San Luis Valley, Co

Gregsfxr3 · #1 11/13/10, 06:12 PM

Hi, i just move to the valley from illinois and am wondering if anyone from this area is on this forum ? I come from a location that has black dirt and have moved to an area that is super dry and is some what sandy. I am looking of some advice on gardening here, thanks, Greg

texican · #2 11/13/10, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gregsfxr3

Hi, i just move to the valley from illinois and am wondering if anyone from this area is on this forum ? I come from a location that has black dirt and have moved to an area that is super dry and is some what sandy. I am looking of some advice on gardening here, thanks, Greg

Might want to check with the local USDA office. I've been thru the San Luis Valley many times. You already know it's a desert. You know it's sandy. You know, or will very soon know, that if you don't have water rights, you have no water. Hopefully, you moved there for work, and not for homesteading type purposes... If you didn't buy an already productive farm, odds are you'll have zero water rights, and gardening without water is mighty difficult. I believe the state might've loosened their absolute ban on water catchment off of roofs... but I wouldn't bet the farm on it. So, it's an iffy at best proposition.

Good luck.

Gregsfxr3 · #3 11/14/10, 07:59 AM

I did move here for work. I do have water to use,i just havent gardened in the sand and need advice on this .

motdaugrnds · #4 11/14/10, 08:55 AM

It is difficult to build sand up for quality gardening; but can be done. We have "sandy loam" and built it up over the years with cover crops and barn/chicken house beddings; however, this is not exactly the "desert" soil you are confronted with.

If I were in that situation, first thing I would do is consult with lthe ocal agricultural agent. Then, what I did would depend on what type of gardening I wanted to do and how much I wanted to grow. (I can picture raised beds constructed out of whatever is available to you and filled with the type of soil that would be needed for whatever you are growing. It would be costly in the beginning; but probably render more than that sand would.)

DW · #5 11/14/10, 09:10 AM

You Love compost and water, water, water!!!! I grew up In IA (6 blocks f/Miss.) where you put anything in the ground and it grows. You can most things here but it requires a little more work. I LOVE no humidity.

cowbelle · #6 11/14/10, 10:04 AM

Welcome to the state. You'll find that that valley is one of the coldest places in the 48! When I moved to south western CO, an old cattle buyer in CA told me that Alamosa was so cold - I kind of laughed it off, but it's true. Very cold for a very long time. My area is also cold - it's high desert, 7000', but your new area also will be freezing all day for many months. Beautiful open country though.

seedspreader · #7 11/14/10, 10:32 AM

Spent a lot of time in SLV and Alamosa. I love it. I wouldn't want to live in the valley as a homesteader though... unless I had property right on the Rio Grande for irrigation.

There are a lot of positives to the valley, but there is a reason that it hasn't been very populated until the last 40 years.

Timberline · #8 11/14/10, 01:03 PM

We're in the center of the state at 8000 feet. It is hard to garden in sand and rocks. I use raised beds outside and in the greenhouse. They are wonderful. I've had a lot of success and as I get older I find it's much easier on my back. I've added soil, compost, manure, straw, and so on over the years. My beds are now black, rich and full of worms. I put hoops and plastic over them for season extenders and to help keep the moisture in the soil.

gobug · #9 11/14/10, 01:08 PM

As a CO native I say you can grow just about anything there. It may take a couple years to improve your soil, but it is not complicated.

Although water rights are an issue, they are not as bad as mentioned above. The San Luis valley has a lot of great produce from farms. Potatoes, lettuce, and lots of barley (for Coors). There are also many small homestead style operations. SLV has a high water table. My property is across the Sangre De Christo mtn range and I have water rights. So do all my neighbors. It may be a bit of a challenge and expense if you have rights but no well. But you should be able to amend the soil into great farm soil. Do you have animals? How big will your property be? A 1/4 acre should be enough to grow all the food needed for a small family.

Are your water rights for surface water?? If so, that adds flexibility to your future farming opportunities.

Go to your local farm supply. Meet neighbors and find out what they do to improve their soil.

SLV is spread through 5 counties with large towns. Which are you close to? Alamosa?

good luck, there many fascinating places near that large area, contact me and I would be glad to share

texican · #10 11/14/10, 01:09 PM

If you got your water, I'd start putting the 'scrounge' on for old rotten rolls of hay. [that is, if they ever rot up there?

] There's always rotten hay to be had around here... unroll the rotten rolls as best you can over the garden area and let it sit there over winter, till it in best as possible next year... eventually you'll get enough organic matter to build the soil up.

Anything organic would help...

Gregsfxr3 · #11 11/14/10, 06:46 PM

Thanks for the info. I am living on a farm by San Luis, CO It is a hay farm so cover on the garden isn't any problem.I will think about getting a green house. We had goats and chickens and rabbits in Illinois,we are thinking about getting some out here.I am wondering about some of the things we grew Illinois and have seeds that we have save if they will grow out here?

LisaInN.Idaho · #12 11/15/10, 02:50 PM

My daughter's boyfriend grew up on a good sized third generation farm in Hooper. They grow organic wheat, alfalfa and potatoes and raise cattle. I was impressed that they do all this at almost 8000 feet in elevation.

gobug · #13 11/15/10, 10:13 PM

My property is about straight north of you across the Sangre De Christo mountains. A place I have on my list to see is between you and the Great Sand Dunes. Zapata Falls is about a 2 mile hike through a wilderness area occasionally crossing South Zapata Creek on the way up to the falls. It is a gusher of water emerging from a solid granite wall. That is nearly straight east of Hooper.

I think you have made a great choice for a place to live and homestead. The Sangre De Christos and the valleys on both sides have very interesting histories.

texican · #14 11/16/10, 12:18 AM

Are they still trying to dewater the valley for Denver and the Front Range communities.... think I read a few years back where a group was trying to get all the subsurface water rights...

gobug · #15 11/16/10, 12:50 PM

I just replied to your question, but somehow lost the whole thing.

I will rephrase.

Due to the vast wilderness areas and numerous 14K foot mtns that separate front range cities from the San Luis Valley, I don't think they are trying to get at that water. IIRC: the first court battle won by the Sierra Club was water from a humid CO mtn wilderness to Denver. I have not heard nor read of such a thing, but could believe it.

I have heard, cannot confirmm, that oil companies are scrambling after subsurface water rights throughout the state. Companies and cities are not the only greedy lawyer infested groups after our water. Kansas sued CO for depleting the Arkansas river flow. Now if you own property in the Arkansas river aquafer you must have 45 acres to obtain a permit for a new well.

Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and California all demand their share. Water will become a bigger issue everywhere as population continues to grow.

Oggie · #16 11/16/10, 12:59 PM

I've driven through that area many times and know a few people who live near there.

That region is well-known for potatoes, spinach, alfalfa, etc. So, you know it's fertile.

It's also the earliest settled region of Colorado by Europeans. The Spanish have farmed there almost forever.

But, it is cold. Tomatoes, eggplants, etc., are going to have to be babied. The Colorado extension office has taught high-altitude gardening classes in the past.

You might check with area stables and feedlots to see if you might get inexpensive or free manure to augment the sandy soil.

Oggie · #17 11/16/10, 01:25 PM

This man will be a bit to the south of you, at a higher elevation:

Bountiful Ranch · #18 11/16/10, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DW

You Love compost and water, water, water!!!! I grew up In IA (6 blocks f/Miss.) where you put anything in the ground and it grows. You can most things here but it requires a little more work. I LOVE no humidity.

I know what you mean. I lived on the IL side of the Miss and then we were transferred to SE OK. I have a ranch which I love but after years working on my sandy loom soil I get the same about of tomatoes on 100 plus plants that I got on less than 40 plants in IL. Its been 12 years of work for that too.

Your area is pretty, we are thinking of retiring in the Trinidad area but did look in your area too.

gobug · #19 11/17/10, 12:07 AM

Greg
What are your plans now?
You mentioned the possibility of some animals. How much space do you have? Do you have the structures required? Are you excited?
gary

Gregsfxr3 · #20 11/18/10, 10:28 PM

We are thinking about some milking goats and some chickens(miss fresh eggs) We just got back out here from Illinois ,we brought back the biggest uhaul truck full of stuff and still have two loads of stuff to get sometime. As far as space out here we have lots of it , we also have a shed that someone has use for rabbits and chickens before. It is a big change in the soil type. We are excited to start a new adventure here.