Thursday, June 25, 2015

CROP DUSTING

Crop dusting is a fact of country life. I don't know how many times fields are treated during the growing season, but it seems to be a frequent event. I hear the plane often -- sometimes close, sometimes in the distance. It's an unsettling noise, perhaps made more unsettling by that scene from North by Northwest.
For several years I've tried to capture the crop dusting plane with poor results. Yesterday, though, as I walked the dogs, I spotted it at work over a field on Central Ridge. Since they were taken at a distance with a zoom lens, use of a tripod would have resulted in clearer shots. However, I don't carry a tripod when I walk. I just tried to make the best of the photo op. KW

4 comments:

Chris said...

We have them fly over all the time, too. Ours are little yellow biplanes but they do roar! (I looked them up and they're Grumman Ag Cats.)

Kathy said...

I do a lot of look-ups, but I never would have thought to research the little yellow biplanes. I suspect "our guy" uses the same kind.

Hallie said...

Although that airplane scene in North by Northwest is iconic, it's completely out of place in the movie. It's just like all of a sudden he's out in the open with a plane chasing him and then we move on.

I hope they aren't dusting with the stuff that kills bees.

Kathy said...

I'll have to ask the farmer to explain what happens. I know the stuff the farmer applies is weed poisoning because he told me it would kill my garden plants. I don't know the effect on dogs and humans either. That field is really close to the yard now -- much closer than back in the day. When the house and grounds were no longer in use, they expanded the fields.

So, since the farmer applies the herbicide, I assumed they dust the fertilizer. It would make sense not to spray poison. We would have nothing left.

I haven't seen North by Northwest in years. Guess I should watch it again and pay attention to the storyline.