Wednesday, October 06, 2010

A Funny Thing About Power

I farm organically, as I'm sure I've mentioned on many occasions. I made a point of stopping by our Electric Co-op a few months ago to let them know that we had moved and I still wanted the same arrangements we'd had before. No spraying. If a tree is gaining height toward the power lines, they could top it, but no spraying, please. It worked great at the old place, but this time I wanted to make sure they understood the boundaries as I have fruit trees and fruit vines growing, not to mention spraying wild cherry trees and leaving the dying leaves will kill my livestock if they eat it. I was told they always sent letters before spraying and I could contact them then. It wasn't two months, we got a letter, so I called. They told me they would put me on their list. Then one afternoon a couple of young men showed up on the place and informed me they would be coming around spraying and understood that I didn't want the place sprayed. Then they proceeded to ask me why. Well, my first thought was, because that's what I said I wanted and I own the land, not to mention I'm the tax payer, that's why I want it. But instead I explained to them about my organic herd and all the lovely things growing along the lane. I immediately missed the other guy that I had dealt with. Oh, that's not to say these guys were rude or anything, they were friendly enough, but . . . I discerned that in their case common sense would take a back seat to power and authority. Immediately I knew I should have made one more phone call. My husband noticed that all the foliage was turning brown through the timber. Sure enough, they'd sprayed. When I called to complain, the same guy showed up later that day to explain to me, that they had been very careful to spray on the other side of the fence. I reminded him that the poles were on our side, so why spray. He then proceeded to tell me that I'd eventually have to deal with the fact that they would have to spray my blackberries, because they didn't want them getting up in the power lines. Exasperated, I exclaimed, "Really . . . I've never seen a blackberry plant get that tall!" With that he was finished. I told him and I mentioned the name of the conversation I had had with the previous gentleman and I would be having another with him. It then dawned on me, the power company will operate in full power and at the rate they are going, we will be losing much of our natural providers of anti-oxidants. The power company has already killed three of the elderberry patches I've gone to for 5 years. To provide our conveniences, they will kill everything on the ground, they have the authority to exercise their power. Besides, after they spray, what can be done?
. . . thou shalt not destroy the trees . . . for thou mayest eat of them . . . (for the tree of the field is man's life) Torah of Holy Scripture

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