Colorado

[cosbackyard]

I had family visiting during most of this. I said the same thing to them. If this had been winter we'd be digging out for at least a week!

 

[suncatcher]

Quote: Yep, totally agree on the outdoorsy types that make up MOST of Colorado! Can't even imagine the snow, they say the rain to snow ratio is about 1 to 10. So ten inches of snow to one inch of rain! YIKES!

 

[Percheron chick]

I don't want to diminish the financial and emotional hardship some are going through either but as a horse owner who goes through 75-100 T of hay a year, once again I feel like we (the horse and livestock owners) are going to take it in the shorts. I understand supply and demand but give me a break. Most of the fields are going to be in better shape because of all the rain. With the cooler temps, grass is growing exponentially. We should have a record last cut of the year. The hay gymnastics I have been going through the past 3 summers have taken the joy out of horse ownership.

 

[wsmith]

I don't want to diminish the financial and emotional hardship some are going through either but as a horse owner who goes through 75-100 T of hay a year, once again I feel like we (the horse and livestock owners) are going to take it in the shorts.  I understand supply and demand but give me a break.  Most of the fields are going to be in better shape because of all the rain.  With the cooler temps, grass is growing exponentially. We should have a record last cut of the year.  The hay gymnastics I have been going through the past 3 summers have taken the joy out of horse ownership.

There is a farm on Hanover Road near Fountain Creek. I estimate that at least 1/3 of their hayfields were totally covered with water....He finished hauling out the most recent crop 2 weeks ago. The new growth is already close to 8 inches tall, and still growing. The last crop of the year will be outstanding!

When I was a kid my dad leased the property next to ours, and raised Hay. The owners got two grops, and my dad got the third and any pasture during the fall and winter. He always said he got the better deal. The third crop held the most nutritional value.

The prairie grass on my property is as tall as I've ever seen it. Most of my neighbors cut theirs so it looks nice and lawn-ish. Not me. I leave mine tall. That way I get all the snow and associated moisture that comes from it. The snow that falls on the neighbor's property blows away. Not mine.

 

[suncatcher]

I think the problem in the flooded areas will be all the mud that washed over them. I would think that layer of mud will have to be replanted next spring, and as for a fall cutting, I doubt it. Also, supply and demand will determine the price, and of course we will see demand go sky high! I did see on one local news channel that the area hit the hardest with the most rain/flooding was the size of Connecticut.

I would have to agree on the last crops being the best! Cooler temps help alfalfa become more leafy, the best part in my book. LOTS of protein in those leaves.

Some of our native grass here on the homestead is chest high, some as tall as my chin! I think this is what the pioneers talked about when first laying eyes on the west. What a sight that must have been! The elk will have good eating this winter, that is unless we get huge amounts of snow that cover it all. Gotta love those natural snow fences, they help keep the snow your property!

Looking at the picture of the flooded area, most of the grass on the side of the hills looks dry and dead, this may have helped that rain just run down the foothills, and fill the creeks and streams in a hurry!

 

[cluckcluckgirl]

Just asking to see if anyone knows what this is: I have recently (past 1-2 days) seen this weird blue thing covering the whole sky instead of a white blanket. JK

Sooooo good to finally have the sky back, or at least for today.

 

[suncatcher]

Just asking to see if anyone knows what this is: I have recently (past 1-2 days) seen this weird blue thing covering the whole sky instead of a white blanket. JK

Sooooo good to finally have the sky back, or at least for today.

Well, I am outside working today, and I did see the same thing early this morning, but not sure what it was/is???

It is nice to have the sun back, but with it comes those $ flies!!

 

[Minchi]

I think the problem in the flooded areas will be all the mud that washed over them. I would think that layer of mud will have to be replanted next spring, and as for a fall cutting, I doubt it. Also, supply and demand will determine the price, and of course we will see demand go sky high! I did see on one local news channel that the area hit the hardest with the most rain/flooding was the size of Connecticut.

I would have to agree on the last crops being the best! Cooler temps help alfalfa become more leafy, the best part in my book. LOTS of protein in those leaves.

Some of our native grass here on the homestead is chest high, some as tall as my chin! I think this is what the pioneers talked about when first laying eyes on the west. What a sight that must have been! The elk will have good eating this winter, that is unless we get huge amounts of snow that cover it all. Gotta love those natural snow fences, they help keep the snow your property!

Looking at the picture of the flooded area, most of the grass on the side of the hills looks dry and dead, this may have helped that rain just run down the foothills, and fill the creeks and streams in a hurry

That new mud will add a new layer of some very good soil. They should have great crops next year.

 

[ttclan]

It's been awhile since I've caught up on BC and this thread, but I'll say it's good to see a few names popping up saying they are okay. I have wondered for days how others are fairing in all this mess. Mt.Margie a shout out, old hens stopped eating eggs thanks to your advice...yeah, going back a long way, I know.

We are just getting phones and internet back and while I live off grid and rough it in an old pioneer way (no running water, electricity), having communication to the outside world is wonderful!!!!

We live outside Estes backed in against RMNP side of town up on a mountainside. Even up as high as we are we still had troubles. Water, water every where! almost flooded the coop and took it off the mountainside and down the river below us! 2-3 feet in the coop Friday night! My poor hubby, an engineer, was setting up diversions and checking on them all night long for two nights, as he watched the water destroy everything he did to stop it. Our gals survived though! They stopped laying in all this, ugh! But they made it, just in time to start molting in a few weeks!

Our barn isn't as flooded, but fared well. Hope the hay is safe, but probably lost the lower whole level...and yeah, with the hay prices these past few summers, it would be nice if something would change that, but I'd rather have a little rain than all the devastation! My poor daughter confessed that she had been praying for rain for good last cutting for us to buy our last needs for the year, and was thrilled when it started raining, then after seeing the hole in our road, big enough to swallow a car or two, she started praying for it to stop! She's 9.

Our biggest issue right now is having no road to get in or out of our place, but so thankful to have my family be safe and no loss of animal life. Coming months are going to be extra hard with clean up and hauling water up here with no road...but we are blessed and have much to be thankful for.

Glad to hear others have made it through this craziness.

 

[cosbackyard]

Took a few pictures along my commute this morning. These are on the east side of Garden of the Gods in COS. The water completely overran the creek and made entirely new channels.



This area used to be a grassy little valley but is now under around three feet of mud. All traces of the original creek are gone (it was below those signs.)



At least this is in an area without homes. Downstream this runs through a neighborhood but it came out unscathed.