Field Fire! March 15 & 17, 2012
It's that time of year again! Each spring we burn off many of the unused pastures on our farm. You could say that we are "cleansing the earth with fire in preparation for life to begin again" or you could say we are "ridding the field of unwanted weeds and insects like multiflora rose & deer ticks" or you could say we are "a bunch of pyromaniacs just having fun". Whatever you decide to call it, we have been doing it for a few years now and it really helps keep the fields clean - sure beats riding around on the tractor with the brush hog for 3 or 4 days.
There is usually a narrow window of time when conditions are just right to do this - after the snow (almost none this year) is gone and things are dry enough and before grass and things start greening up. Mom usually helps, despite our objections, along with Karen & her girls and Lee's boys, Ben & Aaron if they are around. We usually, and I stress usually, try to alert the local Comm center and Meshoppen Volunteer Fire Company, but not always (teeheehee). And we really do do this in a controlled, careful manner - burning a small guard band at the top end of each field before starting the main spectacular conflagration at the bottom windward end of the field. Yes, it is quite spectacular when the wind really get's it going and we have had people call it into the comm center from as far away as route 6 east of Meshoppen and even from Mehoopany. The main blaze is usually over in about 10 or 15 minutes and those few times when the fire company has arrived (not this year) there's only a few tufts of smoldering grass left for them to look at. "But, we called the Comm Center" we tell them. "Yeah, but when the fire is being reported multiple times from almost 10 miles away, we have to respond" they tell us. Oh well..... (Don't try this at YOUR home - we are professionals) Clicking on any of the thumbnails will bring up larger pictures. |
The field behind Mom's March 15, 2012
       The top section Saturday March 17, 2012
          The field out the road. Saturday March 17, 2012
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