Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Controlled Burn

Our neighbor, actually neighbor(s), have established large stands of native prairie grass on both sides of us.  We knew that our neighbor on one side was planning a spring burn and on our way home from work this afternoon, from Red Wing, 10 miles away, we saw huge clouds of brown smoke.  Sure enough, the crew was out and working on breaking the large acreage into smaller, controllable parcels.


Beyond the yesterday-planted cornfield and across the line fence.



Black and sooty now, but give it a week and we'll be living next door to the definition of green.

11 comments:

  1. Hey, it least the burning in your neighborhood is controlled... there was a 9026 acre wildfire about 25 miles west of here!

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    1. Erik,
      I knew it was closer than it needed to be to you....I've got 2 friends in and around Solon Springs so we've been paying attention.

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  2. Really glad you were not affected by the fire, Erik. Very sorry for those who were.

    I would LOVE to see a motorcycle ride 'n' stop at those restored prairie fields once they get in full "bloom". I love restored prairie.

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    1. Martha,
      Our MN State Park directly across the road has a huge area of prairie grass, has been for years and is very well established. Now our neighbors on both sides are joining in, the hill behind us that was once ours is all grass as well.

      Photos will follow.

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    2. So regarding the burning, I imagine the state burns, too. I hope they all wait for calm days. That's the trick.

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    3. I'll admit that we were a bit nervous when our neighbor announced that he planned a burn. Yesterday conditions were as perfect as they could get; westerly wind, recent moisture and a crew that knew what they were doing. We were happy that our cornfield had been planted; the freshly worked ground wetter than the stubble that had been there since last fall.

      Yes, the State burns yearly....their stand is beautiful.

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  3. Looking forward to seeing the fields of green and wildflowers.

    They used to burn off the agricultural fields around here before plowing, but the smoke would drift and after a bad multiple-car accident on I-5 they banned field burning. The burn would control pests and weeds.

    So now the farmers use pesticides and herbicides (which pollute the ground water) and have to till and plow several times instead of once which creates dust storms across the roads instead.

    No win situation.

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    1. Old slash and burn...never forget what that looked and smelled like. No win, Trobairitz, true.

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    2. Burning was once the Native way, now it's hard to know if the smoke is worse than other methods of control. I believe that our neighbors were both instructed to burn or mow every couple of years.

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  4. Controlled burning or not, the smoke in the air always makes me want to flee...

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  5. Sonja,
    I've never felt threatened by fire but can imagine being terrified if my home and people were in the path of flames. There are precautions that rural dwellers can take to minimize the risk.

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