The Greeley tribune., 1904-04-14
HIS SUCCESS
WORK OF ONE MAN POINTS
WAY TO OTHERS.
Windmill Irrigation Pursued with
Splendid Results by Northern
Colorado Truck Farmer.
His Method.

the Denver Republican shows the
possibilities of windmill irrigation
in northern Colorado, and may fur
nish hint that will be of inestimabe
value to those who have taken up
land On the ranges IN Weld county
Washington county, Colorado,
boasts of only one truck garden. 1t
stands an oasis upon the plains, six
miles northeast OF Akron. and is
owned by f. s. Barnhart. The prop
erty has returned him q good income
and he says anybody with small!
means and plenty OF patience may
farm successfully out upon the arid
prairie Water fol- the Barnhart
farm is secured by windmills, three
of them standing upon the property
and giving continuous flow of as
good water as can be found anywhere
in the state. 1t comes from a depth
of 20 feet and in the last sixteen
years during which Mr.. Barnhart and
his family have lived upon the place
there has never been a day when fresh
water in large quantities could not
he secured. MIR. Barnhart has shown
ard lands, though ne only has used
the simplest devices in order to carry
on his work.
Land may be purchased in Wash
re- Tho
soil is rich, but always dry anc ca
ceedingly fertile and productive when
water can be secured tor irrigation
purposes For a period OF eight years
Mr.. Barnhart has sold large guam
titles of fruits and vegetables from
his ten.acre farm. 1t did not occur
to him until eight years after he
settled in Washington county that it
would be profitable to grow trees and
vegetables. He came to the county
as stock raiser and his place resem-
bled every other stock ranch in that
section Of the country IN that it was
bereft Of trees and was part only
of the trackless plain.
when Barnhart discovered that
under ground there seemed to be
water in practically limitless guam
one we'll, he devoted his attention to
the irrigation question. Two other
windmils were built and two large
artificial ponds Water IS run of
into the orchard and garden from the
ponds whenever it is needed. Then
there is huge tank which also Is
used for the storage OF water. The
town OF Akron is supplied with
apples, plums, potatoes, raspberries,
strawberries, blueberries, currants,
gooseberrieS, rhubarb, asparagus, rad
lshes aad lettuce during the summer
by Barnhart. AL the vegetables and
fruits mentioned are grown upon the
Barnhart farm and are distributed
to customers by Miss Bessie Barn
hart, the attractive l6-y ear old daugh-
ter of Mr.. and Mrs Barnhart.
Last year, in addition to the pro-
ducts of his garden, MI Barnhart
sold $50 tons of ice which he had cut
the previous winter from his ponds.
There are about 10000 German carp
enough for the market this summer.
The ponds not only supply water to
the garden and orchard, but furnish
liberal supply for the herd of regis
| fora1 nntflo nnl ~ no e &c
tered hogs owned by Mr. BarnhaIt.
From the wells 80 barrels of water an
hour flow through troughs into the
big tanks and the ponds. frequently
Barnhart finds it necessary to shut
of the windmills in order that his
farm be not Hooded. He is assisted
in his work by his wife and daughter
and two sons, Rowey aud David.
Last summer the family sold 81, 200
worth OF garden truck OIL the farm
and a considerable quantity OF ice.
The plum crop has been uniformly
large and excellent and Balnhar says
that last year he had market for
every plum he raised.
''There are thousands OF locat
in eastern Colorado as good as that
OF Barnbart, it is claimed, where
windmill farms could be established
at small cost and with large profit
to the owner. 1t is seldom that
there is no wind upon the plains.
Windmills costs from 500 to $50 and
are easily kept in order Govern
ment lancs open to settlement cost
1928 per acre. This spring several
cattlemen in Washington county are
planting vegetables and shrubs upon
Their land, the success of Mr.. Barn
hart having induced them to try a
little garden making ON thnir o.un