Deciding that the russets could wait in the ground for a couple more days, and since our friendly neighbors couldn’t make it over for fresh-picked veggies as we’d planned, I took advantage of the free time and went in search of field burnings to photograph.
Readers may remember me writing that this will be the last year for much of the burning, as legislation has been passed banning the practice for all but a single variety of grass seed. How this new law will effect the grass seed farmers remains to be seen, yet, it couldn’t get much worse for them as this article makes clear. Hay prices are through the roof, so perhaps some will transition over, or perhaps to wheat. With the rising costs associated with farming, glutted markets are a farmer’s enemy; yet, it is often of their own making as they jump on a bandwagon a year late or as a last resort. Just ask the Christmas tree growers who are getting two dollars for a tree that will retail at $80, and like them, I am already seeing grass fields being plowed under.
So, it turns out that I am documenting a dying niche.
Note: Neglected to link the article first time around. It was late.
4 comments:
bastin. How're those farmer types educated in minimum tilling operations out your way.
They up to it?
Seems a shame to break up the roots of that grass out there on the dry side of those small hills and encourage erosion.
TM - Some are better than others, but their numbers a small. I have seen a farmer down the road do it one year and then tear it all up the next. My of his topsoil ended in the ditch, to the creek and onward, evidenced by a now-permanent gully that he has to avoid. Not so much out of sight out of mind for him. He just plowed up his beans, so we'll see what he puts in to stave the wound.
Amazing photos, you've done it again. The tin roof in the first one really sets it off. Haveing said (written) that, they are all amazing.
Thx MM.
Post a Comment