwise, if we don't get more snow. Two of my adjacent neighbors are growing hemp, one for seed, the other for CBD oil. I think their hemp growing careers will be short as very soon the big farms on the eastern plains go into production and plunge profit margins for smaller growers. But who knows?

I chose not to contract with a neighbor hemp farmer because of the potential legal risks. People wait and watch as Washington sits.

Transportation is our Achilles heel in this part of the world. And if it weren't for the sweet corn I'd be jobless long ago.

I worked on some frost control for avocado trees sometime in the late 90's in the Salinas Valley of CA. One of the longer nights I can remember. :P

[Hummer]

Transportation is our Achilles heel in this part of the world. And if it weren't for the sweet corn I'd be jobless long ago.

I worked on some frost control for avocado trees sometime in the late 90's in the Salinas Valley of CA. One of the longer nights I can remember. :P

Same with selling fruit outside the Grand Valley now, growers don't ship via railroad anymore. I could never fill a whole tractor trailer to a single buyer in eastern CO, so had to ship LTL which was more costly and problematic. The big distribution houses have always been crooks supported by USDA rules. An old friend and fellow birder is an agronomist who developed the Olathe sweet corn strain. I think he probably did OK.

I had an uncle, a geologist engineer/scientist for Rockwell who had an avocado orchard in Orange County. He specialized in grafting and growing exotic shrub, vine and tree fruits and had a successful small farm business for 25 years after retirement.

[theGinsue]

Hummer, thank you for this thread - I found the information enlightening and educational. What struck me the most was how well written it is. You painted a picture with your works and made me want to keep reading. You've got talent brother.

[OtterbatHellcat]

Like.

[D_F]

Is your birder friend Dave G.? Darn smart fellow. Hope he did ok and that his health is good now. Small world, thanks for the thread.