This week my Snap grouping is some of the local region's methods of keeping the snow off the roads.
Snow fences are especially important for the open fields of the farming communities as blowing snow across the roads make for some treacherous driving conditions, including white outs (snow blowing so thick you cannot see).
Regionally over the last few years there has been an encouragement & financial aid to the farmers to plant living snow fences. Many farmers planted the cheaper White Pine trees. Now these particular trees & other types of pine are under attack from an invading pine bettle pest brought in on untreated undeclared wood shipping pallets. Other types of trees used for snow fencing are spruce & other evergreens. An evergreen that has low tight branching is ideal.
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| Living Snow Fence of White Pine |
Several of our local Mennonite & Amish farmers use the spent corn husks to create bales that they in turn use as snow fencing or as methods of blocking the maundering snowmobilers from using their fields for driving in. Some farmers will mark out a route for the snowmobilers to use so as not to damage fields of Winter Wheat. These husk bales have no corn left in them, the corn has been totally removed for either food production or feed for cattle.
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| Living Fence of Corn Husks |
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| Plastic Snow Fence |
The third type of snow fence is the plastic or wooden orange ones - ugly & in constant need of repair, adjusting & straightening. Many homeowners use to re-direct the blowing snow across their driveways.
This year, none have really been called into play as we have not had a lot of snow, so far but it's not over yet!
Ah that bright orange mesh fencing - I have lots of memories of it. I like the idea of living fences - it is why I encourage people to plant hedges. Much cheaper repair bills as most of the time the damage just regrows.
ReplyDeleteI've seen snow photos from friends who have had more than their usual share in the US, glad you've been fairly spared so far.
Lovely to see the living snow fences. A few friends were getting excited at the flurry of snow we had yesterday afternoon. It started raining almost immediately and nothing came of it. A very different world to the one pictured here!
ReplyDeletefascinating - I love hedges and the used corn husks appeal as a way to use what would otherwise be waste
ReplyDeleteThis is a really thoughtful Snap! I like it.
ReplyDeleteps: if you are interested in adding links which are just the words give me a shout and I'll talk you through it
ReplyDeleteThe ugly orange snow fences are the most popular around here. There are a few that are wooden and look much better. Like you, we haven't needed them much this year, but as you say, it's not over yet!
ReplyDeleteliving fences...what a great idea.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great set and I'm hoping they'll continue to not be needed this year.
ReplyDeleteOh to live where snow fence are needed!
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of a snow fence before. Another new idea you have shown me. Your blog is so enlightening. Fascinating.
ReplyDeleteThat is indeed interesting and very necessary in your open landscape. I guess snowmobilers are like off roadies in snow. Some people are very inconsiderate of other people's land. They seem to see fields as belonging to everyone not as somebody's livelihood!
ReplyDeleteI had dinner with TWO Canadians Thursday night down here in Melbourne. One is from Kingston, Ontario and had heard of snow fences and the other, now a Melbourne resident, is from Toronto and had not heard of them, even though she did a year at Uni in Gelph, which I think is somewhere near you, Mary Lou.
ReplyDeleteIf one of your friends is from Toronto & did a year at Univ of Guelph, then she definitely saw snow fences (lol) oh yes Kingston folks would know snow fences quite well.
DeleteI remember the first time I saw a snow fence when we traveled in the northern US on vacation - I'd never seen one here in Texas. LOL Great shots of the different types of fences.
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