PlymSpotter From Spain, joined Jun 2004, 11113 posts, RR: 63 Posted (6 years 5 months 3 weeks 4 days 7 hours ago) and read 1348 times:
A few weeks ago I was flying from Minneapolis to Detroit and I couldn't help noticing the really strange patterns that the crops are planted in. It wasn't just a few fields, there were hundreds and hundreds of fields planted like the picture below.
Does anybody know why this is, I'm curious as to the reason for such strange patterns?
Avt007 From Canada, joined Jul 2000, 2131 posts, RR: 5 Reply 1, posted (6 years 5 months 3 weeks 4 days 5 hours ago) and read 1326 times:
Crops are often planted so that the rows are at right angles to the slope. That way the rows run across the slope and irrigation doesn't flow downhill as easily.
Jetjack74 From United States of America, joined Jul 2003, 7335 posts, RR: 52 Reply 2, posted (6 years 5 months 3 weeks 4 days 4 hours ago) and read 1305 times:
Quoting Avt007 (Reply 1): Crops are often planted so that the rows are at right angles to the slope. That way the rows run across the slope and irrigation doesn't flow downhill as easily.
You mean these aren't the work of aliens from outer-space?
DesertJets From United States of America, joined Feb 2000, 7673 posts, RR: 19 Reply 3, posted (6 years 5 months 3 weeks 4 days 4 hours ago) and read 1296 times:
Quoting Avt007 (Reply 1): That way the rows run across the slope and irrigation doesn't flow downhill as easily.
SlamClick From United States of America, joined Nov 2003, 10062 posts, RR: 71 Reply 4, posted (6 years 5 months 3 weeks 4 days 4 hours ago) and read 1292 times:
Quoting Avt007 (Reply 1): rows are at right angles to the slope
Often called contour plowing, it is very effective in controlling erosion.
Now if you want to see some interesting planting, go to GoogleEarth. N 33° 13' 33" W 111° 35' 51"
Or if you are not real handy with lat/long just go to Chandler Arizona, Williams (ex AFB) from there go southeast on S. Rittenhouse Road about 6.5 miles (to the first bend) Just past the bend in the road, turn west on E. Cloud Road.
What you are looking for is on the south side of E. Cloud, between Rittenhouse and S. Signal Butte Road
It helps to have GE set at West-UP at this point.
Enjoy!
Happiness is not seeing another trite Ste. Maarten photo all week long.
PlymSpotter From Spain, joined Jun 2004, 11113 posts, RR: 63 Reply 5, posted (6 years 5 months 3 weeks 4 days 3 hours ago) and read 1281 times:
Quoting DesertJets (Reply 3): I believe the technical term is contour farming
Thanks for the replies everybody, I know the landscape looks quite flat from above, but I suppose down on the ground it must be pretty hilly. It's surprising though, here in the UK we grow crops in fields that are quite steep, certainly more-so than in my picture, but we don't use the contour method as much if at all.
Quoting SlamClick (Reply 4): Now if you want to see some interesting planting, go to GoogleEarth.
Some people are very creative and have a lot of time on their hands!
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