BURNING THE FIELDS



Burning the grass off the farmland.
 

Since time began, or at least since I began, I can remember farmers burning their fields in the spring.  In March, 1969, my grandfather started quite a fire north of the school.

I was in freshman study hall and looked out the school window.  Grandpa's field was on fire and blowing east toward the highway.  I then heard fire sirens and saw a lot of pick-up trucks driving north toward the farm.  The wind had picked up and the fire was spreading fast.  Luckily, the Buda, Illinois volunteer fire department got it under control.

As I remember, this was how farmers helped to clear off brush, scrub growth, and kill weed seeds in the crop fields.


                       

 

Once a field is burned it takes weeks for the grass to grow back and fill in the bare spots.  If you have laundry on the clothes line or your windows open during the burn,  the smell permeates everything.  Who hangs laundry outside and who opens windows these days?  I do, but most people do not. 

If you are inclined to burn a brush pile, please make an attempt to make sure there are no baby animals living in there.  Spread the pile apart and burn it in sections, make loud noises and chase them out.  Do anything you can think of to save the critters.  Thank you.