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Wind Controversy

by ggenthusiast , Posted to Fishing Buddy on 05/21/2010 1:37 PM | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
ggenthusiast

Joined: 09/11/2002
Location: ND
I had to chuckle last night watching the local news.  Some farmer-looking was being interviewed, and said wind turbines were going to ruin the prairie landscape.  Sorry buddy, that has already been done long ago North of Bismarck.  I just think its funny how some dudes think their "big big tractors" are a part of the native prairie landscape....along with grain elevators, power lines, coal mines, etc...

I say to hell with that pot o' gold.
Re: Wind Controversy
by measure-it on 05/21/2010 9:13 PM | Reply #1 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
measure-it
Joined: 01/27/2009
Location: ND
ggenth--I agree.  Old farm equip perched atop a high spot on the horizon--sitting there all rusted is not my idea of N D prairie beauty--then add power lines, oil dereks, and various other man-made beasts, and wind towers arn't too bad.  Plus, the locals won't have to buy strobe lights for that "disco fever effect"!!
Re: Wind Controversy
by cynical on 05/21/2010 10:17 PM | Reply #2 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
cynical
Joined: 10/27/2004
Location: ND
nothing more beautiful than a dust could behind farm equipment or the smell of roundup wafting through the air
"The only enemy of guns is rust and politicians."
“You can roll manure in powered sugar but it still ain’t a jelly donut”

"The best defense against usurpatory government is an assertive citizenry."

William F. Buckley, Jr.
"Unarmed helplessness is for sheep and the French."  Ted Nugent
Re: Wind Controversy
by bobkat on 05/22/2010 08:45 AM | Reply #3 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
bobkat
Joined: 12/16/2001
Location: ND
My wife says I've got lots of wind!    Those companies should call me!
Re: Wind Controversy
by mauserG33-40 on 05/22/2010 08:58 AM | Reply #4 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
mauserG33-40
Joined: 05/24/2008
Location: Mo
bobkat Said:
My wife says I've got lots of wind!    Those companies should call me!
Would you ruin the prairie landscape??
 
Re: Wind Controversy
by Tim Sandstrom on 05/22/2010 09:00 AM | Reply #5 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
Tim Sandstrom
Joined: 07/14/2003
Location: ND
Jeepers, the old threshing machines are a symbol of the American foundation in my opinion.  Dust?  Where do you find dust?  Everything is no-tilled now a days.  Roundup?  You should be happy they can still use it.  Although, I don't know how much it really gets used.  Many neat chemicals out there now a days advanced in many ways.  Maybe we should just all go organic?  Wait, no one would want to pay for that market...she'd get mighty expensive.

While I'd have a hard time wondering what I'd do if offered a wind tower I see the other side of the story too.  Live just north of a decent sized one and more to come.  Sorry, but they make an old threshing machine look rather insignificant.  I couldn't imagine the beauty lost of my great grandpa's farm if a wind farm was put up there.  Now I see a pristine view of the Blue Buttes.  I was bothered by the darn Four Bears rural water tower for the longest time.

I guess I'm just not sold on the value of the wind farms.  Seems like a band-aid or mask the energy companies have to put on because every day is Halloween with the greenies.  Or maybe not?  Those things sure are a lot of money with a life span of around 20 years.  Takes a lot of them to make the whole thing pay off.  Or maybe not?

Anyway, I see both sides to the story and like I said, the view of a wind tower is hardly kinder than a farmer out in his field or a threshing machine perched on top of a hill.  Not even close.

Besides, let me know of a few of these places that have junk yards.  I'll make a phone call in case the cost of scrap goes good.  Or maybe it is? 




 
Kirsch's Outdoor Products | Fargo, ND | 701-261-9017 | koutdoorproducts.com
Risovi Taxidermy Studio | New Rockford, ND | 701-947-2048 | risovitaxidermystudio.com
Jig-em-Up Guide Service | Grand Forks, ND | 701-739-9198 | jig-em-up-guide-service.com

 
Re: Wind Controversy
by cynical on 05/22/2010 10:04 AM | Reply #6 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
cynical
Joined: 10/27/2004
Location: ND
Windmills are stupid since they are not financially viable without tax subsidies.
"The only enemy of guns is rust and politicians."
“You can roll manure in powered sugar but it still ain’t a jelly donut”

"The best defense against usurpatory government is an assertive citizenry."

William F. Buckley, Jr.
"Unarmed helplessness is for sheep and the French."  Ted Nugent
Re: Wind Controversy
by bowhunter_24 on 05/22/2010 10:39 AM | Reply #7 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
bowhunter_24
Joined: 11/07/2005
Location: ND
Tim Sandstrom Said:
Jeepers, the old threshing machines are a symbol of the American foundation in my opinion.  Dust?  Where do you find dust?  Everything is no-tilled now a days.  Roundup?  You should be happy they can still use it.  Although, I don't know how much it really gets used.  Many neat chemicals out there now a days advanced in many ways.  Maybe we should just all go organic?  Wait, no one would want to pay for that market...she'd get mighty expensive.


Round Up is used on pretty much every acre at least once in the western part of the state. Either preplant burndown or in the fall.
Go big or go home
Re: Wind Controversy
by Opie11 on 05/22/2010 11:54 AM | Reply #8 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
Opie11
Joined: 11/07/2005
Location: ND
Roundup or generic glyphosate is definately widely used, but doesn't really have much of an odor.  Some other chemicals have a very strong odor however.  I'm kind of torn on the wind thing too.  I don't really mind too much how they look, but does anyone know of someone that lives close to them?  I understand they create a sound or vibration that can be kind of annoying or worse!

Opie
Re: Wind Controversy
by Tim Sandstrom on 05/22/2010 11:57 AM | Reply #9 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
Tim Sandstrom
Joined: 07/14/2003
Location: ND
bowhunter_24 Said:
Tim Sandstrom Said:
Jeepers, the old threshing machines are a symbol of the American foundation in my opinion.  Dust?  Where do you find dust?  Everything is no-tilled now a days.  Roundup?  You should be happy they can still use it.  Although, I don't know how much it really gets used.  Many neat chemicals out there now a days advanced in many ways.  Maybe we should just all go organic?  Wait, no one would want to pay for that market...she'd get mighty expensive.


Round Up is used on pretty much every acre at least once in the western part of the state. Either preplant burndown or in the fall.
I guess I don't know why I overlooked spring and fall burnouts.  I was stuck thinking of post planting for some reason.  Guess I wasn't very clear eh? 




 
Kirsch's Outdoor Products | Fargo, ND | 701-261-9017 | koutdoorproducts.com
Risovi Taxidermy Studio | New Rockford, ND | 701-947-2048 | risovitaxidermystudio.com
Jig-em-Up Guide Service | Grand Forks, ND | 701-739-9198 | jig-em-up-guide-service.com

 
Re: Wind Controversy
by BringingTheRain on 05/22/2010 12:27 PM | Reply #10 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
BringingTheRain
Joined: 01/05/2010
Location: nd
The only winder turbines I'm really familiar with, are the ones south of Langdon. Considering the countryside around that area couldnt get more boring, I think the wind turbines are kind of a plus.
 
Re: Wind Controversy
by bingo1 on 05/22/2010 2:14 PM | Reply #11 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
bingo1
Joined: 08/04/2009
Location: ND

Does anyone know if the deer numbers in the area of wind farms are decreased?  I was wondering if the turbine movement and or the sound or vibration would cause them to leave the area or would they just get used to it.
Re: Wind Controversy
by mauserG33-40 on 05/22/2010 2:39 PM | Reply #12 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
mauserG33-40
Joined: 05/24/2008
Location: Mo
bingo1 Said:

Does anyone know if the deer numbers in the area of wind farms are decreased?  I was wondering if the turbine movement and or the sound or vibration would cause them to leave the area or would they just get used to it.


Go dunp a truck load of corn under one of the towers and see how many will come in.
 
Re: Wind Controversy
by ndfishin15 on 05/22/2010 2:58 PM | Reply #13 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
ndfishin15
Joined: 06/04/2004
Location: ND

I hate looking at the wind turbines they just sicken me!  The only reason we have them is to make the tree huggers happy.  I heard that they have a service life of 35 years without any major part replacement when it takes 45 years to pay themselves off.  The whole thing is stupid!

Re: Wind Controversy
by Opie11 on 05/22/2010 5:11 PM | Reply #14 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
Opie11
Joined: 11/07/2005
Location: ND
Tim, Roundup is used a lot in crop with all the Roundup Ready beans, canola, corn etc.
In some areas of the country it's been used so much that they have weeds that have developed resistance to it.  Not a good thing as it's a very useful tool in agriculture.

Opie
Re: Wind Controversy
by Farnorth on 05/22/2010 5:56 PM | Reply #15 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
Farnorth
Joined: 05/23/2002
Location: ND
Opie11 Said:
Tim, Roundup is used a lot in crop with all the Roundup Ready beans, canola, corn etc.
In some areas of the country it's been used so much that they have weeds that have developed resistance to it.  Not a good thing as it's a very useful tool in agriculture.

Opie
Just a quick correction.  There is no such thing as a plant developing a resistance.  It either is resistant or it is not.  Every population has some individuals who are resistant to pathogens etc.  Maybe 99.9% of all plants in a population might be killed by Roundup but the one in a million that isn't susceptible can cause problems over a period of time.

What you are seeing when you see a bunch of weeds seemingly become resistant to Roundup for example is that you keep killing of the non-resistant individuals and the resistant ones reproduce.  So, what is happening is you are building up a population of resistant individuals but the weeds themselves didn't develop a resistance.  It was already there.

An example from the livestock industry is wormers.  You should rotate wormers because some parasites can be resistant to a particular wormer but not to other types.  If you keep using the same wormer, you will never get rid of the resistant individual worms and they will continue to reproduce.
Re: Wind Controversy
by bobkat on 05/22/2010 9:32 PM | Reply #16 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
bobkat
Joined: 12/16/2001
Location: ND
Same with anitibiotics, Farnorth, though some of those bugs can mutate and be resistant.   Better equipped, the continue on, just like Darwin said!
But a major problem with resistance  is that say you kill 90% of the bad bugs with the first dose, 90% of the remining ones the second does, 90% the third, and so on.  You hope that last .00001% of the bad guys will be killed off by your immune system, but if not, next time the same bug killer will be less evvective.  The bad guys survive and reproduce, and so on. Not even mentioning the problems with innappropriate use.
The problem is magnified when someone feels better after a few days of treatment, stops them to save money or simply  forgets them, and the bad guys can rebound with a vengeance. 
Re: Wind Controversy
by mauserG33-40 on 05/22/2010 9:52 PM | Reply #17 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
mauserG33-40
Joined: 05/24/2008
Location: Mo
Farnorth you are 100% correct


"An example from the livestock industry is wormers.  You should rotate wormers because some parasites can be resistant to a particular wormer but not to other types.  If you keep using the same wormer, you will never get rid of the resistant individual worms and they will continue to reproduce."
 
Re: Wind Controversy
by StevePike on 05/23/2010 01:33 AM | Reply #18 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
StevePike
Joined: 01/04/2002
Location: ND
3XGutshot Said:
nothing more beautiful than a dust could behind farm equipment or the smell of roundup wafting through the air
It all depends on your point of view. A lot of my friends call the odor of manure the "Smell of Money".

You can't aim a duck to death.
Re: Wind Controversy
by Farnorth on 05/23/2010 09:53 AM | Reply #19 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
Farnorth
Joined: 05/23/2002
Location: ND
The towers appear to be a good deal for the landowners.  Rent paid is based on the size of the generator.  There are a couple different sized generators used in the region.  We can't tell by looking at them because the tower and blades are the same.  The size used by Langdon is the smaller of the two generators.  Contract payment amount was about $4,900 annually with a 2% annual inflation factor.  This means that two towers on a quarter of land is equivalent to $65 per acre (assuming 150 tillable acres).  And you still get to farm the land.

Everything comes with a price though.
1.  The access roads will slice up your land and you really don't get to say where they go.
2.  The roads aren't always easy to just drive over. (the developer will tell you they are)
3.  It will cost you more to farm the land with towers on it.  Less profit from farming that will be measurable.
4.  The blades make a swishing noise.  Apparently some people living near the towers don't like it.  I have no opinion.
5.  You might see some impact even if you have no towers.  I've been told that aerial spray applicators won't or can't spray within 3 miles of a tower due to wind currents.  I have no idea if this is true.

Might be plenty more issues but those are the ones that came to my mind first.
Re: Wind Controversy
by neb on 05/23/2010 10:17 AM | Reply #20 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
neb
Joined: 03/20/2002
Location: MT
Oil wells I think are worse then anything.  Roads all over the place and the oil company's think they own the world.
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Posted By: ggenthusiast
Posted On: 05/21/2010 1:37 PM
2090 Views, 29 Comments

Tags: wind, controversy, prairie, watching, last, local, farmer-looking, news, night, chuckle
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