Vermont Farmer's 'Hail Cannon' Waking Up Neighbors

foxnews ^ | September 23, 2008

[Justice Department]

BENNINGTON, Vt. — Things have really been booming at Southern Vermont Orchards. And it's been keeping people up at night.

After a series of hailstorms devastated the orchard's apple crop in 2007, the owner resorted this summer to using a hail cannon, a noisemaking machine whose sound waves supposedly disrupt the formation of hailstones.

Scientists snicker at such devices. But farmers swear by 'em. As for the neighbors, they just swear.......

[Justice Department]

[Fido969]

Hail, hail, the gangs all here.

I would just want an excuse to fire off a cannon.

[Justice Department]

"I would just want an excuse to fire off a cannon."

Me too.

"It sounds like artillery fire," said Gregory Connors, a 38-year-old software designer whose children have been woken up by the booms. "I'm up for everybody's right to farm. We support local farmers. But the technology and the way it's being utilized is not acceptable." Hail can scar or ruin fruit and damage trees. Anti-hail efforts date back centuries, and have included the use of cannons, rockets, religious rites and bell ringing.